Elements and Performance Criteria

Sustainability status
Sustainability status may include:
resource footprint (e.g. carbon, water and energy) of product and process
current and future availability of raw 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
Sustainability indicators
Sustainability indicators include:
water usage
energy usage
emissions
indicators for ethical/sustainable supply chain
community relationships/complaints
staff turnover
safety record
compliance with regulations and codes of practice
reduced waste
increased recycling
product improvement
meeting consumer expectations for sustainable use of resources
other indicators appropriate to the organisation, its value chain, processes and operations
Suggestions for major improvement
Suggestions for major improvements might come from:
non-compliances/near misses/incident reports
kaizen and other improvement processes
benchmarking activities
regulatory and non-regulatory related audits
community pressure
Board directions
changes in market
suppliers
customers
Suggestions may be improvements to one or more of:
products
processes
employee, health, safety and environment (HSE) or amenity
impact on the community
impact on the environment
efficiency and profit
waste management
emergency/incident response
facility/building design and management
Rank suggestions
Suggestions may be ranked by:
need
benefit/cost
strategic impact
Teams
Teams for strategic plan development may be:
formal or informal teams and may be devoted to the project for its duration or it may be part of other duties
Strategic approvals for implementation
Strategic approvals for implementation might include:
regulatory approvals
financial approvals
internal approval processes including determining:
senior management/shareholder approvals
human resource implications, such as career paths and position descriptions
operational management approvals
supplier/client/contractor approvals
Required documentation
Required documentation might include:
formal report or plan
business case
environmental impact statement
Sanction
Sanction is the process the organisation requires for approval to proceed to be granted

Overview of assessment
A person who demonstrates competency in this unit must be able to develop formal plans for sustainability strategy, including establishing project teams and designing improvements.
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 sustainability drivers of an organisation and its value chain
determining sustainability improvement options and rank by benefit/cost
developing sustainability project plans, including key performance indicators and timelines
integrating sustainability improvement plans with other goals and strategic directions of the organisation.
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