Unit of competency details

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1

Determine purpose of social sustainability strategy

1.1

Review existing business values, vision, strategies and goals for social sustainability implications

1.2

Research proactive approaches to social sustainability and how they might be relevant to the organisation

1.3

Identify stakeholders at all levels of the organisation and how they will contribute to the strategy

1.4

Identify relevant legislative/regulatory requirements

1.5

Consult with internal stakeholders to determine the purpose of the social sustainability strategy

2

Define strategic direction

2.1

Identify external stakeholders and how they will contribute to the strategy

2.2

Facilitate processes to determine strategic opportunities that support the purpose of the strategy

2.3

Facilitate processes to evaluate the strategic opportunities

2.4

Select strategic opportunities that will define the strategic direction

2.5

Facilitate processes to amend purpose of the strategy based on the strategic opportunities, if needed

3

Facilitate development of the strategy

3.1

Facilitate processes to identify activities to support the strategic direction

3.2

Facilitate processes to determine key operational requirements for implementing the activities

3.3

Facilitate processes to evaluate the impact on resources and systems of implementing the activities

3.4

Analyse risks to successful implementation of the activities and prepare risk management strategies

3.5

Develop protocols and/or other mechanisms to ensure that implementation of activities aligns to social sustainability purpose

3.6

Determine next steps for progressing the strategy

4

Document the strategy

4.1

Document the purpose of the strategy, the proposed activities and implications for the organisation

4.2

Use suitable format, structure and supporting information for the strategy to meet stakeholder and organisational requirements

4.3

Confirm with stakeholders that the strategy reflects the outcomes of strategic planning processes

4.4

Develop recommendations for progressing the strategy

5

Evaluate and improve the strategy

51

Determine evaluation criteria relevant to the social sustainability strategy

5.2

Determine processes and/or activities for evaluating the strategy and identifying improvements

5.3

Determine documentation and reporting requirements

5.4

Engage stakeholders in the evaluation

5.5

Provide information and resources to facilitate the evaluation

5.6

Facilitate the evaluation

5.7

Review the outcomes of the evaluation to identify opportunities for improvement

5.8

Document and report on recommendations for improvement

6

Facilitate stakeholder engagement

6.1

Facilitate equitable participation from all stakeholders

6.2

Determine the information needed to enable stakeholders to contribute to the development of the strategy

6.3

Prepare communications that target stakeholder information needs

6.4

Identify any barriers to communication and/or participation

6.5

Apply strategies to address barriers to communication and/or participation

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills  

Required skills include:

• researching and interpreting complex information
• using/adapting strategic planning processes
• analysing the impact of strategic plans on all parts of the organisation, including operations, staffing and supply chain
• communicating with a range of stakeholders
• developing reports and recommendations
• interpreting legislative/regulatory requirements
• managing risk
• managing change

Required knowledge  

Required knowledge includes:

• social sustainability issues, practices and approaches in the organisation and its value chain that may provide strategic opportunities for the business, such as:

• human rights and community issues in the supply chain, such as child labour, exploitation of labour, access to decent work, supply and quality of food and water, and access to education
• cultural diversity and heritage
• the impact of environmental issues on people’s health and lifestyle
• re-design of products and/or services
• supporting and actualising innovations
• social license to operate
• corporate social responsibility
• creating shared value
• shared ownership models
• social purpose
• social enterprises
• conscious capitalism
• social benefit bonds

• stakeholders and their roles in the organisation
• strategic planning processes
• managing risk
• managing change
• legislative/regulatory requirements that have social sustainability implications, such as:

• Competition and Consumer Act 2010
• Commonwealth and state/territory anti-discrimination legislation
• Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999
• State/territory and local government planning legislation

• voluntary codes and standards that have social sustainability implications, such as:

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on social responsibility
• industry codes, principles and covenants
• international covenants and agreements, such as United Nations (UN) declarations and trade agreements

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to engage stakeholders in developing a social sustainability strategy with clear purpose, proposed activities and next steps.

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:

• researching approaches to social sustainability that are proactive
• facilitating processes to develop a social sustainability strategy
• evaluating the implications of the social sustainability strategy for the organisation
• documenting the strategy and recommending the next steps
• evaluating the strategy against criteria and identifying opportunities for improvement.

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.

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, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Purpose of social sustainability strategy 

Purpose of a social sustainability strategy refers to the organisation’s reasons or aim for developing a proactive strategy which might be stated or implicit in business goals, values or strategies. Examples may include:

• enacting core values
• identifying and/or enacting a social purpose
• becoming a leader in social sustainability and related areas, such as corporate citizenship
• establishing long-term business sustainability by creating shared value
• identifying business opportunities
• improving financial returns
• applying voluntary standards or codes, e.g. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) reporting and ISO 26000:2010 Guidance on social responsibility

Facilitate processes 

Facilitate in this context means ‘make it happen’. Some tasks may be allocated to others; however, facilitating requires a meaningful contribution to planning what happens and responsibility for how it happens. This includes functions such as:

• planning activities
• running activities
• briefing and/or managing external consultants, facilitators and similar
• guiding, managing or coaching other personnel
• arranging budget

It assumes that all relevant stakeholders will be encouraged and supported to participate in the processes.

The processes will use and/or adapt strategic analysis and planning techniques, such as

• political, economic, social and technological (PEST) analysis
• strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis (SWOT)
• scenario planning
• envisioning
• balanced scorecard
• value chain mapping
• current state-future state
• brainstorming
• strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results (SOAR)
• appreciative enquiry

Strategic opportunities 

Strategic opportunities refers to areas of activity where implementing programs, innovations and/or improvements in social sustainability also provide opportunities to advance and/or improve the business in sustainable ways

Impact on resources and systems 

Impact on resources and systems may include:

• changes to job roles and responsibilities
• additional staff
• budget for new initiatives
• processes for planning and managing change
• processes to support innovations
• changes to organisational vision, goals, structures, policies and procedures
• workplace health and safety

Progressing the strategy 

Depending on the content of the strategic plan various steps and implementation approaches might be appropriate to progressing the strategy, such as:

• improvement projects
• new programs
• amended policies and procedures
• product/service innovations
• review of organisational values and structures
• the organisation revising its values and goals to accommodate new perspectives of social sustainability

Evaluation criteria 

Evaluation of the strategy is not dependent on implementing the strategy; however, where implementation has occurred it should be incorporated into the evaluation.

Evaluation criteria may relate to issues, such as:

• the purpose of the social sustainability strategy
• the strategic planning process
• stakeholder engagement in the strategy development and/or implementation
• implementation processes
• outcomes of the implementation
• social sustainability metrics
• other business metrics

Equitable participation 

Equitable participation may be facilitated by:

• developing protocols for communication and providing feedback
• managing communications and group dynamics
• activities that encourage critical thinking, new ideas and innovations
• activities that recognise different ways of communicating and/or thinking, e.g. verbal, written and visual
• encouraging respect for cultural diversity
• encouraging understanding of and respect for diverse interests and differing opinions
• providing information and/or activities that acknowledge the range of drivers for and barriers to social sustainability
• providing information that targets different levels of awareness and commitment among stakeholders
• using interpreters or translated information
• addressing barriers to communication

Competency field 

Unit sector 

Sustainability