BSBSUS501 Learner Guide

Learner Guide
BSBSUS501 – Develop workplace

policy and procedures for
sustainability
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Version Control and Amendment History
BSBSUS501 – Develop workplace policies and procedures for sustainability
Reason for Review Release Date Version Details
Initial Release 30 November 2020 V1.1120 Written in line with

the BSB Business
Services Training
Package Version 6.0,
(release 4) released 28
February 2020.
BSBSUS501 Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability V1.1120 1 | Page
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... 2
Application ................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 1: Develop workplace sustainability policy .................................................................. 5
1.1 Define scope of sustainability policy ................................................................................ 5
1.2 Gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy ....................... 7
1.3 Identify and consult stakeholders as a key component of the policy development
process ................................................................................................................................... 8
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 .................................................................................................... 10
1.5 Make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, timeframes,
and cost ................................................................................................................................ 15
1.6 Develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability as an
integral part of business planning and as a business opportunity ...................................... 16
1.7 Agree to appropriate methods of implementation, outcomes and performance
indicators .............................................................................................................................. 18
Chapter 2: Communicate workplace sustainability policy ...................................................... 21
2.1 Promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected outcome, to key
stakeholders, and ................................................................................................................. 21
2.2 Inform those involved in implementing the policy about expected outcomes, activities
to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities .................................................................. 21
Chapter 3: Implement workplace sustainability policy ........................................................... 27
3.1 Develop and communicate procedures to help implement workplace sustainability
policy .................................................................................................................................... 27
3.2 Implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency .................. 32
3.3 Establish and assign responsibility for recording systems to track continuous
improvements in sustainability approaches ........................................................................ 34
Chapter 4. Review workplace sustainability policy implementation ...................................... 36
4.1 Document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and stakeholders ......... 36
4.2 Investigate successes or otherwise of policy ................................................................. 38
4.3 Monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action and use to
promote continuous improvement of performance ........................................................... 39
4.4 Modify policy and or procedures as required to ensure improvements are made ...... 40
References ............................................................................................................................... 41
Application
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.
You will be required to work through the following:

• Develop workplace sustainability policy
• Communicate workplace sustainability policy
• Implement workplace sustainability policy
• Review workplace sustainability policy implementation
Introduction
Sustainability is the “win-win-win” that we have been searching for. It has been called the “triple
bottom-line” that recognizes the underlying systems that connect people, planet and the
economy. It is a movement toward integrating systems, futures and critical thinking in the way we
see the world.
Today businesses are enjoying superior profits and competitive advantage by “greening” their
bottom and top-line profits, decreasing their environmental footprint and improving “quality of life”
for employees, customers and communities.
It is well recognized that Sustainability – done right – pays. It brings anticipated and unanticipated
emergent benefits and has been so successful that for many businesses sustainability strategies have
transformed cost centres to profit centres.
Definition & Vision

Develop a clearly articulated definition of sustainability, understand how it will affect your business,
determine senior management support and establish the vision of your “sustainable” company.
Back-casting means “beginning with the end in mind”. It allows you to define your vision and then
determine the steps that will move your company from its current reality to the proposed vision.
Drivers for Sustainability
Conduct a thorough assessment of the drivers of sustainability for your company. What are the
drivers that present the greatest opportunities? Which ones present potential risks to your business.
Consider how the sustainability agenda is aligned with the relevant external stakeholders in the
business system.
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. When do they occur?
Chapter 1: Develop workplace sustainability
policy
This section introduces the concept of development of workplace sustainability of an organisation.
You will learn about the following:
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
1.1 Define scope of sustainability policy

What is a Sustainability Policy?
A Sustainability Policy is a statement outlining your business’ commitment and strategy towards all
areas of sustainability. Sustainability is an important word, in the public sector, with Government
departments all having to meet various environmental targets. Accordingly, suppliers to the public
sector are expected to follow suit, with a Sustainability Policy often stipulated if they wish to tender
for contracts. Increasingly too, the private sector is expecting more environmental responsibility to
be shown by their supply chains. Related to an Environmental Policy, a Sustainability Policy should
outline sustainability considerations within business decisions, with a plan of how to prevent issues
arising. This might include encouraging staff to use public transport (where possible), to ensuring
your business is doing its best to recycle. The idea is to show consideration to the environment and
natural resources. Sustainable procurement would also have the objective of social progress that
recognises the needs of all stakeholders, including the wider community.
You could consider using an environmental management system to help you manage, measure,
monitor and report on your environmental performance. The internationally recognised ISO 14001
standard allows organisations to demonstrate their environmental credentials and is highly regarded
for public sector contracts.
Benefits of a sustainability policy

Implementing a Sustainability Policy may require some initial investment to change the way your
business operates. However, this investment should be quickly recouped due to savings from new-
found efficiency, energy savings and work opportunities.
A well written Sustainability Policy helps your organisation to:

• Meet current environmentally related legislation
• Save money in terms of consumption, waste and recycling
• Increase efficiency throughout your supply chain
• Differentiate you from the competition
• Improve reputation with stakeholders
Workplace sustainability policy

All companies engage in activities that have an impact on the environment, through usage of
resources such as energy, water and paper and through waste and emissions that are generated.
Creating a Sustainability Management System (or Environmental Management System) allows a
company to control and monitor these impacts and achieve its environmental objectives, making
sustainability an integral part of the business activity. Achieving this involves developing a
sustainability policy and procedures, communicating the policy to stakeholders, implementing the
policy and conducting regular reviews to ensure continuous improvement.
The scope of your sustainability policy

Scope refers to how broadly the policy will apply within your organisation. Will it be applied across
the whole company or within a particular section or department?
Determine what the policy will cover. It may apply to everyday work practices, green purchasing
choices, engagement of environmentally conscious suppliers and contractors, reporting systems, and
inclusion of environmental as well as financial results in annual reports.
An essential consideration is compliance with relevant environmental laws and regulations. Not
being compliant attracts fines and penalties, including jail terms.
There are a number of benefits for companies complying with laws and regulations:
• Minimisation of harm to the environment
• Being perceived as environmentally responsible, which creates a positive impact on
stakeholders (shareholders, investors, community members, suppliers, customers, staff
members), and may result in increased investment and an increased customer base
• Potentially increased profitability, through being more attractive and through reduced
energy costs
Develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability

It is important to develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability as an
integral part of business planning and as a business opportunity. Use the information gathered as
the basis for developing and writing a policy on sustainable practices for your organisation or
section. Your policy should include a Sustainability Statement, which will state the target, how this
will be achieved, who is accountable, commitment by upper management.
1.2 Gather information from a range of sources to plan and develop policy
To develop a policy that suits the organisational requirements and the objectives you start with
conducting research to find internal and external information.
Internal sources of information:

Internal audits are conducted to identify the various elements of sustainability work practices.
Current work practices will be examined and verified. These practices are investigated through:
• Reviewing invoices
• Reviewing company policy and procedures
• Reviewing information on regulations and laws.
The elements of the internal audits include:

• Scope and objectives of the audit
• Information requirements
• Verification of documents
• Reporting of information
External sources of information:

There are number of programs that provides the organisations with the sustainability information.
There are Federal and State Governments that runs energy efficient programs that can joined by the
organisations. These programs provide the organisations access to large number of sustainability
data and also provide assistance to implement and monitor sustainability practise in an organisation.
Following are some of the external sources of information:

• Government and industry legislative bodies
• Sustainability websites
• Annual sustainability reports
• Environmental regulations and guidelines
• External stakeholders
1.3 Identify and consult stakeholders as a key component of the policy
development process
Who are key Stakeholders?
Broadly defined, a stakeholder is a person, group, or organisation involved in or affected by a course
of action.
Stakeholder engagement refers to the process by which an organization involves people who may be
affected by the decisions it makes or who can influence the implementation of decisions.
Stakeholders may support or oppose decisions and may be influential in the organisation or within
the community in which they operate.
The type and extent of key stakeholder involvement may depend on a number of factors, including
the specific context of the policy development); the purpose of the engagement; available resources;
and the power-sharing structure of the groups involved. Therefore, the engagement methods used
will likely vary. Several different models describe a type of continuum, or different levels, of
stakeholder involvement in decision-making. For example, the International Association of Public
Participation’s spectrum of participation defines five broad levels of increasing involvement in the
engagement process: (i) inform (e.g., fact sheets, websites, open houses), (ii) consult (e.g., public
comment, focus groups, surveys, public meetings), (iii) involve (e.g., workshops, deliberative polling),
(iv) collaborate (e.g., citizen advisory committees, consensus building, participatory decision
making), and (v) empower (e.g., citizen juries, delegated decisions).
When are stakeholders engaged in the policy-development process?

Although there is no perfect, one-size-
fits-all model for developing policies or
guidelines, defining stakeholder roles
in any or all stages of policy making is
important to better evaluate and
understand the policy-making process.
A number of frameworks have been
developed in various disciplines to
assist policy makers in planning for
policy development and analysis, and
some include a specific component
addressing key stakeholder
consultation. General stages of policy
development typically include some elements of the following: agenda setting, analysis, policy
formation, implementation, and policy review and evaluation. Below figure illustrates when
stakeholders might be engaged at various phases of the policy cycle. While these stages seem to be
chronological, beginning with agenda setting and ending with implementation and evaluation, policy
decision making in practice rarely follows a linear format. These stages may occur frequently
throughout the lifetime of a single policy, and steps may be skipped—or reversed—along the
decision-making process.
Seeking and understanding key stakeholder perspectives is recognised as an important component

of developing sound policies.
Consultation
Inadequate consultation can result in poor policy that cannot be effectively implemented, or in
deliberate or inadvertent non-compliance.
However, consultation can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. A decision needs to

be made about what degree of consultation is appropriate, given that some problems require more
consultation and engagement than others.
Consultation may include both formal and informal processes:

• survey focus groups
• key contacts, interest group meetings, circulation of proposals
• advisory committees, policy communities
• studies by independent consultants
• Consultation should be undertaken throughout the policy development process
Before: consult early to alert key stakeholders about potential policy changes
• include a consultation strategy in the project plan and have this approved by the delegated
responsible individual or committee
• define the intended outcomes of the consultation
During: consult continuously throughout the policy development process

• include a consultation strategy in the project plan and have this approved by the delegated
responsible individual or committee
• define the intended outcomes of the consultation
• distribute documents in advance to allow people to share information with colleagues and
managers
• tell participants how the results and their input will be used and not used
• acknowledge the non-negotiables in the consultation process: be honest with participants
about what they can and cannot influence
• do not let the consultation process be side-tracked or hijacked by personal agendas or
irrelevant responses
• maintain good record management procedures to record input and responses and the
decision-making processes
• report back to the delegated authority or committee on the consultation
• acknowledge the comments of stakeholder groups and individuals
After: consult again to feed into the evaluation process

• inform those consulted of the policy outcome
• maintain Issues Log to capture user feedback
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
Include appropriate strategies in policy
After establishing the scope of the policy and gathering the sustainability information from internal
and external sources, it is now time to develop the policy. It is vital to include 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.
Sustainable Development by Design:

The environmental profile of goods and services that satisfy our individual and societal needs is
shaped by design activities. Substantial evidence suggests that current patterns of human activity on
a global scale are not following a sustainable path. Necessary changes to achieve a more sustainable
system will require that environmental issues be more effectively addressed in design. But at
present much confusion surrounds the incorporation of environmental objectives into the design
process. Although not yet fully embraced by industry, the product life cycle system is becoming
widely recognised as a useful design framework for understanding the links between societal needs,
economic systems and their environmental consequences. The product life cycle encompasses all
activities from raw material extraction, manufacturing, and use to final disposal of all residuals. Life
cycle design (LCD), Design for Environment (DFE), and related initiatives based on this product life
cycle are emerging as systematic approaches for integrating environmental issues into design.
Specifying environmental requirements and evaluation metrics are essential elements of designing
for sustainable development. A major challenge for successful design is choosing appropriate
strategies that satisfy cost, performance, cultural, and legal criteria while also optimising
environmental objectives. Various methods for specifying requirements, strategies for reducing
environmental burden, and environmental evaluation tools are explored and critiqued. Currently,
many organisational and operational factors limit the applicability of life cycle design and other
design approaches to sustainable development. For example, lack of environmental data and simple,
effective evaluation tools are major barriers. Despite these problems, companies are beginning to
pursue aspects of life cycle design. The future of life cycle design and sustainable development
depends on education, government policy and regulations, and industry leadership but fundamental
changes in societal values and behaviour will ultimately determine the fate of the planet's life
support system.
Overview of Environmental Problems

Tangible environmental degradation underlies the growing interest in sustainable development and
life cycle design. The material demands of our current society inevitably cause environmental
stresses that damage our planet's life support system. In attempting to evaluate the state of the
environment, it is useful to examine trends in resource use and waste generation.
Goals for Sustainable Development

The fundamental goal of life cycle design is to promote sustainable development at the global,
regional, and local levels. Principles for achieving sustainable development should include:
• sustainable resource use (conserve resources, minimise depletion of non-renewable
resources, use sustainable practices for managing renewable resources)
• maintenance of ecosystem structure and function, and
• environmental equity
These principles are interrelated and highly complementary.
Minimising Risk, Maximising Safety

Fluorescent lamps, refrigerants, paints, solvents and pesticides are just a few of the many hazardous
materials in institutional and commercial facilities that pose health threats to occupants, employees
and visitors. Because of these threats and growing scrutiny by law enforcement, hazardous-materials
management is becoming a higher priority for managers.
Recent advances in the use of environmentally friendly products, combined with mounting
regulatory attention to hazardous materials, have made proper management of these products a top
priority. Managers who take proactive steps in managing hazardous material use are in the best
position to evaluate options for minimizing risks they pose.
Evaluating the purchase, storage, use and disposal of hazardous materials in a facility not only makes
good common sense. It also makes good business sense. Managers can ensure the success of this
process by understanding their options for managing, reducing, or eliminating hazardous materials
in all phases of operations.
Reducing Hazards
Managing hazardous materials has several preferred levels — prevention, reduction, recycling, and
evaluation and management.
• Prevention. This method is preferred for reducing the total amount of hazardous waste
within a facility. Prevention addresses the design, purchase, manufacture and use of
products and materials as a way to eliminate the amount or toxicity of solid waste
generated. Many examples exist of products and industries in which potentially harmful
chemicals and materials have been phased out in favour of safer materials. Prevention has
many positive environmental effects, including the production of wastes with lower hazard
potential.
• Source reduction. When managers cannot eliminate hazardous chemicals, the next
preferred option for managing these materials and wastes is reduction. As with prevention,
this step involves the design, purchase, manufacture and use of products and materials that
reduce the amount or toxicity of solid waste generated. Both prevention and source
reduction actually reduce the amount of material used and, as a result, the amount
discarded.
• Recycling. Even after managers have reduced the amount of hazardous chemicals in
facilities, they still must deal with generated wastes. Recycling aims to further reduce
hazardous wastes once they are created. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has
developed regulations for waste recycling to promote the reuse and reclamation of useful
materials in a way that is safe and protects health and the environment. Excluded hazardous
wastes can be recycled and reused. Therefore, they are no longer considered waste. Among
the most typical examples of these materials are lead and mercury. Materials subject to less
stringent rules include universal wastes, used oils, and spent lead-acid batteries. For those
materials not specifically excluded or subject to less-stringent standards, full hazardous
waste regulations might apply.
Evaluation and Management

The first step in managing and reducing hazardous chemicals and wastes is to perform an inventory.
Workers can perform these inventories by area, department or operation. Managers should
maintain material safety data sheets (MSDS) on hazardous substances in buildings. Creating an
inventory offers a good opportunity to make sure MSDSs are available and appropriately
filed. Managers also should review chemicals used in their departments and during maintenance
activities. The first step is to generate a list of chemicals purchased for use in the department. Next,
perform a walk-through of each department, focusing on storage areas, tool kits and carts. Once
inspectors have identified chemicals, they should obtain and review all MSDS to determine if the
chemicals are hazardous.
Next, they should review hazardous chemicals to make sure:

• labels clearly identify original product names, or full chemical names, and hazards
• containers of all non-hazardous substances, such as water, are labelled explicitly in order to
avoid confusion
• segregated liquid chemicals are kept in secondary containment
• hazardous materials are not stored next to or above sinks
• containers are capped and sealed, except when actively adding or removing materials
• flammable liquids, including liquid wastes, are not stored outside of a storage cabinet if
more than 5-10 litres
• employees have completed hazard communication training
• full-sized compressed gas cylinders are chained or strapped one third of the way up the
container and two-thirds of the way up the container
Strategies to Conserve Resources and Minimise Waste

The overall business approach to minimising resource use, waste generation and the production of
pollution at source is known as cleaner production. Cleaner production, when incorporated into the
operating systems of businesses, not only improves environmental performance, but increases
efficiency, reduces costs, provides flexibility and the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage.
It is difficult to minimise resource use and waste generation without an accurate picture of what is
being used and what waste is being created. This can be discovered by conducting an audit of
resource use and waste generation. It means keeping track of what materials are being used (such as
through purchasing records), what waste is being created (looking at all processes or targeting one)
and whether the waste is being disposed of, reused or recycled.
Cleaner production does not always have to involve major and expensive changes to technology or
processes. Many cleaner production approaches involve common sense, simple housekeeping.
Cleaner production can be achieved through the following:
Materials substitution - substituting raw materials with those that create less environmental impact.
This can apply across the entire life cycle of the process, that is, the raw materials should be
considered right through to production and use of a product and ultimate disposal or management.
The sorts of questions which should be considered include:

• How were the raw materials used in production or operations obtained and what are the
environmental impacts?
For example, could hardwoods from rainforests be replaced with plantation timber to
minimise the impacts to forests and potential loss of biodiversity?
• What impacts are the raw materials having during production?

For example, can less toxic alternatives be substituted for hazardous substances used for
cleaning?
• What impacts are the materials having during use of the final product?
For example, by removing lead from paints and making them water-based they are safer to
handle and less likely to cause soil contamination from flaking paint.
• What impacts are the materials having during subsequent disposal of the product?
For example, can the ingredients in detergent be altered to minimise the amount of
phosphorus, which can ultimately cause algal blooms in our rivers?
Change process or technology this may be done to make the process more efficient, use less raw
materials and energy, and produce less waste and pollution. Examples include installation of
pollution control technology (e.g. air scrubbers), installation of water saving devices, replacing the
need for chemical solvents by using mechanical cleaning devices, etc.
Extended producer responsibility is a relatively new concept, which gives effect to the
environmental objective that producers of goods should be ultimately responsible for their disposal.
This then provides a clear incentive to minimise unnecessary packaging waste and to design and
develop more durable products with components that can be cost-effectively repaired, and which
may be easier to recycle. Currently, consumers pay for disposal costs themselves and may have little
choice for a given product in terms of its ultimate potential to create waste.
Improved housekeeping such as, avoiding and fixing leaks or spills, improving maintenance and
monitoring of operations.
Waste avoidance and resource recovery the goal of proper waste management is to avoid waste
generation (and thus conserve resources), and to dispose of any waste, which cannot be avoided,
reused or recycled in an environmentally responsible way. Waste management is constantly evolving
as new technologies, practices, strategies, public perception and legislative requirements continue
to develop. Waste management is often discussed in terms of a hierarchy of options, with
preference given to waste avoidance at the source, and then (in order of most to least desirable),
reuse, recycling and reprocessing, including composting and resource recovery, with correct disposal
as a last resort.
Life cycle management

Lifecycle management (LCM) is an integrated and flexible approach to business management that
draws on the principles of lifecycle thinking (LCT) to help businesses of all kinds – manufacturers,
retailers, financial, professional – understand their environmental impacts and where they occur
within the lifecycle of their operation, from raw materials through to end-of-life.
For manufacturers it is important to note that more than 70 per cent of the environmental impacts,
including resource use, of their products and of their operations have already been locked in at the
design stage i.e., when the product was designed, or the manufacturing process was designed.
Therefore, the most effective way to reduce impacts and resource use is the address these at the
design stage. This is called design for sustainability (D4S).
Lifecycle management (LCM) can benefit your business financially by helping to reduce resource
(electricity, gas, water and materials) and waste costs, as well as boosting your reputation by
reducing the negative environmental impacts of your business' operations.
Lifecycle management tools

There are a number of different tools, which can assist designers, product developers and
manufacturers to evaluate the environmental benefits and impacts of a product. The most
appropriate tool or tools to use will depend on the objective. For example, is it to quickly compare
the lifecycle environmental impacts of several different design concepts? Or is the objective to
gather more rigorous and peer-reviewed information on an existing product?
Some commonly used tools are:
• Lifecycle map
A lifecycle map is a qualitative tool, which can provide an increased understanding of the
product lifecycle and some of the sustainability benefits and impacts associated with each
stage. It involves drawing up a process tree, or 'map', of the product lifecycle by asking a
series of questions.
• Lifecycle matrix
Is another qualitative tool that can help the user to think through the sustainability impacts
and benefits at each stage of the lifecycle? It can be used in conjunction with the lifecycle
map to build knowledge about the lifecycle impacts and benefits of a product and
opportunities to enhance sustainability through better design.
• Lifecycle assessment (LCA)
LCA is an internationally recognised and standardised technique (ISO 14040 series) for
assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with a product over
its total lifecycle. A full LCA is particularly useful if you need to evaluate the environmental
impacts of a product or system with a high level of accuracy. However, it can be a time-
consuming, resource-intensive and costly exercise because of the need to collect detailed
inventory data for each stage of the lifecycle.
• Streamlined lifecycle evaluation tools
It is not feasible to use LCA as a routine diagnostic tool because of the time and effort
required. To overcome this problem, a number of streamlined tools have been developed to
help designers to evaluate design options at the concept stage. These have a more user-
friendly interfaces than LCA software and have been tailored for specific purposes, such as
the evaluation of packaging systems, materials specification and energy impacts.
1.5 Make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness,
timeframes, and cost
When making recommendations for the policy options, it is important to conduct research and
audits to identify the areas that need to be improved.
Conduct an audit
Conducting audit will give details to the organisation as to which legislation and regulations are
relevant to the organisation that they must comply with.
The audit may examine the following areas:

• The business activities carried out by the business
• Location of the premises
• Total energy consumption levels
• Total workforce
• Levels and types of emission
• Effectiveness of current sustainability policy and procedures
• Legislations and regulations that the organisation need to comply with, including:
o International laws and protocols
o Commonwealth legislation
o State and territory legislation
o Industry bodies
o Local government
• Any strategies already in place for environmental management
• Company’s level of commitment to environmental sustainability
Making recommendations
After conducting an audit, breaches of compliance are identified. These breaches need to be
addressed as priority. Any solution that will reduce the environmental impact of the organisation is
considered as part of policy development.
When developing the proposed solution, the following areas should be considered:
• If the proposed solution in line with the organisation’s strategic plan and position on
environmental sustainability
• If the changes are required
• The timeframe for implementation and review required
• Possible improvements as a result of implementation of the new policy
• Financial benefits of introducing the new policy
• Cost to be incurred
• If it is attractive to the customer
• Cost of down time and its impact on productivity
• Projected cost recovery time
• Environmental benefits and projected reduced environmental benefits
• Training requirements
• Its integration into current policies
1.6 Develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to
sustainability as an integral part of business planning and as a business
opportunity
It is significant to develop policy that reflects the commitment of the organisation to the
sustainability as an integral part of the business planning. To develop or write sustainability policy, it
is important to use information gathered during the research and audit conducted.
Your policy should include a Sustainability Statement, which will state the target, how this will be
achieved, who is accountable, commitment by upper management.
Benefits of a sustainability policy

Implementing a Sustainability Policy may require some initial investment to change the way your
business operates. However, this investment should be quickly recouped due to savings from new-
found efficiency, energy savings and work opportunities.
A well-written Sustainability Policy helps your organisation to:

• Meet current environmentally related legislation
• Save money in terms of consumption, waste and recycling
• Increase efficiency throughout your supply chain
• Differentiate you from the competition
• Improve reputation with stakeholders
Creating sustainability policy

When creating your Sustainability Policy, there is no agreed set layout. However, if your motivation
behind creating the policy is because of a supply chain requirement, it is wise to obtain a copy of the
client’s own so your policy can reflect their requirements. Otherwise, there are numerous templates
available on the web.
It’s imperative to have a policy that is both easy to understand and that clearly states the
organisation’s aims and objectives, similar to a Mission Statement. It doesn’t need to be longer than
a single page.
There are four key areas to address in a Sustainability Policy:

• A commitment to prevent and reduce environmental impact
• A commitment to compliance with relevant legal requirements
• A dedication to continuously improving on sustainability performance
• An assurance that the policy will be well communicated and managed
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
Example of sustainability policy:

Telstra Sustainability Policy
Harnessing innovation and technology to help address environmental challenges
As Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, Telstra has a role to play in
helping our customers and society adapt to technological change and the opportunities it brings.
We want everyone to thrive in a digital world and our Environment Strategy is key to achieving
this.
Telstra’s Environment Strategy focuses on using technology to address environmental challenges

while also helping our suppliers, customers and the communities we serve to do the same.
Telstra’s previous Environment Strategy (2014) provided a foundation for responsibly managing
our environment risks and opportunities. The updated strategy takes this to the next level. It goes
beyond simply managing our own environmental footprint and encourages innovation in digital
products and services that create environmental solutions to monitor, protect and improve the
environment.
Telstra’s Environment Strategy is comprised of five strategic priorities:
• Managing Carbon Emissions – Reducing carbon emissions intensity by 50% by 2020.

• Climate Change Resilience – Ensuring climate change risks are embedded in our Networks
for the Future program.
• Low-carbon Economic Growth – Enabling a low carbon economy by helping reduce our
customers’ carbon emissions.
• Resource Efficiency – Reusing or recycling 60 tonnes of old mobile phones and increasing
Telstra’s waste recycling rate to 42% by 2020.
• Environment Management – Achieving best practice environmental management.
Accountability for the delivery of our Environment Strategy is shared across Telstra. Progress
against the Strategy is overseen by the Chief Sustainability Officer and relevant project sponsors,
and is reported to the Board twice a year.
For more information please download:
• Telstra's Environment Policy (PDF, 388KB)

• Overview of the Telstra Environment Strategy (PDF, 1.85MB)
• Fact sheet (PDF, 100KB)
• Infographic (PDF, 107KB)
• Our Climate Change Position Statement (PDF, 117KB)
• Industry Association Climate Change Review (PDF, 130KB)
• Telstra’s Bigger Picture Sustainability Report
1.7 Agree to appropriate methods of implementation, outcomes and
performance indicators
Each departmental strategy should have an action plan detailing how the strategy objectives will be
achieved. These are detailed actions, which have specified timeframes, and responsibilities for
achieving the timelines are assigned.
The preliminary action plans

After investigating the current practices, it is now important to determine the actions required to be
implemented that will lead to more environmentally sustainable work practices.
This preliminary action plan will illustrate what is achievable and what is not, so that you can focus
on those actions that will be the most effective. The action plan requires you to identify the
environmentally sustainable practice that you want to implement, for example, encouraging double-
sided copying and printing. The sample Action Plan template has been attached below:
Actions Risks/ Estimated Capital Payback Target Budget Who?

opportunities $ saving Cost $ Period
(months)
Measurable efficiency targets

It is important that you consider and provide a measurable, achievable target in your plan, and also a
target date. This is so that you can effectively monitor the target over time. This is done by setting
Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)
Seeking input from stakeholders

It is very important that you seek input from as many sources as possible while you are completing
your Preliminary Action Plan. In this way you will increase ‘ownership’ of the actions and have a
wider range of people who are responsible for implementation. You will also be surprised by the
large number of good ideas staff, have on how to improve practices, if you ask them.
Accessing external assistance and programs

There are a number of programs you can join to assist with your implementation. States run waste-
wise and energy efficiency programs for businesses, which your company can join. Once you have
joined these programs you will have access to a large number or resources, assistance and you could
be monitored with implementation, which assists with keeping to deadlines!
You can engage external consultants to assist with the development and implementation of your
environmentally sustainable work practices. Remember though that a program is often more
successful if as many people in a workplace as possible have been involved in its development.
There are standard methodologies you can use to prepare your ‘Action Plan’ or similar document.
Timeframes and responsibilities

You should select a realistic timeframe for implementing work practices. If you want staff to have
information about a new practice, you may need to work in with staff meeting dates so that you
have time to present the information. If staff members need to be trained to undertake a new
procedure, you will need to consider the most effective form and timeframe for this training. Noting
who will be responsible for an action is very important as it spreads the workload and increases
‘ownership’ of the project. Try and involve staff from different areas across the organisation, and on
different levels. You could have those responsible for actions form a ‘sustainability action team’ that
meets regularly to discuss implementation.
Implementation plan
The Implementation Plan documents how an action will be implemented, providing information on
the various implementation steps, or sub actions, who will be responsible for implementation,
timeframes and any other relevant information. When preparing your Implementation Plan, you
should consult widely to ensure you have support and understanding of any changes from all
stakeholders.
Communication plan
A Communication Plan can assist your consideration of all the relevant communication avenues. This
Plan can be prepared to identify the people you need to inform and engage with in your plans to
make the workplace more sustainable. This includes all of the stakeholders described in the previous
sections, and documents how the communications will take place, who will be responsible for
actions, feedback and follow-up communications.
The following key points form a checklist for a successful strategy and action plan:
• Ensure board and senior management commitment
Commitment from senior management and board members is critical, especially in providing
support to staff and the commitment of resources.
• Keep the process simple
Developing a strategy and action plan need not be daunting. By following a simple approach,
complex issues can be tackled more easily.
• Encourage a multidisciplinary team to guide proceedings
The decisions, policies and actions that influence an organisation's sustainability
performance cut across every department - it is the responsibility of all staff.
• Agree a 'green champion' to co-ordinate the process and encourage action
It is often the commitment, enthusiasm and encouragement of an individual that will drive a
strategy and associated action plan forward, but they need support from senior
management.
Form partnerships and maximise external support

Don't work in isolation - build partnerships with likeminded organisations to maximise resources,
commitment and ultimately action.
Keep members of the working party, staff and residents informed of progress
Greater improvements can be realised by keeping people informed of achievements and by
encouraging suggestions for action.
Identify targets to achieve quickly
The first year of an action plan should include targets that can be achieved quickly to boost
confidence as early improvements are made.
Don't look for a quick fix

Accept it will initially take time to develop the strategy and action plan. It is a process to start now
and develop over time, with short, medium and long-term goals.
Do what works for your organisation

Whilst exemplars provide good pointers, what works for one association may not work for another.
By concentrating on individual circumstances, a realistic policy and responsive action plan can be
developed.
Chapter 2: Communicate workplace
sustainability policy
Purpose
The workplace Sustainability Policy aims to integrate a philosophy of sustainable development into
all the organisation’s activities and to establish and promote sound environmental practice in
organisation’s operations. In this chapter, you will learn about the following:
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
2.1 Promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected outcome, to

key stakeholders, and
2.2 Inform those involved in implementing the policy about expected
outcomes, activities to be undertaken and assigned responsibilities
Most organisations take the “if we build it, they will come” approach to rolling out sustainability
programs, but employees traditionally don’t look to their employer to help them live more
sustainably. Even worse, many see organisational initiatives as being more than a genuine effort to
decrease negative environmental impact.
If organisations want to let staff and stakeholders know that they are serious about sustainability
and get them to actively participate in programs and contribute to initiatives, below are nine tips.
1. Be Clear About Goals

Staff and stakeholders will be much less likely to question your motives if you’re up front about why
sustainability is important to your organisation. Sharing specific, tangible goals (e.g., increase use of
public transportation by 40%) will motivate stakeholders to join in the effort. Show your people that
you’re integrating these objectives into operations: tie them to overall business objectives and
performance evaluations and implement relevant policies and procedures.
2. Make it Personal
If you’re trying to encourage behaviour change in the workplace and beyond, you need to make the
benefits relevant to stakeholders as individuals. Take time to discover what your employees need,
value and want. What’s in it for them? What will happen if they don’t engage in sustainable
behaviours? Use this information to communicate with them on a more personal level: appeal to
values and egos, bribe shamelessly and develop incentives to encourage participation.
Think about how you can make it easy for employees to act more sustainably. Want people to stop
drinking bottled water? Stop supplying it and provide reusable water bottles.
If you’re not sure what will be meaningful and easy, ask stakeholders. Including employees early in
your planning – and on an on-going basis – builds enthusiasm and buy-in. Add a question about
sustainability attitudes to required reports or host a lunch to get feedback on ideas for reducing
employee consumption.
3. Recognise Achievements
Positive reinforcement is much more effective than guilt. When we feel good about doing
something, we’re much more likely to keep doing it.
Recognition can range from a simple stakeholder sustainability superstar profile in the employee e-
newsletter to something more involved like company-wide contests. Contests are a great way to
incentivise participation and encourage healthy competition amongst co-workers, while bringing
colleagues together and allowing you to recognize more people at different levels.
Whatever you do, make it positive!
4. Take a Holistic Approach

Most organisations are eager for immediate change, but behaviour change takes time and requires a
sustained, holistic approach. If you do one project here and there – or let programs lapse – you’ll
never gain momentum and stakeholders will have a hard time seeing how these efforts relate to
larger goals.
Plan for multi-faceted communications over time, with each touch point reinforcing the last. Coming
at it from different angles allows you to communicate with a variety of employee types, while
connecting the dots between specific initiatives.
5. Be Consistent
When your sustainability communications hang together, stakeholders are more likely to recognise
how these efforts compliment and build on each other toward your shared vision.
Establishing a personality, voice and tone to apply to all communications is a good first step toward
consistency. Use these to inform creation of core messaging for your sustainability program. If
possible, create a visual look and feel to provide consistent visual cues and make sustainability
communications easy to recognise. This might include a logo(s), iconography, colour palette,
typography and photographic image styles.
Think about who will develop and use the sustainability and wellness “brand” elements and be sure
they have the resources they need to do so effectively. Consider having an orientation, followed by
regular check-ins with this group to discuss how it’s going, exchange ideas and identify new
elements to consider.
6. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

Look at how your organisation currently operates and identify areas for change. Then, review how
you already communicate with stakeholders and infuse sustainability messaging into those existing
channels. Add a rotating tip to the homepage of your company intranet, create a folder of tools and
resources on the shared drive or add a regular column to your e-newsletter.
Getting creative with even the most ordinary communication can send big signals to your people.
Why not record volunteering hours on pay slips or provide managers with a menu of brief
sustainability impact statements for meeting agendas?
Also think about everyday actions and insert communications at the point of impact. Healthy lunch
ideas posted on the refrigerator and stickers on copiers encouraging double sided printing are easy,
low-cost ways to encourage positive behaviour where and when stakeholders can take action.
7. Keep it Simple
In all of your communication, don’t get bogged down with endless lists and background info. Unless
they’re seeking out information for a specific purpose, your stakeholders will likely be skimming
whatever information you provide. Offer manageable bits of information. Avoid jargon. Include a call
to action.
8. Evaluate and Update

Create actions. Share the good and the bad. Be sure to respond to feedback and let stakeholders
know that you’re making changes based on their input.
Updating stakeholders means that you’ll need to think about how you will measure and evaluate
sustainability efforts from the start. This may also help you think through how to structure
programs, contests, outreach, etc.
The effort you put into measurement and evaluation now will save you time and money in the long
run by helping you identify where to keep putting resources, what to tweak and when to refocus.
Create momentum by regularly sharing the impact of efforts with stakeholders. While large, formal
reports may be helpful to show the cumulative effect of accomplishments, don’t wait to tell
employees the impact of expected outcome.
9. Be Patient
Don’t throw in the towel if changes aren’t noticeable right away even if people seem enthusiastic.
Remember that behaviour change takes time. While sustainability may be a high priority for your
organisation, it may not top the list of things competing for the time and attention of your
employees.
Continue to talk to stakeholders to find ways to reduce any barriers to their participation. When you
get discouraged, keep in mind the long-term impacts on the health and wellbeing of your
employees, your company and your planet.
Stakeholder from a Sustainability Perspective
It demonstrated that the influence of stakeholders on organisations is a well-explored topic of
interest. However, the relationships between the stakeholders and organisations have been found
to be very influential for the organisation’s wider environments. Among other things, these
relationships have set the foundations for the creation of stakeholder interaction forms that are
more responsible, highlighting the relationship between stakeholders and sustainability.
In order to gain a better understanding of the relationship between stakeholders and sustainability,
it is useful to consider the definition of sustainable development, which states that, from a corporate
perspective, sustainable development refers to the adoption of business activities and strategies
that meet the needs and expectations of both the organisation and its stakeholders while at the
same time ensuring the protection, sustainability and enhancement of the natural and human
resources that the corporation will need in the future.
One of the tools that can be particularly helpful in the alignment and management of the
organisation's stakeholders and the environment is the Balanced Environmental Scorecard. The
Scorecard is developed specifically to enable, assist and support the integration between
organisational vision and strategy, stakeholder management and management of the environmental
systems. The construction of a Balanced Environmental Scorecard places the focus on managing
business activities that are related to the internal and external drivers of excellence in environmental
performance. It enables the linking of sustainable development with environmental objectives and
serves as a good foundation for incorporating a broader means for measuring the organisational
performance, which in turn can be linked to the measurement of stakeholder satisfaction.
In general, the Balanced Environmental Scorecard sets the foundations for identifying the
management challenges and opportunities for gaining competitive advantage. It also provides a
framework for the systematic organisation of the environmental management activities so that they
will be focused on proactive management and stakeholder satisfaction. The first group of
stakeholders identified by the Balanced Environmental Scorecard are the financial stakeholders,
which are all those that have an interest in the organisation's financial performance.
The Scorecard sets three main principles for managing these stakeholders: focusing on the growth of
sales and the increase of profitability, focusing on the reduction of costs and improvement of
productivity and focusing on the maximization of asset utilisation. The second group of stakeholders
is the customers. The principles for managing customers include developing products that are
benign from an environmental point of view, while at the same time ensuring competitive function,
cost, style, and performance, minimising the impact on the environment from the use and disposal
of the products and educating the customers about the products' environmental benefits. The third
group is comprised of internal stakeholders, which are the employees and management of the
organisation.
The principles for managing this group include the reduction of the resources used in the
production, reduction of the wastes created during the production, encouragement of process and
product innovation, and measuring and communicating these results. The four main groups of
stakeholders also include those related to the community and public policies. Here, the principles for
management are establishing open and honest communication, establishing a participatory and
proactive role in the community life, establishing a self-audit process and ensuring the disclosure of
environmental impacts and the accurate perception of the risks that the organisational activities
pose to the environment. The last group of stakeholders is the biosphere. The principles for
managing this group of stakeholders include using the land and its resources in a sustainable
manner, preserving the integrity, health and well-being of the ecosystem, and maintaining the
quality of the air and water.
From a stakeholder perspective, the setting of these principles and their use in the process of
managing the stakeholders clearly indicates the complexity and depth of the relationship between
stakeholders and sustainability. In other words, stakeholder theory has evolved over the years from
a theory for corporate strategic management to a more comprehensive theory, which includes three
perspectives: the stakeholder, the corporate and the conceptual (in this case sustainability). This has
enabled the theory to address different facets of the relationships between business and society.
According to Steurer et al. (2005), the sustainability approach of stakeholder theory should address
three main issues: the economic, the societal and the environmental. The economic issue is
important because being sustainable principally means that sufficient earnings are needed. The
social issue includes the internal and external social improvements that affect and benefit the
stakeholders. These can vary from compliance with human rights regulations to building or
supporting community events and centres. Finally, the environmental issue refers to responsible the
use of natural resources, minimising emissions and any kind of pollution, and the avoidance of any
type of environmental risk and damage. This is aligned with the use of tools such as the Balanced
Environmental Scorecard mentioned earlier.
Overall, the relevance of using a stakeholder approach from the perspective of sustainability can be
traced to the potential of this approach for explaining economic benefit while considering the
environmental and social expectations of the stakeholders. If the stakeholders of an organisation
expect it to be environmentally and socially responsible, there is an obvious need and a justified
business case for sustainability. It is also important to note that sustainability-related stakeholder
expectations have grown in interest and importance in the last several years, and it is expected that
this trend will continue in the future. With this in mind, it is crucial that both the stakeholders and
their expectations are managed from an environmental perspective in order to ensure sustainability
in general and the sustainable development of the organisation.
The engagement of various stakeholders is essential in order to cater for the implementation of
sustainable development.
Today, the actuality of sustainable development issues asks business one the on hand, but higher
education institutions on the other, to take co-responsibility on the topic. Therefore, organisations
are required or even enforced to examine their business practices and determine their long-term
social and environmental impacts, as well to innovate the business models, products and services in
an attempt to ﬁnd sustainable solutions for the problems they may cause.
One of the approaches applied in related decision-making processes is the collaboration with
stakeholders, i.e. those who have an interest in a particular decision or course of action, either as
individuals or as representatives of a group
Inform those involved in implementing the policy

The environmental management system of the organisation is vital in setting up the direction of the
company in terms of sustainability management.
It is important to regularly articulate and communicate the information regarding implementation of

sustainability policy to the stakeholders members so that the employees can clearly understand and
implement the policy. The information to be communicated include the following:
• Outcomes expected
• Activities to be undertaken
• Responsibilities assigned
• This information can be communicated using the following methods:
• Workshops
• Meetings
• Newsletters
• Emails
• Reports
• Information sheets
The information should be communicating to the stakeholders from all relevant areas of the
organisation.
Chapter 3: Implement workplace
As public awareness of sustainability and has grown, businesses have been under increasing
pressure to adopt more environmentally friendly policies and increase their sustainability. This, in
conjunction with increasing fuel and energy prices, has led companies to become more aware of
environmental issues and increase business sustainability. There are wide ranges of services
available which enable organisations to access the expertise they require in order to implement an
effective sustainability strategy within the workplace.
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
3.1 Develop and communicate procedures to help implement workplace

To ensure sustainability initiatives are successful, an organisation needs effective procedures that
staff and others can follow to make sure everyone involved knows what they must do. While most
people will generally agree with the idea of sustainability and the need to monitor the organisation’s
environmental performance, they may be concerned about their own responsibilities and the impact
of the policy on their day-to-day tasks. Provide people with checklists or procedures to show what is
required in order to meet policy requirements, and make sure they understand what they need to
do in addition to their current responsibilities.
Identify key people to develop procedures
For each strategy or initiative, you need to determine who is involved, and therefore who can
contribute to developing a procedure.
To identify the key people for each strategy or policy initiative, consider drawing up a table like the
example following.
Strategy/policy Target Compliance Persons
responsible/affected
Reduce nonproduction Decrease National Employees who work in the

energy use nonproduction energy Greenhouse and office, use the tearoom or
use by 15% by Energy Reporting use the change room
December 2016 Act 2007 (Cth) facilities and showers
Decrease greenhouse Reduce company National Senior executives,

gas emissions emissions by 25% Greenhouse and production department and
by 2018 Energy Reporting operational area, and quality
Act 2007 (Cth) control personnel
Switch to ‘green’ 65% of all suppliers to Nil Purchasing department and

purchasing be ‘green’ by 2016 all employees authorised to
purchase or procure goods
and
services
Convert reports to GRI compliant by Global Reporting Senior executives, managers,

GRI compliant 2017 Initiative supervisors and all
employees
writing reports on finance,
social or environmental
issues
Introduce waste 90% of kitchen waste Organisational All staff

reduction initiatives is recycled or policy
composted by
December 2016
Prepare to write the procedures
After the policy is written, it now has to be implemented. To do so, it is important that the staff
members understand the key areas of the organisation that are influenced by the environmental
impacts.
Before writing the procedures, it should be ensured that the sustainability management system:
• Identify the impact of organisational activities on the environment
• Identify the environmental aspects that can be controlled
• Prioritise the issues based on environmental impacts
• Create process to record the information and keep it up to date.
• All employees must be provided with the information to assist them to achieve the key
performance indicators (KPI’s). This is done through the following:
• Employee induction
• Providing written copies of the policy and explanations to employees
• Staff meetings
• Training sessions
To make sure that the organisations remains compliant with the legislations and regulations for a
long period of time, standard operating procedures (SOP’s) are developed.
Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) are written procedure prescribed for repetitive use as a
practice, in accordance with agreed upon specifications aimed at obtaining a desired outcome.
How to Write a Standard Operating Procedure

Before we dive into the nits and grits of how to write an SOP, you should have a good idea of what
the document includes.
Of course, this depends on your specific business needs (making the document meet ISO-9000), for
example. Usually, though, the SOP would include…
• Title Page – This can include the name of the process, the name of the department that the
SOP applies to, etc.
• Table of Contents – If the document is too long, you can always make a table of contents to
make it easier to navigate
• The Procedure(s)
o Scope – Some processes can span different departments, teams, etc. To make sure
you don’t make the SOP document overcomplicated, specify the scope of the
procedure you’re documenting.
o Terminology – Define any complicated term. Think, abbreviations, acronyms, etc.
o The Procedure – Process documentation, map, etc
o Supplementary Information – This can be just about anything, depending on the
process
• Metrics – Being able to measure process efficiency is always useful. By defining the metrics
in your SOP, you can always check back on whether the process is efficient over time.
Steps to write a Standard Operating Procedure
When writing the procedures, it must be ensured that they clearly relate to the policy and also
include the person responsible for carrying them out. These procedures should also indicate the
areas that need legal compliance.
Step #1: Gather the Team

Before you can even document the process, you’ll need to pinpoint all the important information.
Chances are, you’re not the one who carries out the process on a daily basis. While you may have a
good general idea of what the process consists of, you probably don’t know all the small details that
can really affect the outcome.
So, to really get the procedure down correctly, you need to consult with the employees that do it on
a regular basis.
Set up a meeting and call all the relevant employees. Ask them to take you through the process step-
by-step, explaining every little detail.
Step #2: Define the Scope

Sometimes, processes are interconnected. They can span different teams, departments, etc.
If you start documenting the process without really defining the scope, the end result might end up
being too long and complicated.
Step #3: Documenting the Procedure

This is the bulk work of writing a standard operating procedure – actually creating the
documentation.
The most basic option here is using a checklist.
To develop a SOP the first step can be to create a checklist of each policy objective and describe
them by the following aspects:
Policy objective:
• Target
• Legal requirements
• New policy or adaptation of old policy?
• Staff responsible
You write down the exact tasks needing completion for the process to be successful. Then, you
either print it out and keep it at the office or publish it somewhere online for your employees to use
as a reference.
Checklists, however, are very limiting. For more complex processes, you have different events and
outcomes, so you can’t really fit all that into a simple to-do list.
Step #4: List Relevant Information

In most cases, simply looking at a process flowchart isn’t enough to give you all the information
about how to carry out the procedure.
Hence, you should list out any information that’s necessary to finish the process.
This can be things like…
• Methodology – What is the right way of carrying out a process step?
• Necessary Tools – If you need to use certain tools to complete a process step, you should
mention how to do that.
• Health and Safety Warnings – If the procedure can be hazardous to someone’s health, you
mention that in the SOP, as well as any necessary precautions needed for working on the
process.
Step #5: Define Metrics, Improve the Process & Update the SOP
At this point, you’ve already got the standard operating procedure down. At this point, you can call it
a day, skip this step and start implementing the SOP.
You might have, however, realised that there are several potential improvements you could make to
the process.
This is pretty standard. Most organisations don’t look back at their processes after defining them,
having a “don’t fix what’s not broken” attitude. More often than not, though, there are a lot of
benefits to be gained from improving the process.
First, you need to define the right metrics. You can’t really improve something you can’t measure.
Communicate the procedures

Before circulating procedures, you should ensure that all employees expected to follow the
procedure have the knowledge and skills required to do so. In the event that they do not, training
will be needed – this usually needs to occur in advance of implementing the procedures.
Training
Can be used as a way of introducing the new procedures, either in a formal training environment or
on the job with appropriate support materials being provided for participants.
Meetings
Held in appropriate groups and used to inform staff of the procedures and how to implement them.
Correspondence
Suppliers, contractors and business associates can be informed of the policy through written
correspondence such as letters, memos and emails. Such documents should clearly detail the policy,
the methods and approaches for implementation, targets and expected outcomes.
Websites and newsletters

The Internet is a valuable tool to keep external stakeholders and the broader community informed.
Many organisations have a webpage dedicated to sustainability and the environmental strategies
they are introducing to reduce their impact. This is used to display policies and highlight
achievements. Sustainability reports and the organisation’s newsletter can be made available online.
Many websites also provide the opportunity for external parties to seek answers to questions in
relation to policy matters, where the organisation welcomes comments and feedback. Organisations
may include a logo on documents or a footer, on their email to emphasise commitment to the
environment; for example, ‘Please consider the environment before printing this email’.
3.2 Implement strategies for continuous improvement in resource efficiency
Implement workplace sustainability policy
Continuous improvement is required in all aspects of an organisation’s operations. The organisation
needs to continually increase efficiency and effectiveness across all areas in order to maintain a
competitive position in the market.
In an environmental context, continuous improvement is defined in ISO 14001: 2004 as ‘the process
of enhancing the environmental management system to achieve improvements in overall
environmental performance in line with the organisation’s environmental policy’.
Long-term, continuous improvement should be a key factor in all environmental policies.
For a sustainability policy to be effective, it needs to be monitored regularly, with opportunities for
stakeholders to generate ideas and suggestions for improvement and a procedure to discuss and
implement options for improvement.
Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement is not about fixing problems as they arise but creating an environment in
which improvement is always encouraged; adopting this mind set, can benefit all areas of the
workplace.
Continuous improvement is essential to make sure that the relevance and continuing of the
procedures to achieve the defined targets. To do so, there needs to be regular consultation with the
employees and the management.
Continuous improvement allows the new ideas to be implemented and added and also discontinuing
the workplace methods that are no longer relevant.
Following are the steps in continuous improvement:

• Plan policy and procedures
• Implement policy and procedures
• Monitor and check policy and procedures
• Review policy and procedures
The basis of continuous improvement is based on the monitoring of the breaches of non-
compliance. During this process, audits are conducted to check if the efficient targets are met.
As a result of these findings, new policies and procedures may need to be researched and
developed, and the cycle starts again.
Model of continuous improvement Plan

Continuous improvement is an on-going effort to improve products, services or
processes. These efforts can seek “incremental” improvement over
time or “breakthrough” improvement all at once.
Review Do
Among the most widely used tools for continuous improvement is a
four-step quality model—the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle, also
known as Deming Cycle or Shewhart Cycle:
• Plan: Identify an opportunity and plan for change.
Check
• Do: Implement the change on a small scale.
• Check: Use data to analyse the results of the change and determine whether it made a
difference.
• Act: If the change was successful, implement it on a wider scale and continuously assess
your results. If the change did not work, begin the cycle again.
When to Use Plan–Do–Check–Act

• As a model for continuous improvement
• When starting a new improvement project
• When developing a new or improved design of a process, product or service
• When defining a repetitive work process
• When planning data collection and analysis in order to verify and prioritize problems or root
causes
• When implementing any change
Plan–Do–Check–Act Procedure
1. Plan. Recognize an opportunity and plan a change.
2. Do. Test the change. Carry out a small-scale study.
3. Check. Review the test, analyze the results and identify what you’ve learned.
4. Act. Take action based on what you learned in the study step: If the change did not work, go
through the cycle again with a different plan. If you were successful, incorporate what you
learned from the test into wider changes. Use what you learned to plan new improvements,
beginning the cycle again.
Other widely used methods of continuous improvement — such as Six Sigma, Lean, and Total Quality
Management — emphasise employee involvement and teamwork; measuring and systematising
processes; and reducing variation, defects and cycle times.
What is Six-Sigma?
Six Sigma is a method that provides organisations tools to improve the capability of their business
processes. The increase in performance and decrease in process variation, leads to defect reduction
and improvement in profits, employee morale, and quality of products or services. Six Sigma Quality
is a term generally used to indicate a process is well controlled.
Continuous or Continual?
The terms continuous improvement and continual improvement are frequently used
interchangeably. But some quality practitioners make the following distinction:
• Continual improvement: a broader term which refers to general processes of improvement and
encompasses “discontinuous” improvements—that is, many different approaches, covering
different areas.
• Continuous improvement: a subset of continual improvement, with a more specific focus on
linear, incremental improvement within an existing process. Some practitioners also
associate continuous improvement more closely with techniques of statistical process control.
3.3 Establish and assign responsibility for recording systems to track
continuous improvements in sustainability approaches
Establish recording systems
It is vital to establish recording systems to track and monitor continuous improvements in
sustainability approaches.
After establishing the system, the organisation has to maintain legal records. It is important to
determine methods to keep these records for auditing purpose.
Following are some of the records that needs to be kept:

• Documents related to reviews conducted
• Documents related to workplace audits and inspections
• Documents related to training
• Documents related to breaches
After establishment of the recording systems, stakeholders must be given access.
A central file that includes sustainability documents defined above must be prepared and access is to
be given to the stakeholders. Hard copies have to be maintained. Back-ups have to be created.
Responsibilities should be assigned to stakeholders for recording systems to track continuous
improvements in sustainability approaches.
Assigning responsibilities
When assigning responsibilities, it is important to indicate who is responsible for tracking
sustainability improvements and recording achievements and other outcomes.
Capturing data is an essential aspect of the monitoring and review process for continuous
improvement.
Records will show:

• Compliance with legislation and adherence to voluntary codes of practice, industry
standards, other standards (AS/NZS or ISO) and other voluntary initiatives such as the Global
Reporting Initiative and triple bottom line reporting
• Achievement of organisational goals and targets, including the overall reduction in the
ecological footprint and how this was achieved (e.g. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions)
• Achievement of targets or KPIs by departments, work groups and individuals
Environmental records
Be aware of the type of environmental records that your organisation needs to keep. Examples of
environmental records that need to be kept by some organisations are shown in the following
information.
• Measures of environmental performance; e.g. kilowatt hours of energy consumed,
expenditure on waste disposal, reams of paper purchased
• Details of environmental hazards; e.g. material safety data sheets on the storage of
chemicals, incident reports, disposal of toxic waste
• Details of environmental policies and strategies
• Assessment of environmental policies and strategies
• Potential and existing environmental risk assessment and identification
• Comments and responses, including complaints, from internal and external sources
Organisations need to operate efficiently in order to be successful and sustainable. Increasingly,
business organisations have attempted to integrate sustainability into their operations through
various initiatives that attempt to align activity with corporate strategy and achieve overall
stakeholder satisfaction. However, measuring sustainability is not an easy task. Taking direction from
the result of the in -depth case study analysis in this research together with a review of the existing
literature, it is deduced that in order to measure the sustainability of an organisation, it is necessary
to measure the satisfaction of the organisation’s stakeholders.
The expert panel plays a vital role in providing feedback so that the model can be refined and made
as ready as possible for future implementation into practice.
Chapter 4. Review workplace sustainability
policy implementation
As part of continuous improvement activities, you’ll need to investigate the success of your
workplace sustainability policy including the procedures, and other implementation and
communication activities that are part of the larger system. In this topic you will also investigate the
reporting of outcomes as a result of the sustainability policy implementation. These activities will
help you to identify improvements that need to be made to any part of the system.
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
4.1 Document outcomes and provide feedback to key personnel and

stakeholders
It is significant to ensure that the records prepared as part of implementation are readily accessible
to the internal and external stakeholders of the organisation. The most feasible method of doing this
is by preparing reports. These records should demonstrate:
• How the outcomes comply with the legislative and regulatory requirements?
• How the efficiency has improved?
The reports must be transparent and provided a positive reflection of the organisation’s
commitment to the external stakeholders.
These reports are also of great value to the internal stakeholders as this provide a clear view as to
how the sustainability policy and procedures are assisting organisation to meet its objectives. This
information is communicated using the following methods:
• Staff meetings
• Annual General Meetings
• Newsletters
• Company websites and the company’s intranet
Compliance reports
It is the requirement of the state and federal government for various business to provide report
regarding their environmental impact. These reports require the organisation to:
• Verify their compliance levels
• Demonstrate future plans for improvements
• Demonstrate the organisation’s adherence to guidelines
These reports are delivered on a regular (usually annual) basis. Reports also have to be submitted if
a breach of compliance occurs. The regulatory bodies check these reports to ensure that the
compliance has been achieved. In case the compliance has not been achieved, a review of the
systems will be imposed.
Efficiency reports
These reports are prepared on regular basis, for example on a monthly or quarterly basis. These are
monitoring reports. The main focus of these reports is on the set targets and the targets achieved at
different timeframes to check the progress. This helps the organisation to check the targets that
have been achieved or the ones that were unsuccessful.
Annual reports
These reports are used by the organisations to share the organisation’s commitment to the
environmental sustainability to the stakeholders. These reports are also used for Triple Bottom Line
reporting.
Newsletters
Internal or external newsletters convey environmental information to the stakeholders. These
newsletters are beneficial to the organisation as these provide the top management of the
organisation regarding the sustainable practices.
Workgroup meetings
Efficiency and requirements to meet the required targets are discussed in the workgroup meetings.
These provide opportunity to staff members to provide feedback regarding the barriers that they are
facing.
Company website
Companies are increasingly using their websites to promote their sustainability policy and practices.
The internet
External internet sites provide an opportunity for companies to promote their practices in different
ways. For example, YouTube has a number of videos whereby companies explain and promote their
environmental practices.
4.2 Investigate successes or otherwise of policy
After implementing the sustainability policy and procedures, the next step is to investigate the
success or failure of the sustainability policy.
This is done using the sustainability outcome records and the feedback from the internal and
external stakeholders.
How is this done?

This is done by determining the benchmarking.
Benchmarking involves measuring the performance against the minimum environmental social and
economic standards that the company wants to attain. The benchmarks are developed keeping in
mind the industry standards, legislations, regulations and the best practices followed across the
industry.
Once the benchmarks have been established, then certain timeframes have to be established after
which the performance will be measured and reviewed. Timeframes are set period of times after
which the performance is to be measured and compared to previous performances.
Citing an example, current electricity invoices will be compared against the previous invoices or the
benchmarks that are set to check the savings in energy usage that has occurred. By measuring this,
the organisation will be able to determine whether the organisational sustainability policy and
procedures have been successful or if they need to be modified.
In case if the outcomes are positive then the policy and procedures are effective, and no change
needs to be implemented. But in case, if the outcomes are negative then an investigation needs to
be conducted to identify the possible reasons.
This is done in consultation with the employees and the management. The agenda of this discussion
is to identify the factors that have contributed to the negative outcomes. The staff members and
stakeholders provide feedback regarding the changes that need to be implemented.
After their suggestions, the possible solutions are evaluated, then the recommendations are
provided for future considerations.
After making recommendations for improvement, changes can be designed and implemented.
4.3 Monitor records to identify trends that may require remedial action and
use to promote continuous improvement of performance
Monitor records
After implementation of the sustainability work practices, the outcomes of the implementation
should be monitored.
To monitor the outcomes of sustainability policy and procedures, risk management must be
undertaken. Risk management is an important tool that minimises risk. This is done through
continuous improvement.
The records to be monitored include records of reporting system such as checklists and audits. To do
so, key performance indicators have to be included in the strategic recordkeeping plan. They can be
used as key indicators to measure recordkeeping in the organisation and verify how well the
organisation has realised the outcomes of each strategy.
Include key performance indicators in your KPIs should support the vision, objectives and strategies
in your plan, and set targets for people and teams in the organisation to aim towards.
Make sure you clearly define the indicators that will be used to measure your achievements against
each strategy, not just what is being done.
Consider:
• Effectiveness–how will you know if you have achieved the stated outcome? How will you
know to what extent you were successful in achieving the outcome?
• Efficiency/cost-benefits–How will you be able to demonstrate the strategy has resulted in
increased efficiency?
• Suitability–How will you measure the suitability of the strategy to the problem or objective
that it sought to address? How will you know if the strategy met customer/stakeholder
expectations?
• Timeline–What time frames were placed around achieving the outcome? When will the
implementation of the strategies begin? How long will the implementation take? When will
it be complete? When will the plan be reviewed?
When monitoring records, the following key elements should be monitored:

• Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) have been achieved
• Legal requirements have been met
• Policy and procedures have been cost effective
• Employee performance appraisals or reviews records
During the monitoring process, you may identify the trends or the actions that need remedial action.
The audits will help you to determine the key issue and the remedial action required to address the
issue.
The monitoring of employee performance appraisal records helps to reveal the problems with the
effectiveness and clarity of the policy and procedures.
Monitoring records will allow you to see trends and identify strategies that are working. You will be
able to determine levels of compliance, and reviews will provide useful information on whether your
standard operating procedures are assisting staff to work consistently and achieve their targets.
4.4 Modify policy and or procedures as required to ensure improvements are
made
There are certain occasions when the sustainability policy and procedures need to be modified.
Following are some of the occasions when the procedures need to be modified:
• New process has been introduced
• The targets that have been set are unrealistic
• Compliance requirements need to be reviewed
• Expansion in business
• Change in company operations
• Targets have been achieved
• Targets have not been achieved
• Procedures are confusing or incomplete
Once the need to modify the policy and procedures have been identified, the continuous
improvement process will take place. The cycle will start again. Following will be the steps to be
implemented in the cycle:
• Investigation of the reason to modify policy and procedure
• Make recommendations
• Evaluation of recommendation will take place in consultation with the stakeholders
• Rewrite or modify the policy and procedures
o Set new realistic targets
• Implement policy and procedures
• Monitor and check policy and procedures
• Review policy and procedures
Key consideration to establish and maintain a successful sustainability policy

Following are some of the key consideration to establish and maintain a successful sustainability
policy:
• Set the targets the group needs to achieve
• Measure the performance against KPI’s
• Check progress towards achieving the targets
• Investigate to determine level of success
• Take corrective action where necessary, by modifying policy and procedures
• Ensure that there is an effective system of continuous improvement
References
1. The British Assessment Bureau. (2017). Writing a Sustainability Policy |. [online] Available at:
https://www.british-assessment.co.uk/guides/writing-a-sustainability-policy/
2. Press8 Telecom. (2018). Telecom Sustainability Policy · Press8 Telecom. [online] Available at:
https://www.press8.com/sustainability-policy/
3. Szekely, F. (2018). Engaging sustainability stakeholders. [online] IMD business school.
Available at: https://www.imd.org/publications/articles/engaging-sustainability-
stakeholders/
4. Sustainability.vic.gov.au. (2018). Lifecycle management. [online] Available at:
http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/Business/Efficient-business-operations/Lifecycle-
management
5. Douglas, S. (2003). A Guide to Developing a Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan. [online]
Uobabylon.edu.iq. Available at:
http://www.uobabylon.edu.iq/sustainabilty/files/Guide_to_sus_strategy.pdf
6. C. Camplin, J. (2018). Minimizing Risk, Maximizing Safety - Facility Management Green
Feature. [online] Facilitiesnet. Available at:
https://www.facilitiesnet.com/green/article/Minimizing-Risk-Maximizing-Safety-Facility-
Management-Green-Feature--7054
7. Amarah, B. (2015). Development of a Triple Bottom Line Stakeholder Satisfaction Model.
[online] Pure.bond.edu.au. Available at:
https://pure.bond.edu.au/ws/portalfiles/portal/17512195/Development_of_a_triple_botto
m_line_stakeholder_satisfaction_model.pdf
8. Boyle, A. (2015). 9 Tips for Communicating Sustainability in the Workplace - RoundPeg.
[online] RoundPeg. Available at: https://www.roundpegcomm.com/9-tips-for-
communicating-sustainability-in-the-workplace/
9. Triple Pundit: People, Planet, Profit. (2018). Business Sustainability – Implementing
Sustainable Strategies within the Workplace. [online] Available at:
https://www.triplepundit.com/podium/business-sustainability-implementing-sustainable-
strategies-workplace/
10. Ecosproline.com. (2018). Implementation of Sustainability Policy - Ecos Proline. [online]
Available at: http://ecosproline.com/index.php/about-us/sustainabiity-
initiatives/implementation-of-sustainability-policy
11. Records.nsw.gov.au. (2018). Monitoring recordkeeping performance. [online] Available at:
https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/recordkeeping/advice/monitoring/recordkeeping-
performance
12. Asq.org. (2018). Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle (PDCA Cycle) - ASQ. [online] Available at:
http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/project-planning-tools/overview/pdca-cycle.html
13. Price, R. (2018). Four Requirements for a Sustainable Continuous Improvement Model.
[online] Eonsolutions.io. Available at: https://www.eonsolutions.io/blog/four-requirements-
for-a-sustainable-continuous-improvement-model
14. Forgov.qld.gov.au. (2018). Review, monitor and report on recordkeeping | For government |
Queensland Government. [online] Available at: https://www.forgov.qld.gov.au/review-
monitor-and-report-recordkeeping
15. Ifu.dk. (2018). SUSTAINABILITY POLICY AND COMMUNICATION GUIDELINES. [online]
Available at: https://www.ifu.dk/wp-content/uploads/Sustainability-policy-and-
communication-guidelines.pdf
16. Icas.com. (2018). Sustainability reporting examples | Sustainability | Techical Resources |
ICAS. [online] Available at: https://www.icas.com/technical-resources/sustainability-
reporting
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/290429947_Engaging_Stakeholders_for_Sustain
able_Development
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Learner Guide

BSBSUS501 – Develop workplace

Information contained in this resource is drawn from a number of different sources of

Version Control and Amendment History

BSBSUS501 – Develop workplace policies and procedures for sustainability

Reason for Review Release Date Version Details

Initial Release 30 November 2020 V1.1120 Written in line with

You will be required to work through the following:

Definition & Vision

1.1 Define scope of sustainability policy

Benefits of a sustainability policy

A well written Sustainability Policy helps your organisation to:

Workplace sustainability policy

The scope of your sustainability policy

Develop policy that reflects the organisation’s commitment to sustainability

Internal sources of information:

The elements of the internal audits include:

External sources of information:

Following are some of the external sources of information:

When are stakeholders engaged in the policy-development process?

Seeking and understanding key stakeholder perspectives is recognised as an important component

However, consultation can be a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. A decision needs to

Consultation may include both formal and informal processes:

During: consult continuously throughout the policy development process

After: consult again to feed into the evaluation process

Sustainable Development by Design:

Overview of Environmental Problems

Goals for Sustainable Development

Minimising Risk, Maximising Safety

Evaluation and Management

Next, they should review hazardous chemicals to make sure:

Strategies to Conserve Resources and Minimise Waste

The sorts of questions which should be considered include:

• What impacts are the raw materials having during production?

Life cycle management

Lifecycle management tools

The audit may examine the following areas:

Benefits of a sustainability policy

A well-written Sustainability Policy helps your organisation to:

Creating sustainability policy

There are four key areas to address in a Sustainability Policy:

Example of sustainability policy:

Telstra’s Environment Strategy focuses on using technology to address environmental challenges

Telstra’s Environment Strategy is comprised of five strategic priorities:

• Managing Carbon Emissions – Reducing carbon emissions intensity by 50% by 2020.

For more information please download:

• Telstra's Environment Policy (PDF, 388KB)

The preliminary action plans

Actions Risks/ Estimated Capital Payback Target Budget Who?

Measurable efficiency targets

Seeking input from stakeholders

Accessing external assistance and programs

Timeframes and responsibilities

Form partnerships and maximise external support

Don't look for a quick fix

Do what works for your organisation

2.1 Promote workplace sustainability policy, including its expected outcome, to

1. Be Clear About Goals

4. Take a Holistic Approach

6. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

8. Evaluate and Update

Stakeholder from a Sustainability Perspective

Inform those involved in implementing the policy

It is important to regularly articulate and communicate the information regarding implementation of