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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of ten (10) product innovation employees in medical device firms' sustainability initiatives, considering leadership, organizational and employee factors within the healthcare industry. Design/methodology/approach: Phenomenology was chosen as it supports an in-depth analysis of the lived experience of several individuals, who are experiencing a similar phenomenon. This methodology permitted the researcher to "view experience and behavior as an integrated and inseparable relationship of the subject and object and of parts and whole." Findings: The intersection of employee, leader and organizational factors should be considered to further organizational citizenship behavior to the environment. Within each theme, cognitive dissonance is present. Understanding and acknowledging the choice required by the individual, leader and/or organization may impact overall environmental organizational citizenship behavior. Practical implications: When implementing sustainable activities, three key areas should be evaluated: leaders, organizations and employees. Social implications: This study provides insight into employee experiences and sustainable activities. Originality/value: This research adds to the literature on organizational citizenship behavior to the environment within medical device firms as it provides insight into how sustainability programs within firms could be approached. Healthcare's climate impact contributes to emissions which are equivalent to having 75 million vehicles on the road, annually. In addition, this study provided an initial understanding of the lived experiences of employees within the medical device industry when themes are analyzed. The results may help organizations understand the experiences of employees to further advance their vision and mission, by understanding the phenomenon of how sustainability initiatives are perceived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]