Table A1.

Sample interview questions

Sample question(s)PurposeLinks to theory
What is your role in the sustainability work, if any?
How is the sustainability work organised within the local authority?
Can you tell us about any official policies and procedures that exist regarding sustainability work and how these affect you?
To understand the formalised sustainability governance structures and rolesStructural accountability (Sinclair, 1995)
How are you/employees held responsible for (not) meeting specific sustainability goals?
How do you report the results of your work?
To understand the internal reporting, accounting and control frameworksHierarchical accountability (Roberts, 1991)
How important is it to you in your work that you meet sustainability goals and why?To ascertain if it is the more formalised, structural discourses of accountability or the more socialising, personal discourses that make employees act sustainably in practiceBoth structural and personal discourses of accountability (Sinclair, 1995)
What motivates you to work sustainably?
How do your colleagues affect your daily sustainability work?
To ascertain which accountability relationships are important for the employee to understand and act upon (i.e. superior-subordinate, collegial or other)Socialising accountability (Roberts, 1991)
Source: Authors’ own creation

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