Course Title: Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2016

Course Code: BUSM7938C

Course Title: Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5341 - Diploma of Information Technology

Course Contact: Val Christou

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5076

Course Contact Email: val.christou@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Name: Hisham Attia
Contact: hisham.attia@rmit.edu.au
 

Nominal Hours: 50

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

None

Course Description

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.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

Element:

1. Develop workplace sustainability policy

Performance Criteria:

1.1. Define scope of sustainability policy
1.2. Gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy
1.3. Identify and consult stakeholders as a key component of the policy development process
1.4. 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
1.5. Make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, timeframes and cost
1.6. Develop policy that reflects the organisation's commitment to sustainability as an integral part of business planning and as a business opportunity
1.7. Agree to appropriate methods of implementation

Element:

2. Communicate workplace sustainability policy

Performance Criteria:

2.1. Promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected outcome to key stakeholders
2.2. Inform those involved in implementing the policy as to outcomes expected, activities to be undertaken and responsibilities assigned

Element:

3. Implement workplace sustainability policy

Performance Criteria:

3.1. Develop and communicate procedures to help implement workplace sustainability policy
3.2. Implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency
3.3. Establish and assign responsibility to use recording systems for tracking continuous improvements in sustainability approaches

Element:

4. Review workplace sustainability policy implementation

Performance Criteria:

4.1. Document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and stakeholders
4.2. Investigate successes or otherwise of policy
4.3. Monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action and use to promote continuous improvement of performance
4.4. Modify policy and or procedures as required to ensure improvements are made
 


Learning Outcomes



Details of Learning Activities

 A range of learning activities are planned for this course including self-paced and collaborative classroom based activities.

The collaborative classroom based activities will include face-to-face workshops, practical computer exercises based on teacher handouts and online tasks.

We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities. Students should attend all sessions. Students will also be expected to undertake work on a small Web/Database project and other activities for homework.
 


Teaching Schedule

The Teaching Schedule for this course is as follows:

Induction Session

Prior to training commencement a program level induction session will be conducted that comprises the following:

• Program overview and requirements
• MyRMIT/Blackboard
• Overview of assessment requirements
• Pre-Training Review including:
 - Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
 - Assessment of current skills and knowledge
• Competency/Grading Criteria
• Plagiarism
• Appeals
• Extensions
• Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements
• Resubmission policy
• Where to get support
• Student responsibilities

Course Delivery:

The nominal hours associated with this are a guide only and represent the total teaching time and student effort required to successfully complete the course. This may include not only scheduled classes but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Week

Week Commencing Topics Assessment

1
(Face-to-Face)

8th Feb 2016
 

Introduction to the Course including:
• Course requirements
• Course support documents
• Course Blackboard access
• Accuracy of enrolment
• Assessment requirements/Cover Sheets
• Reminder re Plagiarism
• Reminder re Appeals
• Extensions/Resubmissions
• Feedback in this course
• Reminder re submission requirements
• Getting help
Intro to BSBSUS501A BUSM6394C
• Course material, admin & assessments
• Sustainability, purpose & objectives

 

2
(Face-to-Face) 

15th Feb 2016 • Sustainability: Aim & objectives
• Sign & symbols
• Resource usage
• Environment Protection Authority
• Legislation, regulations and practices 
HANDOUT Assessment Task 1
Understanding and analysing resource usage

 

3
(Face-to-Face)

22nd Feb 2016 • Calculate your footprint using footprintnetwork.org
Submit your document through Blackboard
 DUE Assessment Task 1
Understanding and analysing resource usage
 

4
(Face-to-Face)

29th Feb 2016

• The sustainability issue - Climate Change?
• Introduction to policy development (Template)
 

HANDOUT Assessment Sub-Task 3.1
Framework, processes and scope of policy
 

5
(Online)


7th March 2016
• Risks of non sustainable practices
• Case: Apple Environmental Footprint 2011
 
 

6
(Face-to-Face) 

14th March 2016

• Work processes and practices
• Value chain – Gap Analysis
• Example of a Fruit Juicer Company
• ICT: A sector of major energy consumption?
• Case Study: QANTAS by Fujitsu
• Submit your document through Blackboard
Assessment Task 2-QUIZ Week 1-5
DUE Assessment Sub-Task 3.1
Framework, processes and scope of policy
7a
(online)
21st March 2016 • Environmentally sustainable work practices
• Audit, scope & objectives
• Collection of information and compliance
 
HANDOUT Assessment Sub-Task 3.2
Sustainability Practices
     Mid-Semester Break 24th-30th March 2016  

7b

(online)

28th March 2016

 Thurs 31/03 & Fri 1/04 - Self Paced online activities

 
Sustainability Practices
8
(Face-to-Face)
4th April 2016 • Identification of resource usage
• Supply chain
• Information verification, documentation & reporting
 
 
9
(Face-to-Face)
           

11th April 2016

 

• Action Plans
Policy progress review
Submit your document through Blackboard
 
 DUE Assessment Sub-Task 3.2
Sustainability Practices
 
10
(online)
18th April 2016 • Development of implementation plans
• Life Cycle Management
• Waste Management
HANDOUT Assessment Sub-Task 3.3
Policy Implementation
11
(Online)

25th April 2016

• Communication strategies
• Communication plan
 
 
12
(Face-to-Face)
2nd May 2016

 • Managing the implementation plan
• Monitoring environmentally sustainable work practices
• Submit your document through Blackboard
 

 DUE Assessment Sub-Task 3.3
Policy Implementation

 
13
(online)
9th May 2016

• Summary of workplace policy document
• Presentation context and requirements
 

HANDOUT Assessment Sub-Task 3.4
Workplace Policy Presentation
14
(Face-to-Face)

16th May 2016

• Workplace policy group presentations
 
DUE Assessment Sub-Task 3.4
Workplace Policy Presentation

15
(Face-to-Face)

23rd May 2016 • Workplace policy group presentations DUE Assessment Sub-Task 3.4
Workplace Policy Presentation

16
(Face-to-Face)

30th May 2016
 

• Feedback and review
• Unit summary
• Continuous Improvement

Re-submissions if required
 

Feedback & Review


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Materials will include articles, web links and worksheets, which will be made available through the Blackboard portal.


Overview of Assessment

In order to achieve competency in this unit, you must provide:

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 policies.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, you 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 them.

 Assessment Conditions

Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates  consistent performance of typical activities experienced in the sustainability field of work and include access to:

  • relevant legislation, regulations, standards and codes
  • relevant workplace documentation and resources
  • case studies and, where possible, real situations
  • interaction with others.

You are advised that you are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate your assessment work to your teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.

Feedback

Feedback will be provided throughout the semester in class and/or online discussions.  You are encouraged to ask and answer questions during class time and online sessions so that you can obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts and issues being discussed. Finally, you can email or arrange an appointment with your teacher to gain more feedback on your progress.

You should take note of all feedback received and use this information to improve your learning outcomes and final performance in the course.       


Assessment Tasks


You are required to complete 3 assessment tasks within this course. You must successfully complete both the assessments to be deemed competent in this unit.

ASSESSMENT TASK 1 – Understanding and Analysing Resource Usage - Due: Week 3

This task takes you through a process of understanding your own household environmental impact. You are required to collate your latest energy and water bills and analyse the data contained with respect to your resource usage and greenhouse gas emissions. To facilitate this process, follow these instructions:
• Start a new MS EXCEL workbook and copy the data from your invoices into a new spreadsheet
• Copy each resource data into a separate sheet and name the sheet accordingly. The resource data should be in a table highlighting the time frame and how many units have been used. E.g. Jan: 170 litres, Jun: 100kWh
• Produce a chart based on your data that shows your usage fluctuation over time
• Explain and interpret your usage and the fluctuation. Why does the resource go up and down and in which time frame?
• Make recommendations on how you could potentially reduce your resource usage and thereby the greenhouse gas emissions
Your document should include 2 of the following resources: water, gas and/or electricity, each outlined separately on a sheet but in one workbook.

Helpful links for this assessment:
• www.climatechange.vic.gov.au
• www.watercorporation.com.au
• www.savewater.com.au

Submission Instructions
• Complete and name the assessment record cover sheet “lastname_firstname.xlsx” (MS WORD)
• Name your document as “lastname_firstname.xlsx” (MS EXCEL)
• Zip-archive both documents (WORD+EXCEL) into one archive and name “lastname_firstname.zip”
• Submit the zipped archive through Blackboard as instructed

ASSESSMENT 2: REVIEW TASK – QUIZ: Week 1 to 5 - Due: Week 6

This task includes a revision to the learning in the first 5 weeks. The task is based on an online quiz with multiple choice questions and filling in blank statements. The topics covered in this quiz range from sustainability definition, drivers, practices, management, and stakeholders to legislation and environmental laws. The quiz will be conducted during class time and the results will be available upon completion. Your attendance for this assessment review quiz is required in week 6.

ASSESSMENT TASK 3 - PROJECT: Sustainability Policy Development - Due: See below

This task requires you to develop a sustainability policy for the organisation. The task consists for 4 sub-tasks that should be included as part of the workplace policy. Refer to the sub-tasks below for description and due dates.

Sub-Assessment Task 3.1 – “Organisational Framework, Processes & Scope of Policy - Due: Week 6

This is the first part of your workplace policy development for an organisation of your choice. To build a context around your policy, you are required to create a business organisation of your choice, in which such policy will be implemented and deployed. You will be given a template to guide you through this process, which you will address progressively until the end of the semester.

In this template you are required to:
• Describe your chosen business organisation: What business is it? What is it selling? How is it selling its products or services? Explain a customer scenario? What are the typical processes that the organisation does to provide the goods or services?
• Specify the typical business processes as a value chain. Draw a chart that outlines these processes
o This is a detailed description of the typical processes that your organisation offers (products or services)
o Describe the main steps in a flow chart showing each step and its respective resource(s) it is using
• Define the scope of the policy
o Identify what resources will be the targets in your sustainability policy. These will be the ones you would like to focus on to improve, i.e. the scope of the policy
• Highlight the overall methods, strategies, systems for these resources that you will use to improve their sustainability standing
• Consider resources that are measurable and can be reviewed at different time periods against measurable target (Benchmark)
Use the “workplace policy template” to complete all tasks progressively. Address the first part of the template as indicated in the document. At the end of the semester your policy will be complete.

Submission Requirements:
Use the provided policy template and fill the required content. Ensure that you have provided enough explanation to each section in your document and included the necessary images and graphs, especially for your business process.
• Include this sheet at the beginning of the template.
• Submit your document through Blackboard.
• Upload a copy of your document to the File Exchange and name your file as 3.1_groupname.docx.
• Review your document before you submit.

Sub-Assessment Task 3.2 – Sustainability Practices - Due: Week 9

This is the second part of your workplace policy development for your organisation. In Assessment Sub-Task 2.1 you have outlined the target resources, which you are considering to improve in your policy. The Assessment Sub-Task 2.2 now looks at the strategies and recommendations on how you are going about achieving better sustainability results in your business processes and in what timeframe. Based on the best practice examples discussed in class and what you will have researched, consider now how you are going to optimise the resource usage, e.g. through preventing unnecessary waste and developing potential recycling opportunities for your organisation, where applicable.

Your Task:
Based on your business description and processes in part 1, you are now required to build upon that content. You have identified the scope and the resources you are using in your business processes (you have done that in part 2.1). Now you need to consider the following:
• Look into each process you described in AT3.1 that is using resources and start thinking how to manage it better
• Highlight the overall methods, strategies, systems for these resources to improve their sustainability standing
• Consider how to measure and review these resources at different time periods against measurable target (Benchmark). This means, you need to have a method to measure these resources to be able to know whether you have improved them at a later date. Remember, if you can measure a target, you can’t manage it and therefore not improve it
• Outline your strategies for at least 2 resources that you are able to measure and make recommendations in terms of likely effectiveness, cost and implementation timeframes
• Consider your value chain/business process chart that you have developed in AT3.1 and analyse what resources are used and how. Come up with smarter ideas on how to use the resources
• Develop practices to improve them. Think broadly about the context and environment where and how these resources are being used, and whether there is a better way

 

Submission Requirements:
• Duplicate your previous document and rename it as AT3.2_groupname.docx
• Consider the feedback you received on AT3.1 and rewrite it accordingly in the duplicated document
• As we progressively complete our policy add your new content to your duplicated document
• Submit your policy document AT3.2 through Blackboard including this sheet at the beginning
• Upload a copy of your document to the File Exchange of your group.
• Please review your document before you submit. Do not delete your previous document AT3.1 from the file exchange.

Sub-Assessment Task 3.3 – Policy Implementation - Due: Week 12

This is the third part of your workplace policy development for your organisation. This Sub-Task focuses on the exact and detailed steps required to start acting upon our developed policy content so far. This is about the implementation phase of the strategies and recommendations you have outlined in the previous sub-tasks. You will now look at each strategy separately and list action items that need to be done to conduct these strategies and allocate respective resources and responsibilities.

To put this into context, if your strategy is about reducing paper wastage, then consider the following:

• How is the current paper stock used
o Investigate if double-sided printing is an option for the particular workplace
o Can the current printer in fact print double sided? What is the default setting? Can it be set to double-sided print?
• Who is (can be) responsible to review and monitor this step and its progress? How to measure, how often and how to report?
• Now that you have executed the action plan, monitored its progress and measured the outcome (on target/not on target), what steps can you plan to continuously improve your commitment to sustainability?

Your Task:
Develop an action plan list that considers fulfilling your identified strategies in more specific steps as outlined above. This is best described in an action plan list that looks as follows:

STRATEGY: Name the strategy here from your previous AT3.2

Action 1 Who By When Notes
• Sub-action 1.1
• Sub-action 1.2 Isaac Newton Week 8 Additional info that explains the action.
Action 2
• Sub-action 2.1
• Sub-action 2.2 Albert Einstein Week 16 Additional info that explains the action.

Consider how you will monitor each step to continuously improve your commitment to sustainability. Include the following:
• Stakeholders: how you will expand the responsibility and ensure the commitment of the other partners, who are involved in the specific strategy
• Life Cycle Management (LCM): what can you potentially do instead of disposing? For example, what can be recovered, recycled, re-used or even from the beginning avoided to minimise the impact on the ’life cycle’ of a product or service?
• Monitoring and Evaluation: How to analyse whether your methods in monitoring and reviewing are adequate enough to reflect the real picture. Do you need to consider a more ’improved’ way for monitoring, e.g. through new technologies?
• Continuous Improvement: Think of how to expand these plans to ensure that you are continuously improve

Submission Requirements:
• Duplicate your previous document and rename it as AT3.3_groupname.docx. Do NOT delete your previous copy of AT3.2.
• Consider the feedback you have received in AT3.2 and include it in your AT3.3 document.
• Complete your policy with the new learning and submit your document through Blackboard together with this sheet.
• Upload a copy of the document to the File Exchange on Blackboard.
• Please review your completed policy before you submit. Do not delete your previous documents from the file exchange.


Sub-Assessment Task 3.4 – Workplace Policy Presentation - Due: Week 14/15

This is the fourth and last part of your workplace policy development for your organisation. By now your policy document is completed and covering all the key aspects of your chosen organisation. Your last task is to present your policy highlighting these key aspects. To facilitate this task you will be given a PowerPoint template as a guide for your presentation.

Your Task:
Imagine you need to present the developed policy to your top management or an auditor. Consider presenting the policy in a logical and ‘flowing’ way, as a story.
• Focus at the beginning on your business description and the processes involved (AT3.1)
• Outline the policy scope and objectives (AT3.1)
• Highlight where resources are used in your processes (AT3.1-2)
• Outline the strategies on how to reduce these resources (AT3.2)
• Describe the action plan that will realize the recommended strategies (AT3.3)
• Summarise and conclude (AT3.4)

Produce a PowerPoint presentation that covers the key aspects of your policy. Ensure that your text, graphs and images are readable and your presentation looks professional and complete. Rehearse your presentation with your peer before the presentation day.

Submission Requirements:
If you wish, use the PowerPoint template guide to create your presentation. Submit your presentation via Blackboard together with this sheet and upload a copy of your presentation to the File Exchange. Name your presentation AT3.4_groupname.pptx. Review your document before you submit. Do not delete any of your previous documents on the file exchange.
Submission Requirements
All Assessment tasks need to be submitted via Blackboard. Email submission will not be accepted.

You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available on blackboard.
Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C “Develop a workplace policy and practices for sustainability, Page 1 of 10.” 
 

  


Assessment Matrix

The Assessment Matrix that maps all assessments to the critical aspects of evidence, skills, knowledge and elements are available from the teacher.

Other Information

Submission Requirements

All Assessment tasks need to be submitted via the Blackboard. Email submission will not be accepted.


You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date.
Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of each assessment task is available on blackboard.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.

Late Submission Procedures
You are required to submit assessment items and/or ensure performance based assessment is completed by the due dates.
If you are prevented from submitting an assessment item on time, by circumstances outside your control, you may apply in advance to your teacher for an extension to the due date of up to seven calendar days.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/students/assessment/extension
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/seca86tti4g4z.pdf
Where an extension of greater than seven days is needed, you must apply for special consideration. Applications for special consideration must be submitted no later than two working days after the assessment task deadline or scheduled examination.
More Information: http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w (unresolved)
Form to use: http://mams.rmit.edu.au/8a5dgcaqvaes1.pdf

Resubmissions (VET Programs):
If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task you will be allowed one resubmission only. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the resubmission. The highest grade you will receive if your resubmission is successful is “CAG”.
If you are still not meeting the assessment requirements you must apply to your Program Manager in writing outlining the steps you will take to demonstrate competence in your course. Your submission will be considered by the Program Team and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible.

Adjustments to Assessment
In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. For more information about the circumstances under which the assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:
More Information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=7usdbki1fjf31

Marking Guide (Competency):
You must demonstrate that you have all the required skills/knowledge/elements in the unit of competency you are studying.
You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you about your progress and how well you are performing. 
 

Marking Guide (Grading) 
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit and you will achieve one of the following grades:  

 Final Grades Table:

CHD - Competent with High Distinction
CDI - Competent with Distinction
CC  - Competent with Credit
CAG  - Competency Achieved – Graded
NYC - Not Yet Competent
DNS - Did Not Submit for assessment

Further information regarding the application of the grading criteria will be provided by your teacher.
 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview