Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: EASC5040C
Course Title: Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices
School: 650T TAFE Business
Campus: City Campus
Program: C4223 - Certificate IV in Business Administration
Course Contact : Sylvia Baroutis
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5469
Course Contact Email:sylvia.baroutis@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Hazel Sims - Class teacher
Email address: hazel.sims@rmit.edu.au
Telephone: 51316
Nominal Hours: 40
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 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. 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.
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.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
BSBSUS301A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices |
Element: |
1. Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage |
Performance Criteria: |
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. |
Element: |
2. Set targets for improvements |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1 Seek input from stakeholders, key personnel and specialists. 2.2 Evaluate external sources of information and data as required. 2.3 Evaluate alternative solutions to workplace environmental issues. 2.4 Set efficiency targets. |
Element: |
3. Implement performance improvement strategies |
Performance Criteria: |
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 value environmental assets. |
Element: |
4. Monitor performance |
Performance Criteria: |
4.1 Uses and/or develops evaluation and monitoring, tools and technology. 4.2 Documents and communicates outcomes to report on efficiency targets to key personnel and stakeholders. 4.3 Evaluates strategies and improvement plans. 4.4 Sets new efficiency targets and invetigates and applies new tools and strategies. 4.5 Promotes successful strategies and rewards participants where possible. |
Learning Outcomes
Details of Learning Activities
Learning activities will include reading, class (and online) activities and discussion, case studies and text book exercises as well as independent research in order to write a report on sustainability issues in a business environment (a Virtual Enterprise - VE for full-time students). Flexible delivery students will draw experience from their workplace.
What is a Virtual Enterprise?
A Virtual Enterprise (VE) is a simulated business that participants organise and run as a hands-on way of learning about business practices and procedures, and most importantly, learning about their local businesses and industries. Read more at www.virtualenterprise.com.au.
How will the VE relate to this unit?
You will carry out an analysis of the sales and/or purchasing data in the VE, in order to develop, or improve, the sustainability of the simulated workplace environment. You will obtain some ’hard data’ first. After analysing this information, you will develop ideas for improving the way that the VE produces ethically and environmentally sustainable products and services as well as using sustainable products and processes.
Teaching Schedule
| Week | Week Commencing | Topic/s | Assessments |
| 1 | 11 February 2013 |
Course Induction: Course delivery and assessment details Course support documents Online learning environment including Blackboard Grading Plagiarism inlcuding use of Turnitin Appeals/Extensions Feedback/Privacy Submission requirements/Feedback Where to get support Student responsibilities Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfer |
Task 1: Portfolio (all activities shall be attempted and CA grade required on all to achieve competency). Includes Sustainability Report. |
| 2 | 18 February 2013 | Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage Environmental regulations |
Portfolio |
| 3 | 25 February 2013 | Investigate curent practices in relation to resource usage Procedures for assessing compliance |
Portfolio |
| 4 | 4 March 2013 | Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage Collect relevant information for the workgroup |
Portfolio |
| 5 | 11 March 2013 | Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage Measuring resource usage Purchasing strategies |
Research for sustainability report |
| 6 | 18 March 2013 | Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage Measuring resource usage Purchasing strategies |
Research for sustainability report |
| 7 | 25 March 2013 | Set targets for improvement External sources of information and data |
Portfolio |
7 |
28 March - 3 April 2013 | MID SEMESTER BREAK (includes 1 April Easter Monday Public Holiday, 2 April Easter Tuesday RMIT holiday, 4 April classes resume). | |
| 8 | 8 April 2013 | Set targets for improvement Evaluate alternative solutions Set efficiency targets |
Portfolio |
| 9 | 15 April 2013 | Implement performance management strategies |
Portfolio |
| 10 | 22 April 2013 | Implement performance management strategies Seek suggestions for improvements Costing strategies |
Portfolio - work on sustainability draft report |
| 11 | 29 April 2013 | Monitor performance Tools and technology for evaluation and monitoring Communicating outcomes |
Portfolio |
| 12 | 6 May 2013 | Monitor performance Evaluate strategies |
Portfolio |
| 13 | 13 May 2013 | Monitor performance New targets, tools and strategies Promote successful strategies |
Portfolio |
| 14 | 20 May 2013 | Review portfolio content for completion | Portfolio |
| 15 | 27 May 2013 | Review report | Submit portfolio to dropbox. |
| 16 | 3 June 2013 | Feedback and review. |
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
Software Publications Writing Team, Implement and Monitor Environmentally Sustainable Work Practices, BSBSUS301A, Software Publications, 2009 |
1-74123-950-8 |
References
Other Resources
- Virtual Enterprise Style Handbook
- Data for Sustainability resources in student drive and Blackboard.
- RMIT think green webpage http://www.rmit.edu.au/THINKGREEN
Overview of Assessment
Assessment may incorporate a variety of methods including technical requirements documentation, homework, assignments, group and/or individual projects, in class exercises, written and practical assessments, problem solving exercises, presentations, direct observation of actual and simulated work practice, presentation of a portfolio of evidence which may comprise documents, and/or photographs and/or video and audio files, review of products produced through work-based or course activities.
Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met. Students will be provided with feedback throughout the course to check their progress.
Assessment Tasks
Crtical 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
You are required to complete two tasks:
1. Portfolio of Evidence
Students will complete all tasks and submit for a CA grade for each activity to be deemed competent for this unit. Evidence for your portfolio will be produced on a regular basis and all tasks submitted on the due dates in order to achieve a CA grade. Feedback on activities and research for sustainability report is in class and ongoing.
2. Virtual Enterprise (or Workplace) - Sustainability Report report
Please refer to the marking guide for further details on this research report.
Submission requirements
Assessment tasks need to be submitted electronically via MyRMIT.
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 MyRMIT, the RMIT website and your Student Diary.
- 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 of 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 frin student forms website.
- Each page of your assessment should include a footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and inclusive page numbers.
- Feedback on assessment is given individually in class on a continuing basis.
Marking Guide (competency):
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) is based on current industry needs and the focus on preparing you for the workplace. Because VET courses are informed by practical application of knowledge and skills, they are based on a system known as ’competency based training’ (CBT). So when you are assessed in VET it is about whether you are competent to do the job, as well as having a firm grasp on the knowledge and skills required to do that job, as opposed to traditional curriculum based education settings that are often based on knowledge retention.
- You need to demonstrate you are competent in each element of the unit of competency you are studying.
- You will receive feedback on each assessment task that will inform you whether you are competent or not and how well you are performing. Once competent in all elements of the unit you receive a competency grading.
- Please refer to the Final Grades table below.
Marking Guide (Grading)
After achieving competency we then grade your performance in the unit; this gives you the opportunity to have the level of your performance formally recognized against industry standards and employability skills.
The grading is according to the following criteria:
1. Level of independence, initiative, enterprise and performance of work task
Students must be able to demonstrate a high level of ability to complete all tasks independently as per the specifications as well ad monstrating a high level of initiative in an individual approach to planning, drafting, preparing and producing the Virtual Enterprise Sustainability Research Report.
2. Demonstrated breadth of underpinning knowledge and a willingness to continue learning
Students should be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of all applicable writing conventions, ergnomic skills when using computers/word processing to produce documents for all the assessment tasks, whilst following safe work practices throughout.
3. Techniques and processes, technology skills and problem solving
Students are required to demonstrate their problem solving skills in order to analyse the requirements for producing both the Portfolio of Evidence activities/exercises/research. Portfolio tasks can be applied and included in to the research report.
4. Work organisation, planning and self management
Students are expected to organise their own work schedules in order to produce the required evidence by the noted deadlines in the Teaching Schedule. Students also must ensure that they evaluate their own performance and identify areas for improvement and that this is demonstrated throughout the semester. They should manage time and ensure ergonomic requirements are met when producing all business documents.
5. Communication, people networking, language and interpersonal skills and teamwork
Students should be able to communicate with colleagues, customers and VE management to gather information about their needs and provide services, listening to and following complex oral instructions, proofreading and editing, writing clear and detailed instructions.
Contributions to relevant class discussions and online sessions (if required) will be observed where applicable. In addition your tasks should demonstrate a very good understanding of strategies for a collaborative approach to adopting sustainable strategies in the Virtual Enterprise workplace.
Final Grades:
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
| BSBSUS301A Implement and monitor environmentally sustainable work practices | Assessment |
|
Required skills:
Required knowledge
Elements/Performance Criteria (see above for performance criteria) 1. Investigate current practices in relation to resource usage 2. Set targets for improvements 3. Implement performance improvement strategies 4. Monitor performance |
Portfolio of evidence including Sustainability Report |
Course Overview: Access Course Overview