Unit of competency

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS014006A Contribute to sustainability related audits.

Application

This unit of competency covers contributing to sustainability related audits either as an audit team member or through specifically nominated research and investigations for the audit team. It includes understanding the context of the sustainability audit; concepts of resource usage and waste and how they can be expressed as carbon and carbon equivalents.

This unit applies to sustainability related audits of a part or whole organisation or its value chain. The unit has been developed with manufacturing operations as a focus. However, because of the range of organisations in a typical manufacturing value chain it may also be applied to other types of organisations.

The audits may be conducted to assist in regulatory compliance or as part of a strategy to improve the sustainability of an organisation’s operations.

This unit applies to team leaders, technicians or others who may be required to assist in such an audit as part of their work role. It does not cover the skills needed to lead sustainability related audits.

Where detailed operational and process knowledge is required to understand the processes being audited or measure specified inputs, outputs or waste, the relevant skills should be gained through selection of appropriate technical units or alternatively technical assistance obtained.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Competency Field

Sustainable operations

Unit Sector

Not applicable

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those required skills (language, literacy and numeracy) that are essential to performance.

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range of Conditions

Unit Mapping Information

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS014006A Contribute to sustainability related audits.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5b04f318-804f-4dc0-9463-c3fb9a3fe998

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Release 1. Supersedes and is equivalent to MSS014006A Contribute to sustainability related audits.

Performance Evidence

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy the requirements of the elements and performance criteria and include the ability, for one or more process or work area, to:

• identify appropriate boundaries for the sustainability related audit
• identify own role and reporting arrangements in audit
• accurately measure inputs and outputs of a process or work area
• undertake benefit/cost ratio analyses

Knowledge Evidence

Must provide evidence that demonstrates knowledge relevant to their job role sufficient to fulfil their job role independently, including:

• typical sources of material and energy muda (waste)
• balancing techniques for process and process steps
• methods of measuring actual process amount/flows
• concepts of carbon and carbon equivalence as it applies to sustainability
• muda (waste) reduction strategies and methods along with costs, effectiveness and alternative strategies
• cost-benefit analysis
• relevant legislation, regulation and protocols
• process mapping with regard to sustainability
• process and changes which occur within the process
• environmental impacts of materials and energy used/emitted in both actual and carbon equivalents
• environmental sensitivities of all areas impacted by the work/process area (and related areas where impact spreads beyond immediate area, e.g. by loss of containment)
• root cause analysis and problem solving
• sustainability issues relevant to the work/process area
• AS/NZS ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards (or its authorised replacement or other relevant standard).

Assessment Conditions

• The unit should be assessed holistically and the judgement of competence shall be based on a holistic assessment of the evidence.
• The collection of performance evidence is best done from a report and/or folio of evidence drawn from:

• a single project which provides sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria
• multiple smaller projects which together provide sufficient evidence of the requirements of all the elements and performance criteria.

• A third party report, or similar, may be needed to testify to the work done by the individual, particularly when the project has been done as part of a project team.
• Assessment should use a real project where a sustainability related audit occurs in an operational workplace.
• Knowledge evidence may be collected concurrently with performance evidence or through an independent process such as workbooks, written assessments or interviews (provided a record is kept).
• Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.
• Conditions for assessment must include access to all tools, equipment, materials and documentation required including relevant workplace procedures, product and manufacturing specifications associated with this unit.
• Foundation skills are integral to competent performance of the unit and should not be assessed separately.
• Assessors must satisfy the assessor competency requirements that are in place at the time of the assessment as set by the VET regulator.
• The assessor must demonstrate both technical competency and currency.
• Technical competence can be demonstrated through:

• relevant VET or other qualification/Statement of Attainment AND/OR
• relevant workplace experience

• Currency can be demonstrated through:

• performing the competency being assessed as part of current employment OR
• having consulted with an organisation providing relevant environmental monitoring, management or technology services about performing the competency being assessed within the last twelve months.

Links

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=5b04f318-804f-4dc0-9463-c3fb9a3fe998