BSBSUS301A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices

Release 2

BSBSUS301A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices

Modification History

Release	Comments
Release 2	New release of this Unit with version 7.0 of BSB07 Business Services Training Package. Environmental assets italicised and bolded in PC 3.6 AND identified in Range Statement.
Release 1	Initial release of this Unit.

Unit Descriptor

This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to effectively analyse the workplace in relation to environmentally sustainable work practices and to implement improvements and monitor their effectiveness.

This unit requires the ability to access industry information, applicable legislative and occupational health and safety (OHS) guidelines.

Application of the Unit

Application of the unit	This unit applies to those with responsibility for a specific area of work or who lead a work group or team. It addresses the knowledge, processes and techniques necessary to implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices, including the development of processes and tools, such as: identifying areas for improvement developing plans to make improvements implementing and monitoring improvements in environmental performance. A person who demonstrates competence in this unit must be able to provide evidence of the ability to implement and monitor integrated environmental and resource efficiency management policies and procedures within an organisation. Evidence must be strictly relevant to the particular workplace role.

Licensing/Regulatory Information

While no licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements apply holistically to this unit at the time of publication, relevant national, state and territory legislation, regulations and codes of practice impact upon this unit.

Pre-Requisites

Prerequisite units

Employability Skills Information

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements and Performance Criteria Pre-Content

Element	Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.	Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage	1.1 Identify environmental regulations applying to the enterprise 1.2 Analyse procedures for assessing compliance with environmental/sustainability regulations 1.3 Collect information on environmental and resource efficiency systems and procedures, and provide to the work group where appropriate 1.4 Collect, analyse and organise information from a range of sources to provide information/advice and tools/resources for improvement opportunities 1.5 Measure and document current resource usage of members of the work group 1.6 Analyse and document current purchasing strategies 1.7 Analyse current work processes to access information and data to assist in identifying areas for improvement
2. Set targets for improvements	2.1 Seek input from stakeholders, key personnel and specialists 2.2 Access external sources of information and data as required 2.3 Evaluate alternative solutions to workplace environmental issues 2.4 Set efficiency targets
3. Implement performance improvement strategies	3.1 Source and use appropriate techniques and tools to assist in achieving efficiency targets 3.2 Apply continuous improvement strategies to own work area of responsibility, including ideas and possible solutions to communicate to the work group and management 3.3 Implement and integrate environmental and resource efficiency improvement plans for own work group with other operational activities 3.4 Supervise and support team members to identify possible areas for improved practices and resource efficiency in work area 3.5 Seek suggestions and ideas about environmental and resource efficiency management from stakeholders and act upon where appropriate 3.6 Implement costing strategies to fully utilise environmental assets
4. Monitor performance	4.1 Use and/or develop evaluation and monitoring, tools and technology 4.2 Document and communicate outcomes to report on efficiency targets to key personnel and stakeholders 4.3 Evaluate strategies and improvement plans 4.4 Set new efficiency targets, and investigate and apply new tools and strategies 4.5 Promote successful strategies and reward participants where possible

Required Skills and Knowledge

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

Required skills

analytical skills to analyse problems, to devise solutions and to reflect on approaches taken

change management skills

communication skills to answer questions, clarify and acknowledge suggestions relating to work requirements and efficiency

communication/consultation skills to support information flow from stakeholders to the work group

innovation skills to identify improvements, to apply knowledge about resource use to organisational activities and to develop tools

literacy skills to comprehend documentation, to interpret environmental and energy efficiency requirements, to create tools to measure and monitor improvements and to report outcomes

numeracy skills to analyse data on organisational resource consumption and waste product volumes

planning and organising skills to implement environmental and energy efficiency management polices and procedures relevant to own work area

problemsolving skills to devise approaches to improved environmental sustainability and to develop alternative approaches as required

technology skills to operate and shut down equipment; where relevant, to use software systems for recording and filing documentation to measure current usage; and to use word processing and other basic software for interpreting charts, flowcharts, graphs and other visual data and information

supervisory skills to work effectively with a team.

Required knowledge

best practice approaches relevant to own area of responsibility and industry

compliance requirements within work area for all relevant environmental/sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice including resource hazards/risks associated with work area, job specifications and procedures

environmental and energy efficiency issues, systems and procedures specific to industry practice

external benchmarks and support for particular benchmarks to be used within organisation, including approaches to improving resource use for work area and expected outcomes

OHS issues and requirements

organisational structure and reporting channels and procedures

quality assurance systems relevant to own work area

strategies to maximise opportunities and to minimise impact relevant to own work area

supply chain procedures

terms and conditions of employment including policies and procedures, such as daily tasks, work area responsibilities, employee, supervisor and employer rights, equal opportunity.

Evidence Guide

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
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit	Evidence of the following is essential: knowledge of relevant compliance requirements within work area developing plans to make improvements planning and organising work group activities in relation to measuring current use and devising strategies to improve usage monitoring resource use and improvements for environmental performance relative to work area and supervision ensuring appropriate action is taken within work area in relation to environmental/sustainability compliance and potential hazards implementing new approaches to work area in an effort to resolve and improve environmental and resource efficiency issues and reporting as required.
Context of and specific resources for assessment	Assessment must ensure: access to an actual workplace or simulated environment access to a range of environment/sustainability legislation, standards, guidelines and procedural requirements relevant to specific work area, daily responsibilities and supervision access to a range of information, workplace documentation and resources such as compliance obligations, organisation plans, work supervision and responsibilities access to reports from other parties involved in the process of identifying and implementing improvements evidence is relevant to the particular workplace role, including work area, staff, stakeholders, equipment, systems and documentation.
Method of assessment	A range of assessment methods should be used t assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit: direct questioning combined with review of portfolios of evidence and third party workplace reports of on-the-job performance by the candidate response to case studies review of reports of activities of work group in relation to measuring resource use and developing improvement strategies review of work plans outlining approaches to improved practices with documented benchmarks analysis of the way in which advice is sought and suggestions are made about improvements observation over time and in a range of situations in relation to review of overall work area and staff, to assess and measure resource use, hazards and compliance review of checklists to identify and assess resource usage at the beginning and end of the unit; reports on meetings around procedures and improvement processes and monitoring within the workplace; lists of environmental hazards/risks or inefficiencies or opportunities for improvements identified in the workplace analysis of implementation of programs such as a green office program, supply chain program for purchasing sustainable products, or an environmental management framework oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of environmental and energy efficiency issues, systems and procedures specific to industry practice.
Guidance information for assessment	Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

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, 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.

Compliance may include:	meeting relevant laws, bylaws and regulations or best practice or codes of practice to support compliance in environmental performance and sustainability at each level as required (such as Environmental Protection or Biodiversity Conservation Act): international commonwealth state/territory industry organisation.
Sources may include:	organisation specifications regulatory sources relevant stakeholders resource use.
Purchasing strategies may include:	influencing suppliers to take up environmental sustainability approaches researching and participating in programs such as a supply chain program to purchase sustainable products.
Stakeholders, key personnel and specialists may include:	individuals and groups both inside and outside the organisation who have direct or indirect interest in the organisation’s conduct, actions, products and services, including: customers employees at all levels of the organisation government investors local community other organisations suppliers key personnel within the organisation, and specialists outside the organisation who may have particular technical expertise.
Techniques and tools may include:	examination of invoices from suppliers examination of relevant information and data measurements made under different conditions others as appropriate to the specific industry context.
Environmental and resource efficiency improvement plans may include:	addressing environmental and resource sustainability initiatives such as environmental management systems, action plans, green office programs, surveys and audits applying the waste management hierarchy in the workplace determining organisation’s most appropriate waste treatment including waste to landfill, recycling, reuse, recoverable resources and wastewater treatment initiating and/or maintaining appropriate organisational procedures for operational energy consumption, including stationary energy and nonstationary (transport) preventing and minimising risks, and maximising opportunities such as: improving resource/energy efficiency reducing emissions of greenhouse gases reducing use of nonrenewable resources referencing standards, guidelines and approaches such as: ecological footprinting Energy Efficiency Opportunities Bill 2005 Global Reporting Initiative green office program – a cultural change program green purchasing Greenhouse Challenge Plus (Australian government initiative) ISO 14001:1996 Environmental management systems life cycle analyses product stewardship supply chain management sustainability covenants/compacts triple bottom line reporting.
Suggestions may include ideas that help to:	prevent and minimise risks and maximise opportunities such as: usage of solar or renewable energies where appropriate reducing emissions of greenhouse gases reducing use of nonrenewable resources making more efficient use of resources, energy and water maximising opportunities to reuse, recycle and reclaim materials identifying strategies to offset or mitigate environmental impacts: purchasing carbon credits energy conservation reducing chemical use reducing material consumption expressing purchasing power through the selection of suppliers with improved environmental performance e.g. purchasing renewable energy eliminating the use of hazardous and toxic materials.
Environmental assets may include:	assets of the natural environment such as: biological assets (produced or natural) land water areas with their ecosystems subsoil, and air.

Unit Sector(s)

Unit sector

Competency field

Industry Capability – Sustainability

Co-requisite units

Co-requisite units