Application
This unit is a vocational Graduate Certificate unit and follows the AQF guidelines for such units in that it assumes an entry qualification, such as:
an Advanced Diploma or Diploma in sustainability or relevant technical field
a Bachelor Degree in a relevant technical field
other relevant higher education qualifications, often with relevant vocational practice
relevant extensive vocational practice, without formal qualifications but which result in appropriate entry level skills.
This unit covers the scanning of factors which influence an organisation and its environment, identifying those which relate to sustainability and require a response or where a response would benefit the organisation and then developing or organising an appropriate response. The organisations environment, for the purpose of this unit, is considered to include the ecology it impacts, the economic impacts on the organisation and the social impacts of the organisation.
This unit will lead to the identification of sustainability responses by the organisation in response to external factors. It does not include the implementation of these responses, (refer to MSS017004A Lead sustainable strategy deployment).
It would typically be undertaken by a manager or senior technologist who has a significant sustainability responsibility work role.
Skills covered by this unit may be applied individually or in a team context.
Prerequisites
Not applicable.
Elements and Performance Criteria
1 | Monitor external environment for sustainability related factors | 1.1 | Monitor relevant government legislation and regulation |
1.2 | Monitor relevant government initiatives and programs | ||
1.3 | Monitor customer expectations | ||
1.4 | Monitor market trends and competitor actions | ||
1.5 | Monitor expectations of communities impacted by organisation | ||
1.6 | Identify factors which are relevant to the organisation | ||
1.7 | Rank factors by significance | ||
2 | Develop alternative responses to external factors | 2.1 | Agree which factor or factors should be responded to now |
2.2 | Determine minimum response required | ||
2.3 | Compare impact of factors with organisation’s strategic direction | ||
2.4 | Develop alternative responses which fit organisations strategic direction | ||
2.5 | Analyse sustainability impacts for each practical response | ||
2.6 | Consult relevant stakeholders | ||
2.7 | Rank possible responses | ||
3 | Communicate with relevant stakeholders | 3.1 | Identify relevant stakeholders |
3.2 | Determine stakeholder information needs and wants | ||
3.3 | Analyse data which may be appropriate to communicate with stakeholders | ||
3.4 | Prepare and disseminate information to stakeholders, as appropriate | ||
3.5 | Negotiate solutions with stakeholders, as required | ||
4 | Prepare response for factor or factors | 4.1 | Agree on response to be progressed now |
4.2 | Prepare business case for response | ||
4.3 | Agree possible future action for other factors | ||
5 | Communicate required responses as appropriate. | 5.1 | Identify what communications are required and to whom |
5.2 | Prepare appropriate reports and recommendations | ||
5.3 | Pitch reports and recommendations, as appropriate | ||
5.4 | Brief appropriate persons as required by determined responses | ||
5.5 | Finalise appropriate recording |
Required Skills
Required skills include: monitoring of media, government gazettes, sales staff and customer feedback, share market analyses and other sources interpreting specifications, operating procedures, manuals, regulations and other complex documents consulting and negotiating with internal and external stakeholders analysing and problem solving, including root cause analysis interpretation and manipulation of data drafting reports and recommendations |
Required knowledge |
Required knowledge includes: process and changes which occur at each step in selected value chain principles of sustainability current actual and possible sources of external sustainability factors relevant to the organisation possible responses for improving sustainability root cause analysis hierarchy of hazard control and its application to sustainability hazards relevant legislation, regulation and protocols, government incentives and other initiatives risk analysis and its application to sustainability risks |
Evidence Required
Overview of assessment | A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to monitor the organisation’s external environment for sustainability related factors that will, or are likely to, impact on the organisation, analyse risks and determine appropriate responses. |
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: recognition of an relevant stimulus development of appropriate responses to the stimulus determining which response(s) proceeds communicating the above as appropriate |
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 |
Range Statement
Sustainability | Sustainability incorporates the three aspects of: survival of the ecology/physical environment (to manage the impact of the business to ensure the survival of the physical environment) economic viability (efficiency, cost and waste reduction and competitiveness to support survival of the business) social sustainability (to manage the impact of the business to ensure its continued survival within the community and the survival of the community) |
Factors | Factors refer to any force external to the organisation relating to sustainability which may encourage it to act in a particular way and include: government (at any level) legislation or regulation government (at any level) direct action programs or similar government (at any level) incentives or similar customer expectations community expectations market trends competitor actions other factors |
Portion of the value chain | Value chain is the sequence of activities that a firm undertakes to create value/product (good or service). Portion of the value chain includes: sections internal or external to the organisation |
Response | Response may include: any action which improves the sustainability of an organisation, its product or its value chain and which addresses the issues raised by the stimulus |
Sustainability issues of particular relevance | Sustainability issues of particular relevance include: particular sensitivities of the local ecology, such as: endangered species sensitive local flora/fauna material scarcity water availability general ecology issues and regulations, such as: climate change and carbon footprint pollution control measures particular local social issues, such as: distortions to the housing market disruption to local lifestyles general social issues, such as: corporate citizenship use or/deterioration to infrastructure particular local economic issues, such as: cost of capital profit margins competition general economic issues, such as: state of the economy stage of the business cycle |
Significance of impact | Significance of impact includes: permanent loss or degradation loss or degradation which inhibits use by the following generation temporary degradation requiring remediation temporary degradation which is self-remediating speed of change/degradation/loss |
Appropriate response | Appropriate response includes: application of the hierarchy of hazard control to sustainability hazards when the impact cannot be prevented application of mitigation and amelioration techniques. such as: capture and storage (e.g. scrubbing) and similar ‘end of pipe’ solutions dilution/dispersion and similar techniques which reduce concentration but not amount other approaches which meet the sustainability requirements |
Sectors
Sustainability
Employability Skills
Not applicable.
Licensing Information
Not applicable.