Unit of competency details

1

Establish required support for proposed sustainability related improvements

1.1

Identify key stakeholders

1.2

Identify benefits of proposal for each stakeholder

1.3

Identify causes of resistance to proposal

1.4

Negotiate with key stakeholders and gain support

2

Establish systems for monitoring implementation

2.1

Agree on implementation timelines

2.2

Develop agreed indicators of progress

2.3

Establish data collection systems and responsibilities for each indicator

2.4

Validate data collection against indicators

3

Implement improvement plan

3.1

Update project implementation plan as required

3.2

Take required actions to have plan implemented

3.3

Monitor progress using agreed indicators

3.4

Analyse progress to plan

3.5

Take control actions necessary

3.6

Modify implementation plan as required

3.7

Report on progress

4

Recommend further improvements

4.1

Measure improvements actually obtained

4.2

Identify non-compliances with planned improvements

4.3

Determine desirable additional improvements

4.4

Obtain approvals for improvements

4.5

Implement improvements to sustainability plan

Required knowledge includes:

• methods of determining benefits of sustainability improvement projects, including benefits defined in terms of:

• improvement in carbon or carbon equivalent of process or operation
• use of water, where this is part of the process or operation
• waste generation
• life cycle of product
• process efficiency
• impact on the environment
• regulatory compliance

• causes of resistance and methods of dealing with resistance
• sources of data
• data validation techniques
• project planning and monitoring
• improvement measures
• techniques to analyse data for trends, aberrations and factors requiring action
• AS/NZS ISO 14000 Environmental Management Standards

Required skills include:

• consulting and negotiating with stakeholders on implementation process for sustainability improvement
• monitoring and controlling projects
• analysing data against progress indicators
• determining changes to sustainability implementation plan where required
• reporting on progress and obtaining approvals for changes where required

Overview of assessment

A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to gain support for and implement a sustainability plan that has already been developed.

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:

• determining the organisation and manufacturing value chain key stakeholders
• determining systems for monitoring project plan implementation
• identifying and analysing non-conformances for improvements to project plan.

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

Sustainability improvement

Sustainability improvements of a product and process may include:

• resource footprint (e.g. carbon, water and energy) of product and process
• current and future availability of materials
• current and future availability of energy
• waste generation and disposal
• efficiency of process
• the extent to which the production process and product affects the environment, including effects on:

• climate
• quality of local air and water
• ecology
• noise

• relationship with the local and broader community (e.g. effect of operations on aesthetic appearance, preservation of heritage, and proximity to schools and religious facilities)
• extent of regulatory oversight and cost of compliance
• meeting external sustainability benchmarks

Improvement actions

Improvement actions may include:

• the purchase and installation of new equipment or alterations to existing equipment
• improvements to manufacturing processes, such as work re-organisation, eliminating or changing manufacturing steps and use of different raw materials
• changes to maintenance procedures, such as increased condition monitoring and maintenance frequency designed to improve the efficiency and sustainability of operating equipment
• product life cycle improvements
• changes designed to improve the organisation’s compliance to sustainability related Acts and regulations

Documentation

Documentation includes:

• standard operating procedures
• drawings and specifications
• training and assessment manuals

Documentation may be:

• in any form; paper or electronic