MSS015009 - Implement sustainability plans assessment tool

Assessor Resource

MSS015009
Implement sustainability plans

Assessment tool

Version 1.0
Issue Date: May 2024

This unit of competency covers gaining support for and implementing new and/or updating existing sustainability plans. It also includes the monitoring/measuring of changes resulting from the implementation, comparing these changes to the intended changes and recommending modifications which will result in further improvement.

This unit applies inside organisations and their value chains. The unit has been developed with manufacturing operations as a focus. However, because of the range of organisations in a typical manufacturing value chain it may also be applied to other types of organisations.

The unit assumes that sustainability improvements have gained all required approvals. The improvements may be in response to planned or current regulatory requirements or may be related to organisation generated improvement proposals.

As sustainability related improvements often affect all or major parts of an organisation and will also often include suppliers, distributors and customers, implementation will usually be required to ensure the support of stakeholders across the value chain in order to minimise disruption to the organisationâ€™s business and to maximise benefits.

A manager or technical specialist who has a major responsibility for sustainability as part of a broader work role would typically undertake this unit, or sustainability may be their primary work responsibility. The manager or technical specialist may undertake this alone or as part of a team.

The technical measurement of operational performance or measurement of emissions or other environmental impact is not covered by this unit. However, there is a requirement to identify and validate data. The complexity of this requirement will vary according to the type and scale of the organisationâ€™s processes.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

You may want to include more information here about the target group and the purpose of the assessments (eg formative, summative, recognition)

Evidence Required

List the assessment methods to be used and the context and resources required for assessment. Copy and paste the relevant sections from the evidence guide below and then re-write these in plain English.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Establish required support for proposed sustainability related improvements	1.1	Identify key stakeholders.
		1.2	Identify benefits of proposal for each stakeholder.
		1.3	Identify causes of resistance to proposal.
		1.4	Negotiate with key stakeholders and gain support.

2	Establish systems for monitoring implementation/update	2.1	Agree on implementation timelines.
		2.2	Develop agreed indicators of progress.
		2.3	Establish data collection systems and responsibilities for each indicator.
		2.4	Validate data collection against indicators.

3	Implement/update improvement plan	3.1	Update project implementation plan as required.
		3.2	Take required actions to have plan implemented/updated.
		3.3	Monitor progress using agreed indicators.
		3.4	Analyse progress to plan.
		3.5	Take control actions necessary.
		3.6	Modify implementation plan as required.
		3.7	Report on progress.

4	Recommend further improvements	4.1	Measure improvements actually obtained.
		4.2	Identify non-compliances with planned improvements.
		4.3	Determine desirable additional improvements.
		4.4	Obtain approvals for improvements.
		4.5	Implement improvements to sustainability plan.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability, for one (1) or more work areas/departments, to:

determine the organisation and manufacturing value chain key stakeholders

determine systems for monitoring project plan implementation

identify and analyse non-conformances for improvements to project plan.

Must provide evidence that demonstrates sufficient knowledge to interact with relevant personnel and be able to implement and monitor sustainability plans including knowledge of:

methods of determining benefits of sustainability improvement projects

causes of resistance and methods of dealing with resistance

sources of data

data validation techniques

project planning and monitoring

improvement measures

techniques to analyse data for trends, aberrations and factors requiring action

AS/NZS ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standards (or its authorised replacement or other relevant standard).

The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.

The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria

multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

A third party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.

Assessment should use a real project where sustainability improvements are, or have been, implemented/updated in an operational workplace.

Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.

Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.

Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.

The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.

Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR

relevant workplace experience

Currency can be demonstrated through:

performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR

having consulted with an organisation providing relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

Submission Requirements

List each assessment task's title, type (eg project, observation/demonstration, essay, assingnment, checklist) and due date here

Assessment task 1: [title] Due date:

(add new lines for each of the assessment tasks)

Assessment Tasks

Copy and paste from the following data to produce each assessment task. Write these in plain English and spell out how, when and where the task is to be carried out, under what conditions, and what resources are needed. Include guidelines about how well the candidate has to perform a task for it to be judged satisfactory.

Elements describe the essential outcomes.		Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.
1	Establish required support for proposed sustainability related improvements	1.1	Identify key stakeholders.
		1.2	Identify benefits of proposal for each stakeholder.
		1.3	Identify causes of resistance to proposal.
		1.4	Negotiate with key stakeholders and gain support.

2	Establish systems for monitoring implementation/update	2.1	Agree on implementation timelines.
		2.2	Develop agreed indicators of progress.
		2.3	Establish data collection systems and responsibilities for each indicator.
		2.4	Validate data collection against indicators.

3	Implement/update improvement plan	3.1	Update project implementation plan as required.
		3.2	Take required actions to have plan implemented/updated.
		3.3	Monitor progress using agreed indicators.
		3.4	Analyse progress to plan.
		3.5	Take control actions necessary.
		3.6	Modify implementation plan as required.
		3.7	Report on progress.

4	Recommend further improvements	4.1	Measure improvements actually obtained.
		4.2	Identify non-compliances with planned improvements.
		4.3	Determine desirable additional improvements.
		4.4	Obtain approvals for improvements.
		4.5	Implement improvements to sustainability plan.

This field allows for different work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included.
Sustainability improvement includes one or more of	resource footprint (e.g. carbon, water and energy) of product and process current and future availability of materials current and future availability of energy waste generation and disposal efficiency of process the extent to which the production process and product affects the environment relationship with the local and broader community (e.g. effect of operations on aesthetic appearance, preservation of heritage, and proximity to schools and religious facilities) extent of regulatory oversight and cost of compliance meeting external sustainability benchmarks.
Improvement actions include one or more of	the purchase and installation of new equipment or alterations to existing equipment improvements to manufacturing processes, such as work re-organisation, eliminating or changing manufacturing steps and use of different raw materials changes to maintenance procedures, such as increased condition monitoring and maintenance frequency designed to improve the efficiency and sustainability of operating equipment product life cycle improvements changes designed to improve the organisationâ€™s compliance to sustainability related Acts and regulations.
Documentation (paper, electronic or other form) includes one or more of	standard operating procedures drawings and specifications training and assessment manuals.