Course Title: Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2017

Course Code: BUSM7938C

Course Title: Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability

School: 650T Vocational Business Education

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5358 - Diploma of Business

Course Contact: Sylvia Baroutis

Course Contact Phone: (03) 9925 5469

Course Contact Email: sylvia.baroutis@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

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, outcomes and performance indicators

 

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 about expected outcomes, activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities

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 for recording systems to track 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 online self-paced and collaborative classroom based activities.

The self-paced activities will be delivered through various technology platforms and may include your contribution to wikis and discussion threads, reflective journals, quizzes and interactive sessions.

The collaborative classroom based activities will include group discussion, group problem solving activities and opportunities to practice your skills in a simulated workplace environment.

We expect you to participate and contribute in all scheduled learning activities. 


Teaching Schedule

The course BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policies and procedures for sustainability is clustered (co-delivered and co-assessed) with course BSBRSK501 Manage risk.

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.

The Teaching Schedule for this course is as follows:

 

Week

Week beginning

Topics

Assessment

1

3 July
  • 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
  • Risk and Sustainability
  • Defining the Risk and Sustainability for our course
  • What is risk?
  • What does sustainability mean?
  • The national strategy for sustainable development
  • UNESCO and sustainable development
  • ESD and sustainability
  • Mandatory Requirements for Risk
  • Risk Management Framework
  • Risk Insurance
  • Mandatory Requirements for Sustainability
  • Regulators
  • Risk Principles and Standards
  • Risk Management
  • How is it applied?
  • Why is it important?
  • Sustainability Principles and Standards
  • Signs and symbols
  • ISO 14021
  • Mobius loop
  • Assessments
  • Quiz
  • Risk and Sustainability Policy
  • Choosing a Business

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

2

10 July
  • Risk and Sustainability Management
  • Introduction to Risk Management
  • Not Risks
  • Risks and Objectives
  • Uncertainty and sources
  • Objective and how to express it
  • Sustainability and the Key Issues
  • Climate Change
  • What is climate change?
  • International agreements and policies
  • How are businesses responding?
  • Risk-Based Decision Makingg
  • Risk Management
  • Risk Management Framework
  • Develop a Risk Management Framework
  • Risk governance
  • Process
  • Resources
  • Risk Profile Review
  • Risk Maturity and Assessment
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

 

3

17 July 
  • Risk and Sustainability Governance
  • Introduction to Risk Governanace
  • Corporate and Business Risk Planning
  • Relating Sustainability to Business
  • The Role of Corporations in Sustainability
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • The Role of the Individual
  • Risk Management Policy
  • Risk Management Strategy
  • Risk Culture
  • Accountability, awareness, and attitudes
  • Sustainable Work Practice
  • Sustainable Workplace
  • Risk of Unsustainable Practices
  • The "sea of stakeholders"
  • Greenwash and Boycotts
  • Risk Appetite

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

 Assessment 1 due: Online Quiz (Session 2)

4

24 July
  •  Implement a Risk and Sustainability Process
  • Introduction to a Risk Management Process
  • Key Steps of a Risk Management Process
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000
  • Informal risk management process
  • Formal risk management process
  • Risk identification
  • Risk analysis
  • Risk evaluation
  • Risk controls
  • Common controls
  • Risk treatment
  • Monitor and review
  • Communicate and consult
  • Risk Categories
  • Common risk Categories
  • Risk of Unsustainable Practices
  • Risk Criteria
  • Risk Profile
  • Strategic Risks and Assessment

 

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

5

31 July
  • Implement a Risk and Sustainability Process
  • The Sustainability Audit
  • Scope and Objectives
  • Collecting Information
  • Auditing compliance
  • Identify Resource Usage
  • Energy usage
  • Waste
  • Water usage
  • Units of measurement
  • The Supply Chain
  • Verifying Information
  • Documenting and Reporting
  • Introduction to Sustainable Work Practices

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

 

6

7 August
  • Implement a Risk and Sustainability Process
  • Setting Targets for Improvement
  • Determining best practice
  • Green office
  • Energy efficiency
  • Waste efficiency
  • The Waste avoidance hierarchy
  • Transport
  • Purchasing strategies
  • Sustainability Action Plan
  • Measurable efficiency targets
  • Seeking input from stakeholders
  • Accessing external assistance and programs
  • Timeframes and responsibilities
  • Evaluating options
  • Implementation Plan
  • Communication Plan
  • Training Plan

 

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

7

14 August
  • Implement a Risk and Sustainability Process
  • Communication Strategies
  • With management
  • Team members
  • External stakeholders
  • Elements of a Monitoring Program
  • Communication Outcomes
  • Risk Register
  • Inter-agency and State Significant Risk
  • Key Components to Managing Inter-Agency and State Significant Risks
  • Managing Inter-Agency Risk
  • Managing State Significant Risk
  • Risk and Sustainability Resources
  • Risk Insurance

 

(See Student Workbook for further information on three sessions for this week)

 

 

8

21 August 

 Facilitate Assessments

Assessments due

 

Assessment Task 2 - Risk and Sustainability Policy

Assessment Task 2: Presentation

 

 

 

 


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

You can download an electronic copy of the Student Workbook from the Blackboard Program Shell.


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.
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 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.
Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements.

 

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 two (2) tasks.  You must successfully complete both tasks to be deemed competent in this course.

NOTE:  Details about specific tasks and assessment criteria will be included in the Assessment Record and Cover Sheets for each task.

Task 1 - Online Quiz

This is an open-book assessment which will include questions on the knowledge components of both units of competency included in this cluster.

Task 2 (a) - Develop a Risk and Sustainability Policy for a designated business

You will develop all aspects of a Risk and Sustainability Policy for a designated business (the particular business to be negotiated with your teacher).  Please refer to the Assessment Record and Cover Sheet for further details.  This can be found in the Blackboard Program Shell for this program.

Task 2 (b) - Presentation on your Risk and Sustainability Policy

 Please refer to the Assessment Record and Cover Sheet for further details about the presentation.  This document can be found in the Blackboard Program Shell for this program.

 Your Assessments should demonstrate the required Foundation skills for the two units included in this cluster, including relevant language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance.  Please refer to the relevant Assessment Record and Covers Sheets for further details.

Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix that maps all the assessment is available on Blackboard.

 

Submission Requirements

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 a footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers.  For example, Julie Macpherson, 345678, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure a safe workplace.

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

When 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://www1.rmit.edu.au/students/specialconsideration

Form to use: http://www1.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=g43abm17hc9w

Re-submissions (VE Programs)

If you are found to be unsuccessful in a Course Assessment Task (or you do not submit/attend) you will be allowed one re-submission. Your teacher will provide feedback regarding what you need to do to improve and will set a new deadline for the re-submission. 

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.

Grading and re-submissions
Re-submissions do not contribute to your overall grade for the curse.

Adjustments to Assessment

In certain circumstances students may be eligible for an assessment adjustment. Fore more information about the circumstances under which assessment arrangements might be granted please access the following website:

More information: http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID-7usdbkifjf31

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.


Assessment Matrix

Other Information

There are three sessions for this unit each week.  The first session will be face-to-face, the second session is online by logging on to your Program Blackboard Shell and the third session will be face-to-face. 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview