BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability supersedes and is equivalent to BSBSUS501A – Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability
| Mapping | Notes | Date |
| Supersedes and is equivalent to BSBSUS501A – Develop workplace policyand procedures for sustainability | Updated to meet Standards for Training Packages Minor edits toclarify performance criteria | 25/Mar/2015 |
About BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for Sustainability
Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to develop and implement a workplace sustainability policy and to modify the policy to suit changed circumstances.
It applies to individuals with managerial responsibilities who undertake work developing approaches to create, monitor and improve strategies and policies within workplaces and engage with a range of relevant stakeholders and specialists.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.
Unit Sector
Industry Capability – Sustainability
Elements and Performance Criteria
| ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
| Elements describe theessential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed todemonstrate achievement of the element. |
| 1. Develop workplace sustainability policy | Define scope of sustainability policy Gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy Identify and consult stakeholders as a key component of the policy development process Include appropriate strategies in policy at all stages of work for minimising resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use and employing life cycle management approaches Make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, timeframes and cost Develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability as an integral part of business planning and as a business opportunity Agree to appropriate methods of implementation, outcomes and performance indicators |
| 2. Communicate workplace | 2.1 Promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected |
| sustainability policy | outcome, to key stakeholders 2.2 Inform those involved in implementing the policy about expected outcomes, activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities |
| 3. Implement workplace sustainability policy | Develop and communicate procedures to help implement workplace sustainability policy Implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency Establish and assign responsibility for recording systems to track continuous improvements in sustainability approaches |
| 4. Review workplace sustainability policy implementation | Document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and stakeholders Investigate successes or otherwise of policy Monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action and use to promote continuous improvement of performance Modify policy and or procedures as required to ensure improvements are made |
Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
| Skill | Performance Criteria |
Description |
| Reading | 1.1, 1.2, 4.2, 4.3 | · Identifies, analyses and evaluates complex textual information to determine legislative and regulatory requirements, trends and outcomes |
| Writing | 1.2-1.7, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1,3.3, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 | · Researches, plans and prepares documentation using format and language appropriate to context, organisational requirements and audience |
| Oral Communication | 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1,4.1 | · Presents information and seeks advice using language appropriate to audience· Participates in discussions using listening and questioning to elicit the views of others and to clarify or confirm understanding |
| Numeracy | 1.5, 4.3 | · Interprets and uses mathematical equations to |
| calculate numerical information relating to time durations and costs | ||
| Navigate the world of work | 1.1-1.6, 3.1, 4.4 | · Develops, monitors and modifies organisational policies and procedures in accordance with legislative requirements and organisation goals |
| Interact with others | 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1,3.3, 4.1, 4.3 | · Selects and uses appropriate conventions and protocols when communicating with internal and external stakeholders to seek or share information· Plays a lead role in consulting and negotiating positive outcomes with a range of stakeholders |
| Get the work done | 1.2, 1.4-1.7, 2.3, 2.4,3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.3, 4.4 |
· Plans, organises and implements work activities of self and others that ensure compliance with organisational policies and procedures, and legislative requirements· Sequences and schedules complex activities, monitors implementation, and manages relevant communication · Uses systematic, analytical processes in relatively complex, situations, setting goals, gathering relevant information, and identifying and evaluating options against agreed criteria · Evaluates outcomes of decisions to identify opportunities for improvement |
Unit Mapping Information
| Code and title current version |
Code and title previous version |
Comments | Equivalence status |
| BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability | BSBSUS501A Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability | Updated to meet Standards for Training Packages Minor edits to clarify performance criteria |
Equivalent unit |
Assessment requirements Performance Evidence
Evidence of the ability to:
- scope and develop organisational policies and procedures that comply with legislative requirements and support the organisation’s sustainability goals covering at a minimum:
- minimising resource use
- resource efficiency
- reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use
- employing life cycle management approaches
- continuous improvement
- plan and implement sustainability policy and procedures including:
- agreed outcomes
- performance indicators
- activities to be undertaken
- assigned responsibilities
- record keeping, review and improvement processes
- consult and communicate with relevant stakeholders to generate engagement with sustainability policy development, implementation and continuous improvement
- review and improve sustainability
Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
- outline the environmental or sustainability legislation, regulations and codes of practice applicable to the organisation identify internal and external sources of information and explain how they can be used to plan and develop the organisation’s sustainability policy
- explain policy development processes and practices
- outline organisational systems and procedures that relate to sustainability
- outline typical barriers to implementing policies and procedures in an organisation and possible strategies to address.
Workplace Sustainability Policies and Procedures
Developing workplace sustainability policy Define scope of sustainability policy
When a workplace is following ‘best practice’ policies, they often need to be developed to include
monitoring, evaluation and entrench continuous improvement. Every larger organisation needs to have an environmental policy, to help ensure they are being held accountable to the required legislative and regulatory guidelines.
The environmental policy is a key document in the life of an organisation, but is usually just one page in length. This policy sets out in broad terms what the organisation will do in relation to environmental issues, complying with environmental law and protecting the environment. It should be signed off by the CEO or Chairman of the Board of Directors to demonstrate commitment from the top of the organisation. Most corporate policies are available on the company’s website and are commonly repeated in the annual report.
In general, when writing a policy, you should keep in mind the size and specific needs of the organisation. Policies should be clear and concise – don’t include lengthy processes or procedures that will be difficult to maintain or comply with.
The structure for policy documents will vary from organisation to organisation, but some common elements include the following:
- Purpose statement – the context of the policy, why it is required
- Scope – the application of the policy (particular location, work group, )
- Procedure – how the policy is implemented
- Roles and responsibilities – who is responsible for the implementation of the policy
- Legislation – reference any legislation that the policy specifically complies with A sustainability policy should:
- Have a commitment to continuous environmental improvement
- Ensure the company complies with relevant environmental jaws
- Indicate that the company’s environmental objectives and targets are reviewed on a regular basis
- Provide adequate communication to staff and the public
- Come from the highest level in organisation
- Be available to the public
- Comply with relevant legislation
- Have a commitment to:
- Continual improvement
- Review of environmental objectives and targets
- Communication
Existing quality and OHS policies also need to be reviewed or re-written to be integrated with environmental policies to ensure they capture sustainability objectives.
An organisation that has made a decision to develop an environmental sustainability policy (ESP) must start by identifying which parts of the organisation the policy will apply to. Is it intended for the whole organisation, one work area or project, or a combination of these?
Next, it must be determined whether the organisation will take an integrated approach to sustainability or focus on one particular aspect. An integrated approach may include social, environmental and corporate governance aspects. This Study Guide focuses on environmental aspects only.
The other issue to consider is how sustainability initiatives will be addressed. There are numerous approaches to implementing sustainability initiatives in the workplace.
The approach illustrated throughout this Study Guide uses ISO 14001 principles as the relevant Standard to develop and implement an environmental sustainability policy (ESP).
Gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy
The knowledge gained from conducting various types of research will help formulate appropriate policies and procedures; therefore it is important to gather information from a range of sources prior to developing an ESP.
ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004
As a starting point, the Australian and New Zealand Standard ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14004:2004 provide guidelines for developing and implementing an environmental management system. If you
haven’t already obtained copies of these Standards, now is the time to do so.
Two centuries of industrial development have made life better for many people in ways that have sometimes been unimaginable2. Increasing industrial activity also brings, however, increasing damage to the physical environmental systems and social fabric on which our wellbeing depends. As a leader of the future, you need to be able to lead a different kind of development, one which meets people’s needs without compromising our future. You need to take full account of the social, economic and environmental impacts of your decisions over the long term. Including sustainability in your business case can provide both opportunities and strategic direction in this important area.
A key role of sustainability champions is the development of company policy. Overseeing the implementation, review and evaluation of that policy is also essential. The whole process may be termed ‘strategic planning’.
The first step in the strategic planning process for sustainability or environmental improvement is the development of policy. Your sustainability policy may be an over-riding statement dealing with all aspects of environmental sustainability: waste reduction, water and energy conservation and related greenhouse gas reduction, working with your suppliers and customers in more sustainable ways. On the other hand, it may deal with just one of these aspects to begin with. The scope of the policy will be determined by criteria such as costs, time, business constraints and opportunities, all of which should be weighed up by key stakeholders.
Your policy may also take into account the ‘social’ aspects of the triple bottom line through the inclusion of corporate responsibility aims. Look at the ‘Fact sheet: Corporate social responsibility‘. A business policy should include the economic aspect of the triple bottom line.
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