MSS017005A - Manage a major sustainability non-conformance

MSS017005A
Manage a major sustainability non-conformance

This unit of competency covers the response to, and management of, a major sustainability non-conformance which may have arisen through the action, or non-action, of the organisation or its value chain members, or due to a change in the external environment. A major non-conformance is one which could have severe business impacts. It may be applied to an entire organisation, part of a large organisation, or part or all of a value chain.

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 recognition of a major non-conformance and then the devising and implementation of a strategy and tactics to contain the situation, not allowing it to accelerate or cascade and minimise the adverse consequences while doing what can be done to remedy the situation. The organisation’s 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.

Typical situations might include a:

process or equipment failure somewhere along the value chain which has the potential to cause adverse sustainability impacts

change in legislation or regulation which will see the organisation in breach

change in requirements from a customer

change in supply quality from a supplier

social attitude change which affects in either a positive or negative manner business prospects or the business operating environment.

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	Determine extent and nature of non-conformance	1.1	Determine commencement, type and expected duration of non-conformance
		1.2	Liaise with internal stakeholders to determine impact
		1.3	Liaise with value chain members to determine impact
		1.4	Determine impact on current operations and order fulfilment
		1.5	Determine impact of non-conformance on local community and other stakeholders
		1.6	Determine regulatory implications of non-conformance
		1.7	Summarise impact on organisation and value chain member’s viability

2	Determine priorities and actions	2.1	Develop possible responses appropriate to the situation
		2.2	Determine possible timing of possible responses
		2.3	Identify required resources for the responses developed
		2.4	Evaluate possible responses and select/short-list responses
		2.5	Select response and organise resources, as appropriate

3	Identify information needs	3.1	Determine regulatory compliance needs
		3.2	Determine the information needs of other stakeholders
		3.3	Identify the sources of required information
		3.4	Arrange to collect required information
		3.5	Report information to stakeholders, as appropriate
		3.6	Arrange for updating of information disseminated on a timely basis, as appropriate

4	Implement immediate response	4.1	Initiate responses and establish data and other information collection procedures
		4.2	Analyse data and other information as it comes to hand
		4.3	Determine progress of responses to achieving required outcomes
		4.4	Modify responses as required to better achieve desired outcomes

5	Plan for conformance	5.1	Determine root cause of non-conformance
		5.2	Determine impacts on sustainability strategy and tactics
		5.3	Develop plan to ensure continued conformance
		5.4	Initiate implementation of plan
		5.5	Monitor implementation of plan and take appropriate action

6	Conclude and review response	6.1	Conduct a debrief and complete reports, as required
		6.2	Evaluate and review response and procedures
		6.3	Evaluate and document effectiveness of the response function and its interaction/communication with stakeholders
		6.4	Recommend improvements to prevent a recurrence and improve response for other non-conformances
		6.5	Communicate reports, as appropriate

Required Skills

Required skills

Required skills include:

conducting situation analysis

interpreting and manipulating data

prioritising

determining and managing risk

applying decision making in a complex environment, including contingency assessment, and adjustment of decision process to match changes in speed, scope or complexity of non -conformance

communicating complex information at all levels

applying formal problem-solving techniques, including root cause analysis

consulting and negotiating with internal and external stakeholders

drafting reports

Required knowledge

Required knowledge includes:

process and changes which occur at each step in selected value chain

principles of sustainability

causes of adverse ecological impacts and methods of controlling/reducing them

causes of adverse social impacts and methods of controlling/reducing them

causes of adverse economic impacts and methods of controlling/reducing them

root cause analysis

hierarchy of hazard control and its application to sustainability hazards

sustainability hierarchy

relevant legislation, regulation and protocols, government incentives and other initiatives

risk analysis and its application to sustainability risks

customer needs as distinct from wants

sources of additional resources

Evidence Required

Overview of assessment	A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to plan for sustainability related non-conformances and implement appropriate responses to non-conformances, including establishing priorities for immediate response and processes to establish root cause of the non-conformance.
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: analysing the situation applying an appropriate quick fix implementing an appropriate long term response 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)
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.
Impact of non-conformance	Impact of non-conformance may have a wide range which might include: negligible impact fines or other organisation legal penalties personal fines, jail terms or other personal penalties court litigation or similar remediation costs loss of market share loss of brand viability loss of licence to operate
Other stakeholders	Other stakeholders may include, but are not limited to: regulatory bodies, such as local councils and environmental protection agencies customers/clients suppliers service suppliers
Responses	Responses include: the resources used in reaction to the non-conformance as well as the actual process/method of the response
Immediate response	Immediate response may not address long-term issues but simply aims to control the current situation and prevent escalation
Plan for conformance	Plan for conformance is to resume normal operations in such a way that there is sustainability conformance either because: the temporary situation has been corrected the process has been adapted to the permanent change in the environment
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 other issues, such as those identified by AS/NZS ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards
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.