This unit covers the strategic planning skills needed for sustainability related improvements. The sustainability related improvements often affect all or major parts of an organisation and it’s value chain and as a result detailed strategic planning is usually required to ensure the support of all stakeholders to minimise disruption to the organisation’s business.
The need for a strategic approach to sustainability may be in response to regulatory, Board, employee, shareholder or community requests or pressure International agreements, reporting requirements, codes of practice, business efficiency, energy cost reduction, waste reduction goals and consumer demand and expectations. The development of the strategic plan may be done individually or as part of a team.
It would typically be undertaken by a manager or technical specialist who had a major responsibility for sustainability as part of a broader work role, 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.
This unit does not cover the development of a formal business case which is covered by MSS015007A Develop a business case for sustainability improvements.
Not applicable.
1 | Determine current sustainability status of the organisation | 1.1 | Determine main organisational motivations and drivers for improved sustainability |
1.2 | Determine current regulatory environment | ||
1.3 | Determine current availability of data required for sustainability indicators | ||
1.4 | Arrange for sustainability related audits if required | ||
2 | Identify priority areas for improvement | 2.1 | Identify strategic goals of the organisation and how these are impacted by sustainability |
2.2 | Determine suggestions for major improvement | ||
2.3 | Rank suggestions | ||
2.4 | Short-list improvements to be progressed | ||
3 | Establish an appropriate project team | 3.1 | Arrange for a team leader to be allocated for each short-listed suggestion |
3.2 | Ensure an appropriate project team is established for each suggestion | ||
3.3 | Define expected outcomes and performance indicators for each suggestion | ||
3.4 | Ensure appropriate project plans are developed | ||
4 | Design potential improvement | 4.1 | Arrange for project designs to be developed |
4.2 | Ensure appropriate evaluation is undertaken of each project | ||
4.3 | Select suggestions to be implemented | ||
5 | Develop strategic plan | 5.1 | Identify implications of strategic sustainability plan for the organisation |
5.2 | Estimate implementation timelines | ||
5.3 | Identify strategic approvals for implementation | ||
5.4 | Identify required documentation | ||
5.5 | Draft plan to guide proposal to sanction |
Required knowledge includes: strategic directions of the organisation common strategic planning tools, such as SWOT analysis methods of identifying possible sustainability improvements cost-benefit determination processes project planning and monitoring methods and principles project, product and process design principles evaluation methods planning principles AS/NZS ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards relevant codes, schemes and legislation/regulation Required skills include: analysing implications for processes, logistics, material usages, costs and benefits of a strategic approach to sustainability analysing the regulatory environment as it applies to an organisation and determining implications for products and processes undertaking strategic planning, including SWOT analyses and analysis of the organisation’s current and future political, economic, social and technological position, and the impact of each on sustainability options communicating and negotiating with stakeholders and regulators to identify key sustainability issues and options analysing data from sustainability related audits and operational performance indicators |
Overview of assessment | A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to develop formal plans for sustainability strategy, including establishing project teams and designing improvements. |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Assessors must be satisfied that the candidate can competently and consistently apply the skills covered in this unit of competency in new and different situations and contexts. Critical aspects of assessment and evidence include: determining sustainability drivers of an organisation and its value chain determining sustainability improvement options and rank by benefit/cost developing sustainability project plans, including key performance indicators and timelines integrating sustainability improvement plans with other goals and strategic directions of the organisation. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | This unit of competency is to be assessed in the workplace or a simulated workplace environment. Assessment should emphasise a workplace context and procedures found in the candidate’s workplace. This unit of competency may be assessed with other relevant units addressing sustainability at the enterprise level or other units requiring the exercise of the skills and knowledge covered by this unit. The competencies covered by this unit would be demonstrated by an individual working alone or as part of a team. |
Method of assessment | In all cases, practical assessment should be supported by questions to assess underpinning knowledge and those aspects of competency which are difficult to assess directly. Where applicable, reasonable adjustment must be made to work environments and training situations to accommodate ethnicity, age, gender, demographics and disability. The language, literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required to undertake the unit of competency in a work-like environment. |
Guidance information for assessment |
Sustainability status | Sustainability status may include: resource footprint (e.g. carbon, water and energy) of product and process current and future availability of raw 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, including effects on: climate quality of local air and water ecology noise 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 |
Sustainability indicators | Sustainability indicators include: water usage energy usage emissions indicators for ethical/sustainable supply chain community relationships/complaints staff turnover safety record compliance with regulations and codes of practice reduced waste increased recycling product improvement meeting consumer expectations for sustainable use of resources other indicators appropriate to the organisation, its value chain, processes and operations |
Suggestions for major improvement | Suggestions for major improvements might come from: non-compliances/near misses/incident reports kaizen and other improvement processes benchmarking activities regulatory and non-regulatory related audits community pressure Board directions changes in market suppliers customers Suggestions may be improvements to one or more of: products processes employee, health, safety and environment (HSE) or amenity impact on the community impact on the environment efficiency and profit waste management emergency/incident response facility/building design and management |
Rank suggestions | Suggestions may be ranked by: need benefit/cost strategic impact |
Teams | Teams for strategic plan development may be: formal or informal teams and may be devoted to the project for its duration or it may be part of other duties |
Strategic approvals for implementation | Strategic approvals for implementation might include: regulatory approvals financial approvals internal approval processes including determining: senior management/shareholder approvals human resource implications, such as career paths and position descriptions operational management approvals supplier/client/contractor approvals |
Required documentation | Required documentation might include: formal report or plan business case environmental impact statement |
Sanction | Sanction is the process the organisation requires for approval to proceed to be granted |
Sustainability
THis unit contains employability skills
Not applicable.