BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedure for

sustainability
Assessment Task 1- Case study
About this assessment
This assessment is a project with a case study analysis of a simulated business in order to
review policy and revise the policy and develop an implementation plan related to the unit
BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedure for sustainability and its elements and
performance criteria.

Performance objective
Candidate is to demonstrate the skills and knowledge required to review existing policy
documents and compare them to regulatory documents and current organisational usage
for a business. A report is required that outlines revised policy documents and describes the
implementation process.

Assessment description
You are required to examine and review the Australian Hardware policy and procedure
documents to determine the shortfalls between required sustainable practices and
documented approaches to the same.
In doing this you will need to review current usage of resources to gain an understanding of
potential for recommending change to organisational practices. After evaluation of this
information, you will need to outline revised policy documents for Australian Hardware
together with a description of the approaches that can be taken to implementation of the
revised policy documents.

Assessment instructions
1. Review the case study information provided (attached), policy and procedure
documents (in the Appendices of your Student Workbook) and legislative and
regulatory documents that describe compliance requirements for the business sector.
2. Complete the following assessment task activities during the allowed assessment time.
3. The assessment task is due on the date specified by your assessor.
4. Any variations to this arrangement must be approved in writing by your assessor.
5. Submit your work with any required evidence attached.
6. See specifications below for details.
7. Time allowed for the assessment task is 3 hours.

Case study scenario

Sam Stuart, the Business Manager of Australian Hardware has reviewed some of Australian
Hardware ’s operations and has observed that resource use in the Wollongong Store is not
aligned with sustainable work practices being promoted by the Sustainability Team. He
realises that this is at least partly due to existing Australian Hardware policy and procedure
documents not reflecting current business sector requirements. Some of the initiatives Sam
wants to see implemented include:
1. re-programming of all air-conditioning services in the head office to be only active in
normal business hours:
a. currently air-conditioners are manually switched on and off
b. It is the responsibility of the last staff member leaving each day to turn them
all off - this is rarely done, and most commonly all air-conditioners are left
running 24 hours per day.
2. lights being switched off at night
3. better sorting of recyclable paper from general rubbish
4. encouraging staff use of dual-flush capability of toilets.

Sam Stuart provides you the following guiding steps to consider and says “So, get together
with your employees today and write up your own Sustainability Policy. Make it viewable in
your work area and/or on your website and re-visit it at least once a year to find new ways
to decrease your company’s carbon footprint. It’s good for the environment and good for
business.”

Here some steps your company can take in writing a Sustainability Policy:
 Look at each of the processes within your organization and find ways that they can
be altered to incorporate sustainability practices with minimal effect on the process
itself
 Look at your break room and find ways that you can eliminate wastefulness
 What about your companies use of electricity, or water? Are you being wasteful?
 How about how your employees are getting to and from work every day?

Here are some examples of ways that you might decide to improve:
 Replace most light bulbs with low energy light bulbs like LED’s or CFL’s
 Make it a practice to turn off lights when you leave a room that isn’t being used
 Use coffee cups that can be washed and reused instead of paper cups
 Purchase paper products made out of recycled material
 Offer employees the opportunity to work from home once a week
 Offer incentives for employees to ride the bus or join a carpool

Once you have all your ideas together and have decided that they are ‘doable’ you can write
up your policy. Remember that a Sustainability Policy should be simple and easy to
understand.

Your Role
You are an officer 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. Your role is to complete the
following activities.
Assessment task activities

Review the case study information provided (attached), policy and procedure documents (in
the Appendices) and research for legislative and regulatory requirements and compliance
requirements for the business sector. Read the above scenario and complete the following
activities.

Activity 1
Identify and describe required sustainability initiatives for Australian Hardware.
Sustainability as defined by United Nations in 1987 is that the use current available resource to meet
the needs of the present in such a way that the resources are available in the future for use as well.

Sustainability in context of interaction business and environmental context can be defined as

how the business carries out its day to day activities with minimum effect on the
environment. It also relates to the treatment of the waste matter so that it does not
contaminate the environment and upset the ecosystem. The business can be Sustainable by
resourcing their raw material from agents who produce them in a way that does not have
detrimental effect on the ecosystem and the environment.

1. Using resources wisely.

2. Ensuring our suppliers operate sustainably and ethically.

3. Encouraging and educating customers about environmentally friendly alternatives:

and Focusing on appropriate waste management principle

Activity 2
Research and describe best practice models relevant to the business sector, especially as it
relates to this case study.
am Stuart the business manager of Australian Hardware has reviewed some of
Australian Hardware’s operations and has observed that resource use in the Wollongong
store is not aligned with sustainable work practices being promoted by the sustainability
team.

1. Air conditioning services in the head office to be only active in normal hours

2. Lights being switched off at night.

3. Better sorting of recyclable paper from general rubbish

 4. Encouraging staff use of dual flush capability of toilets

5. Avoid printing document send all paper document on mails and fax

6. Printed document use double sides

7. When the working hours heaters and air conditioning must to closed Doors
and windows.

Activity 3
Identify and describe shortfalls in the existing policy and procedure documents, by
comparing research and information supplied.

Activity 4
Make recommendations for the existing policy options based on likely effectiveness,
timeframes and budget.

Policy Options Likely Timeframe Cost of

Effectiveness Implementation
Sourcing goods from Effective One year --
sustainable sources
Reduction in pollution by Can be made Within one year --
reducing the need to effective by
transport goods. planning
Reducing the use of Effective In one year
energy(electricity)by
installing sensor lights
which dim out when no
motion is detected and
installing solar panels on
the roofs of the stores.
Management of hazardous Can be effective Six months
and other waste with training and
planning
Reducing the need for Effective In six months
packaging material
Recycling Effective In six months
Activity 5
Clearly identify and summarise the scope of changes and new documents required that will
need to be made to the Australian Hardware policy and procedure set to ensure compliance
with requirements of future sustainability initiatives.
 - For the policies and procedures of Australian hardware that should be monitored and
evaluated the effectiveness through a monitoring plan. Based on the policies and
procedures that have been developed in the appendix, the effectiveness of its impact
will be monitored. The performance of employees will be observed practically and
supervise frequently. The plan is to reduce the usage of energy, water and waste. It can
be achieved through minimizing the use of photocopying, air- conditioners, and dual
toilet. These must follow the sustainable practices which are being promoted by the
Sustainability team.

Activity 6
Identify and describe who could be consulted with to review and develop the revision and
creation of policy documents. (This information should be included under the heading
‘Personnel Requirements.’ below).

- Managers will be the key people we will consult with, because managers have the
right to access and analyze current policy discrepancies. Use managers to check for
realism to see how your business is doing. Management can advise the team and
discuss possible new policies or solutions. Conversely, managers will announce
updated policies and different training plans for employees to understand these
policies.

Activity 7
Write an interim report, by providing two to three paragraphs of explanatory notes under
each of the following headings:

◦ sustainability initiatives

 Efficient energy use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency, is the goal to reduce
the amount of energy required to provide products and services. For example,
insulating a workplace allows a building to use less heating and cooling energy to
achieve and maintain a comfortable temperature. Installing fluorescent lights, LED
lights or natural skylights reduces the amount of energy required to attain the same
level of illumination compared with using traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Improvements in energy efficiency are generally achieved by adopting a more
efficient technology or production process or by application of commonly accepted
methods to reduce energy losses. There are many motivations to improve energy
efficiency. Reducing energy use reduces energy costs and may result in a financial
cost saving to organisation if the energy savings offset any additional costs of
implementing an energy efficient technology. Reducing energy use is also seen as a
solution to the problem of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

◦ Best practice models

 In order for you to minimise the workplace environmental impact, you will need to
identify the current level of resource usage – so how can you measure resource usage
in the workplace? I guess there are two ways of going about it. The first is to use
existing records and documents. You might like to look at the electricity usage of your
business, in which case you would probably get out the copies of your electricity bills.
These bills will not only show the cost of your electricity, but also the amounts
consumed.

◦ Shortfalls in existing policy

 Demand pressure has occurred in many countries around the world over the years.
Government and utilities have a gap between supply and electricity, which has led to
Disruptions and load flow and translate into electrical shortfalls. While the country is
looking to avoid the opportunity to supply shortages. It also enhances the ability to
plan and work to achieve goals. Sounder and the more sustainable energy sector, the
possibility of future shortages will remain.

◦ New policy requiring development

 Today we are well advanced in meeting that challenge, while also testing the practical
limits of doing so. Wind turbines have developed greatly in recent decades, solar
photovoltaic technology is much more efficient, and there are improved prospects of
harnessing the energy in tides and waves. Solar thermal technologies in particular
have great potential in sunny climates. With government encouragement to utilise
wind and solar technologies, their costs have come down and are now in the same
league per kilowatt-hour as the increased costs of fossil fuel technologies, especially
with likely carbon emission charges on electricity generation from them. However,
the variability of wind and solar power does not correspond with most demand, and as
substantial capacity has been built in several countries in response to government
incentives, occasional massive output from these sources creates major problems in
maintaining the reliability and economic viability of the whole system.

◦ Personnel requirements for policy revisions.

 Employees and students shall make every effort to reduce the amount of energy
associated with lighting in all University facilities by:

 Turn lights off in unoccupied spaces.

 Discontinuing the use of incandescent lighting wherever more efficient lighting is
possible such as when compact fluorescent or light emitting diode (LED) bulbs can be
used.
 Maximizing the use of natural light and turning off all nonessential lighting whenever
possible.
 Utilizing task lighting in lieu of overhead lighting when appropriate.
 Turning off exterior building architectural lighting between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am.
 Personal safety shall not be compromised from lighting energy reduction decisions.
Activity 8
Develop a revised set of policy documents including:
 completed changes to existing policy documents
 outlines for recommended new policy documents.
The scope of these changes is to identify and summarize new documents that will help in the
development of policies and procedures to ensure that company policies and procedures will be used
for future development.

Australian Hardware Operations - Use of Equipment and Services:

- The air conditioner will shut itself off automatically after the digital device is turned off.
- The manager still has to shut down the air conditioner manually after work hours
- Turn off unused lights for employees and store managers.
- The manager needs to check the lighting system and shut down after several hours.
- Copiers and printers for corporate use
- All toilets have double flush capability.

Waste Management - Waste Management:

- Recycle bin also can be recycled, such as coffee cups or drinking cans.
- Only recycled paper is for recycling and reused.
- There is garbage for employees and employees.
- Tanks with colour coding and labelling.
- Bin must be checked and empty when full staff.

Activity 9
Review the current resources usage for the organisation (as per the case study information
attached). Provide an explanation of how you developed policy that reflects Australian
Hardware ’s commitment to sustainability and as a business opportunity.

Typical resources that we use or consume at work include things such as energy and water. Energy
comes in many forms. The most obvious form is electricity, which we use in the workplace to power
up our appliances. Gas is another form of energy that we may use in our workplace for heating. There
is also fuel that workplaces use for their vehicles.
Water is used in many work environments, obviously in the toilets and bathrooms, and also for
drinking. Paper is another typical resource used in the workplace. Paper obviously comes from trees,
so it comes from a natural resource.
There are many environmental issues associated with using resources at work. Many of the resources
that we use in the workplace come from non-renewable sources. Oil is an obvious example, and petrol
which comes from oil is a non-renewable resource. Coal is another non-Renewable sources of energy
include solar and wind power and there are many advances in increasing the use of these in society.

Activity 10
Develop an implementation plan for the new and revised policy documents that includes:
 1. a description of the sustainability initiatives being implemented
2. detail of how the new sustainability initiatives have been embedded in the new or
revised policy documents
3. an evaluation of the likely effectiveness of the initiatives
4. implementation timelines and milestones
5. strategies to minimise resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical
use and employing life cycle management approaches
6. sustainability or environmental targets and/or key performance indicators, compared
to current resource usage
7. organisational costs for implementing the required changes
8. an outline of the monitoring approaches to gather reporting information throughout
the implementation stage
9. a description of individual and team responsibilities throughout the implementation
stage and procedures to help implement workplace sustainability policy
10. an ongoing method to identify and consult with a diverse range of stakeholders as a
key component of the policy development process
11. a description of how continuous improvement for the process will be implemented
and managed.

Specifications to submit
You must provide:
1. an interim report
2. revised and new policy and procedure documents
3. implementation plan.

Your assessor will be looking for:

1. evidence that you have reviewed all legislative, regulatory and organisational
documents and identified shortfalls in current practice or current organisational
documentation
2. Evidence that you have reviewed current organisational usage and accurately
reflected the case study information to develop an implementation plan that
complements organisational requirements.
SOLUTION:

- The developed policy that reflects compnay commitment to sustainability and as a business
opportunity, policies are easy for anyone to use and increase business opportunities, such as
saving on energy costs.

Develop an implementation plan for the new and revised policy documents that
includes:

o a description of the sustainability initiatives being implemented

o detail of how the new sustainability initiatives have been embedded in the new or
revised policy documents

o an evaluation of the likely effectiveness of the initiatives

o implementation timelines and milestones

o strategies to minimise resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous

chemical use and employing life cycle management approaches

o sustainability or environmental targets and/or key performance indicators,

compared to current resource usage

o organisational costs for implementing the required changes

o an outline of the monitoring approaches to gather reporting information

throughout the implementation stage

o a description of individual and team responsibilities throughout the

implementation stage and procedures to help implement workplace sustainability
policy

o an ongoing method to identify and consult with a diverse range of stakeholders

as a key component of the policy development process

o a description of how continuous improvement for the process will be

implemented and managed.
 Implementation Plan
Time
Policy Cost Personnel Responsibilities
Frame
 Minimizing the use of

electricity

 Report on the use of printing

 Report Store services

Weekly managers
MacVille
assessment and printing reported to  Report on who used the
Operations
report Seamus
 Paper cost MacVille photocopier for which jobs

 Report on how new policies

improve the use of air-conditioner, dual

toilet, and lighting system.

 Separate waste into different

bins

 Daily  Report the use of bins

activities, Install colour  Posters for encouraging

Waste All
and label
Management employees
 Monthly coded bins consumers and staffs to follow the

report policies

 Emptying bins every days

 Reuse the papers