Application
This unit describes a complex business management skill necessary to ensure environmentally sustainable business operations within the service industries and applies to the full range of industry sectors and environments. Sustainability policies can have a broad focus, incorporating environmental, economic and social impacts of operations or can focus on one or more of these aspects. The unit has particular application to the retail, sport and recreation, accommodation, tour operating and attractions sectors and to those tourism products and services that are delivered in environmentally and culturally sensitive areas. Many would be nature, ecotourism or culturally-based experiences. The development of sustainability policies may apply to the whole enterprise, to a series of activities within an enterprise, or to one-off major activities, such as an event. The unit applies to senior managerial personnel who operate autonomously, have responsibility for others and who will be responsible for making strategic decisions on establishing and reviewing various business management practices across the organisation. | |
Prerequisites
Nil | |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA | ||
1 | Develop workplace sustainability policy. | 1.1 | Define scope of sustainability policy. |
1.2 | Identify and consult with stakeholders as a key component of the policy development process and evaluate opportunities for stakeholders to participate in partnership sustainability practices. | ||
1.3 | Include in the policy, strategies for minimising resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use and employing life cycle management approaches at all stages of work. | ||
1.4 | Recommend policy options based on likely effectiveness, timeframes and cost. | ||
1.5 | Develop policy that reflects the organisation's commitment to sustainability as an integral part of the business planning and as a business opportunity. | ||
1.6 | Agree on appropriate methods of implementation. | ||
1.7 | Consider and evaluate relevant inclusions from established industry benchmark standards and codes of conduct. | ||
2 | Communicate the policy. | 2.1 | Promote the policy and its expected outcomes to key stakeholders and agree on implementation. |
2.2 | Inform those involved in implementing the policy on outcomes to be expected, activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities. | ||
2.3 | Develop mechanisms and systems to maximise opportunities to capture feedback. | ||
3 | Implement the policy. | 3.1 | Develop and communicate procedures to help implement the policy. |
3.2 | Implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency. | ||
3.3 | Establish and assign responsibilities relating to record systems for tracking continuous improvements in sustainability approaches. | ||
4 | Review policy implementation. | 4.1 | Document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and stakeholders. |
4.2 | Investigate the success or otherwise of policy. | ||
4.3 | Monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action and to promote continuous improvement of performance. | ||
4.4 | Modify policy and procedures to ensure improvements. |
Required Skills
This section describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level, required for this unit. |
The following skills must be assessed as part of this unit: ability to research, analyse and present information ability to prepare written reports that are concise, well articulated and suited to intended audience high-level literacy skills to read and interpret complex materials describing legislative and industry regulatory requirements that relate to environmental, economic and cultural sustainability high-level written literacy skills to develop comprehensive sustainability business management practices and systems inclusive of detailed yet easily accessible policies and procedures high-level communication skills to conduct consultation with a variety of stakeholders, deal with different points of view and dissenting stakeholders and adjust communication to suit different audiences ability to work as a member of a team to consult on and validate policy ability to respond to diversity, including gender and disability. |
The following knowledge must be assessed as part of this unit: components of policies and procedures policy development processes and practices consultation and communication mechanisms used by organisations to develop and implement procedural systems in-depth knowledge of legislation and regulations imposed by relevant land management agencies and federal, state or territory, and local governments and their relevance to the particular industry sector and workplace how to access industry codes of practice, standards and accreditation scheme requirements; and in-depth knowledge of their contents and organisational compliance requirements principles, practices and available tools and techniques of sustainability management relevant to the particular industry sector and workplace best practice approaches relevant to the particular industry sector and workplace relevant systems and procedures to aid in the achievement of sustainability in the workplace quality assurance systems relevant to the particular industry sector and workplace awareness of enterprise policies, procedures and protocols from other related industries equal employment opportunity, equity and diversity, and OHS implications of policy being developed general awareness of global environmental issues and environmental ethics in-depth knowledge of environmental, economic, social or cultural impacts relevant to the particular industry sector and workplace in-depth knowledge of ways to enhance sustainable work practices, such as minimising impact through efficient and effective: waste disposal resource and energy use involvement of sustainable practices in all areas of operation. |
Evidence Required
The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, the range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package. | |
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit | Evidence of the following is essential: project or work activities that show the candidate's ability to develop, implement and review strategic and integrated sustainability policies and procedures according to regulatory requirements for a given service industry operation knowledge of specific and relevant legislative and industry regulatory requirements knowledge of environmental, economic, social or cultural impacts and issues associated with the candidate's industry sector and the particular environments of operation project or work activities conducted over a commercially realistic period of time so that the implementation and evaluation aspects of this unit can be assessed; for example, a sustainability policy can be established, evaluated and reviewed. |
Context of and specific resources for assessment | Assessment must ensure: access to a service industry operation for which sustainability policies and procedures can be developed, implemented, monitored and reviewed or access to comprehensive and sufficient information about that operation to allow the candidate to participate fully and actively in developing, implementing, monitoring and reviewing sustainability policies and procedures access to current regulatory documents distributed by key federal, state or territory, and local government agencies, such as plain English legislative publications access to industry codes, standards and accreditation scheme documentation that outline environmental, economic and social sustainability compliance issues involvement of key people so that consultative actions can be implemented. |
Methods of assessment | A range of assessment methods should be used to assess the practical skills and knowledge required to develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: evaluation of a portfolio that incorporates an entire written sustainability system for an organisation, including such things as policies, procedures, information fact sheets for workers, training plans and a communication strategy evaluation of reports prepared by the candidate detailing how sustainability policies, systems and procedures were established for a given project or work activity evaluation of project or work activities conducted in conjunction with an industry operator to allow the candidate to develop policies and procedures for a particular workplace evaluation of implementation and review processes through interviews with key stakeholders or review of reports |
case studies and problem-solving exercises to establish systems, policies and procedures for different workplace sizes and types direct observation of the candidate reviewing workplace operations with a view to improving contribution to sustainable work practices direct observation of the candidate modelling minimal impact procedures within an environmentally sensitive area project or case study to analyse appropriate strategies for minimising operational impacts and improving the sustainability of the workplace and local environment written and oral questioning or interview to test knowledge of legislative and industry compliance requirements, environmental and social impacts of the operation, and local and regional environmental issues review of portfolios of evidence and third-party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate. Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example: SITTPPD004A Plan and implement minimal impact operations SITTPPD006B Plan and develop ecologically sustainable tourism operations. | |
Assessing employability skills | Employability skills are integral to effective performance in the workplace and are broadly consistent across industry sectors. How these skills are applied varies between occupations and qualifications due to the different work functions and contexts. Employability skills embedded in this unit should be assessed holistically with other relevant units that make up the skill set or qualification and in the context of the job role. |
Range Statement
The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below. | |
Scope of sustainability policy may include: | integrated approach to sustainability that includes environmental, economic and social aspects, or a narrower one to focus on each aspect individually parts of the enterprise to which it is to apply, including whether it is for the whole enterprise, one site, one work area or a combination of these investigation of particular business and market context of the industry and enterprise addressing sustainability initiatives through reference to standards, guidelines and approaches, such as: ISO 14001 Environment Management System life cycle analyses global reporting initiative ecological footprint assessment triple bottom line reporting product stewardship. |
Stakeholders may include: | individuals and groups inside and outside the organisation that have some direct interest in the enterprise's conduct, actions, products and services, including: employees at all levels of the organisation customers suppliers regulators other organisations. |
Strategies may include: | awareness raising among stakeholders training staff in principles and techniques of sustainability promotional and educational activities conducting audits of energy and waste within initial development of policy and procedures and their subsequent review minimising environmental impacts through: technological solutions education restricting and minimising use of particular resources reducing use of energy through energy-saving devices reducing waste involving clients, stakeholders and other persons in contributing to sustainable practices. |
Sectors
Sector | Cross-Sector |
Competency Field
Environmental Sustainability | |
Employability Skills
The required outcomes described in this unit of competency contain applicable facets of employability skills. The Employability Skills Summary of the qualification in which this unit is packaged will assist in identifying employability skills requirements. | |
Licensing Information
Not applicable.