BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability Assessment Answers

Activity to define scope of sustainability policy, and gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy.

1. What is the scope of your sustainability policy?
2. What sources of information have you gathered to help you plan and develop your policy?

Activity to identify and consult stakeholders as a key component of the policy development process.

1. Who are your stakeholders?
2. Choose a stakeholder from your list above and describe through what means you would consult with them and what you would discuss.

Activity to include appropriate strategies in policy at all stages of work for minimising resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use, and employing life cycle management approaches.

1. What strategies could you include to reduce toxic material and hazard chemical use and employ life cycle management approaches?

Activity to make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, timeframes and cost.

1. Demonstrate how you can make recommendations for a policy based on likely effectiveness, timeframes and cost.

Activity to develop policy that reflects the organisation's commitment to sustainability as an integral part of business planning and as a business opportunity.

1. How do you propose to demonstrate your organisation’s commitment to sustainability?

Activity to agree to appropriate methods of implementation, outcomes and performance indicators.

1. Prepare for a meeting with your supervisors. Brainstorm ideas for appropriate methods of implementation.

Activity to promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected outcome, to key stakeholders.

1. Why should you promote your workplace sustainability policy?
2. What do you have to think about when promoting the policy and its expected outcome to stakeholders?
3. In pairs, act out a situation where you have to convince your key stakeholders those sustainability policies will benefit them.

Activity to inform those involved in implementing the policy about expected outcomes, activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities.

• When informing those involved in implementing the policy of the outcomes you expect, why is it important to be specific?
• Give an example of an activity or activities that you would like staff to undertake to help achieve a target (also specify the target).
• Using your example from the previous answer, get in pairs, and tell your partner what responsibilities they should have as if they are the supervisor for implementing your target.

Activity to develop and communicate procedures to help implement workplace sustainability policy.

1. What is a procedure? Give an example below.
2. What different methods of communicating a procedure are you aware of?

Activity to implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency.

1. What is continuous improvement?
2. What qualities should staff have for this?
3. What qualities should supervisors have to help staff achieve this?

Activity to establish and assign responsibility for recording systems to track continuous improvements in sustainability approaches.

1. First, write a list of all the tasks that need to be done to track continuous improvements in sustainability approaches.
2. Next, explain how you propose to assign people to those tasks. Do you need a large team? Explain your answer.

Activity to document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and stakeholders.

1. What might you have to give feedback to stakeholders regarding?
2. Think about your stakeholders – who would be interested in each of the above examples? Assign at least two stakeholders for each.

Activity to investigate successes or otherwise of policy.

1. What should you research when investigating successes?
2. What should you research when investigating areas for improvement?

Activity to monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action; and use to promote continuous improvement of performance; and modify policy and/or procedures as required to ensure improvements are made.

1. What is a trend? Give an example.
2. You have found a problem with a procedure. How could you find a solution?

Summative Assessments

• Skills Activity considering your organisational requirements
• Research two of the following and write a synopsis of useful information you found from each document:
• Ecological footprinting
• Energy Efficiency Opportunities Bill 2005
• Global Reporting Initiative
• Green office program
• Green purchasing
• Greenhouse challenge plus (Australian government initiative)
• ISO 14001:1996 environmental management systems life cycle analyses
• Life cycle analyses
• Product stewardship
• Supply chain management
• Sustainability covenants/compacts
• Triple bottom line reporting.

Create a five to ten-minute presentation to communicate your research with stakeholders. How can it help you to create your policy? Show how you will implement and review it. You should also consider stakeholder’s different opinions and positions when tailoring your presentation.

Ensure you prepare for questions from the audience.

Knowledge Activity

Outline the environmental or sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to the organisation identify internal and external sources of information and explain how they can be used to plan and develop the organisation’s sustainability policy

Explain policy development processes and practices

Outline organisational systems and procedures that relate to sustainability

Outline typical barriers to implementing policies and procedures in an organisation and possible strategies to address them.

1. Identify internal and external sources of information that can be used to plan and develop a sustainability policy for the organisation.
2. What are policy development processes and practices?
3. What organisational systems and procedures relate to sustainability?
4. Identify typical barriers to implementing policies and procedures in an organisation and explain what strategies you would use to address them.

Performance Activity

Scope and develop organisational policies and procedures that comply with legislative requirements and support the organisation’s sustainability goals covering at a minimum:

• minimising resource use
• resource efficiency
• reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use
• employing life cycle management approaches
• continuous improvement

Plan and implement sustainability policy and procedures including:

• agreed outcomes
• performance indicators
• activities to be undertaken
• assigned responsibilities
• record keeping, review and improvement processes

Consult and communicate with relevant stakeholders to generate engagement with sustainability policy development, implementation and continuous improvement

Review and improve sustainability policies.

1. While leading a group of at least three people, demonstrate your ability to plan, develop and implement workplace sustainability policy and procedures.

Ensure you:

• Use a range of sources
• Write a sustainability report
• Describe the benefits of global reporting initiatives (including their usefulness for providing guidelines)
• Implement triple bottom line reporting
• Are aware of the organisation’s stakeholders
• Raise awareness of sustainability policies and procedures at work
• Minimise resource usage at work
• Demonstrate the organisation’s commitment to sustainability
• Implement sustainability procedures
• Show an awareness of legislative requirements relating to sustainability
• Use key performance indicators.

2. Demonstrate your ability to communicate workplace sustainability policy to others.

Ensure you:

• Show an awareness of the various stakeholders involved in sustainability policy
• Show an ability to use a variety of methods to promote sustainability policy
• Show an ability to inform those involved in implementing the policy about expected outcomes and activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities
• Show an awareness of the activities that can be undertaken to encourage sustainability.

3. Liaising with key stakeholders, demonstrate your ability to implement workplace sustainability.

Ensure you show:

• An ability to consult and communicate with relevant stakeholders to generate engagement with sustainability policy development
• An awareness of which questions to ask when communicating procedures (such as, ‘Who is the target audience?’ ‘What information am I trying to convey?’ and ‘What format will best suit the information?’
• An ability to create the right culture for implementing sustainability procedures (by, for example: training staff appropriately, using constructive criticism, rewarding staff who develop ways to improve, and promoting staff progression).

4. Demonstrate an ability to review and improve sustainability policies.

Ensure you:

• Provide feedback regarding complaints or suggestions, audits, changes to procedures, and rewards/disciplinary action outcomes
• Investigate successes or failures of a policy, as well as barriers to success
• Remove and overcome barriers.