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1.1 Explain how to carry out an environmental impact analysis

Unit 31: Manage the Impact of Work Activities on the Environment

Unit reference number: J/506/2907 QCF level: 4

Credit value: 4

Guided learning hours: 30

Unit type: Competence

Unit summary

The high volume of waste, which is generated by businesses each year, may result in additional costs for the business and may impact negatively on the environment. Over the past few years organisations have been encouraged to implement environmentally friendly processes and to look for efficient ways to conserve and minimise the use of energy, water and resources. Implementing environmentally friendly work activities can result in rewards for both the business and the environment such as the reduction in business costs and a reduction in the organisation’s carbon footprint.

In this unit, you will gain an understanding of how work activities can have an adverse effect on the environment and how this can be reduced through the appropriate management of work activities. You will gain an understanding of the specialist advice which is available to provide guidance and support for your organisation. You will learn how environmentally friendly practices are, or could be, initiated to improve working practices and procedures. You will have the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of your organisation’s environment policies and procedures and to develop a system which recommends improvements to make work practices more environmentally friendly. 1.1 Explain how to carry out an environmental impact analysis

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria

To pass this unit, the learner needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria outline the requirements the learner is expected to meet to achieve the unit.

Unit 31: Manage the Impact of Work Activities on the Environment

Learning outcomes                                      Assessment criteria

1 Understand how to support environmentally-friendly working practices

1.1 Explain how to carry out an environmental impact analysis

1.2 Compare sources of specialist advice on environmentally-friendly working practices

1.3 Analyse the business and environmental benefits of effective energy management policies

1.4 Explain the health and safety requirements for the use and disposal of resources and waste

2 Be able to organise work so as to minimise the impact on the environment

2.1 Analyse potentially adverse effects on the environment caused by work activities

2.2 Evaluate the effectiveness of methods of improving environmental sustainability in an organisation

2.3 Implement plans and procedures to adapt work practices to make them more environmentally-friendly

2.4 Develop a system for colleagues to recommend improvements to make work practices more environmentally-friendly

 

Learning outcomes

Assessment criteria

3 Be able to manage the environmental impact of the use of resources

3.1 Explain when to obtain specialist environmental management advice

3.2 Explain where to seek specialist environmental management advice

3.3 Determine the environmental impact of the use of different physical resources

3.4  Develop procedures for the disposal of waste and unwanted resources in a way that minimises the impact on the environment

3.5 Evaluate the effectiveness of organisational environmental policies and procedures

3.6 Adhere to organisational policies and procedures, legal and ethical requirements

Unit amplification: Unit 31: Manage the Impact of Work Activities on the Environment

AC1.1: Explain how to carry out an environmental impact analysis
  • The role of the environmental impact analysis: definition; an information gathering exercise; to identify the impact and effects on the environment; deciding whether the project should proceed, be amended or withdrawn; identifying areas for change; complying with UK and EU legislation and regulations
  • Stages in the analysis: a description of the work activity, e.g. identifying key factors which will impact on the environment such as air pollution, noise, substantial factors, minimal risks; a review of alternative methods, e.g. use of different resources, reduction in waste products; producing an environmental statement, e.g. description of project, main characteristics of the work processes
  • Government bodies: e.g. government departments; local government; local councils;; contact through lobbying MPs, public meetings, surgeries, correspondence
  • Statutory policies: legislation or regulatory policies; copies of White Papers; government or local authority websites; the Health and Safety Executive
    • Government agency: public sector departments such as the Department for Transport or Health
    • UK Organisations and Pressure Groups: groups with different views and opinions, e.g. Environmental Change Institute; Friends of The Earth UK; Greenpeace UK
      • Organisation policies: energy policy statements; energy audits; monitoring and review of processes; adhering and commitment to policies and procedures; accountability
      • Benefits to business: improved energy efficiency; preferred by stakeholders; enhanced brand image; reduces risk of adverse publicity; more opportunity of contracts with ethical organisations; reduction in business costs due to reusing resources, implementation of energy saving devices; access to Government green taxes, reliefs and schemes
      • Benefits to environment: reduction in waste products; reduction in carbon emissions and pollutions; minimising the risk from waste disposal on people and other organisations
        • Characteristics of waste: commercial waste; industrial waste; agricultural waste
        • Use of waste: reuse; recycling of metal, glass, plastic, paper
        • Use of resources: work activities such as production, machining; impact of work activities on the environment; safety of resources; impact of resources on user health; reducing the use of resources; reduction in waste product
        • Disposal of waste or resources: waste collection; transportation; classifying waste products for correct transportation and disposal; records of waste production; waste storage; recycling waste products; contamination from landfill; air pollution from incineration; water pollution from drainage seepage
        • Potential problems: costs; location of recycling facilities; production of methane; odour; pests; fly tipping; land contamination; storing and disposal of hazardous waste; insufficient secure storage facilities; injury and illness
  • Health and safety: implementation of safe working practices; appropriate policies and procedures; prevention of pollution to the air, water, land; prevention of injury or illness; issue of appropriate PPE; risk assessments
  • Legislation and regulations: current relevant UK and EU legislation; duty of care; use of resources and waste; safe disposal of waste and resources; procedures for dealing with hazardous waste; transportation of resources and waste, including hazardous waste; procedures for reporting an environment incident
AC1.2: Compare sources of specialist advice on environmentally-friendly working practices
AC1.3: Analyse the business and environmental benefits of effective energy management policies
AC1.4: Explain the health and safety requirements for the use and disposal of resources and waste

Information for tutors: Unit 31: Manage the Impact of Work Activities on the Environment

Suggested resources
Books

Banerjee S – Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

(Edward Elgar Publishing, 2009) ISBN 9781848444546

Buckingham S, Turner M – Understanding Environmental Issues (Sage Publications, 2008) ISBN 9780761942368

Dresner S – The Principles of Sustainability (Routledge, 2008) ISBN 9781844074969

Epstein M – Making Sustainability Work: Best Practices in Managing and Measuring Corporate Social, Environmental and Economic Impacts (Greenleaf Publishing, 2008) ISBN 9781906093051

Glasson J, Therivel R and Chadwick A – Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment (Routledge, 2005) ISBN 9780415338363

Hillson D and Murray-Webster R – A Guide to Corporate Responsibility (RSI British Standards Institution, 2006) ISBN 9780580493102

Websites

www.cipd.co.uk – the CIPD website provides information on corporate responsibility

www.gov.uk – the government services and information website which provides information on the management of waste

www.ibe.org.uk – the Institute of Business Ethics website provides information and resources on business ethics

www.managementhelp.org – this website provides information on business ethics and social responsibility

Assessment

This unit is internally assessed. To pass this unit the evidence that the learner presents for assessment must demonstrate that they have met the required standard specified in the learning outcomes and assessment criteria and the requirements of the Assessment Strategy.

To ensure that the assessment tasks and activities enable learners to produce valid, sufficient, authentic and appropriate evidence that meets the assessment criteria, centres should apply the Unit Assessment guidance and the requirements of the Assessment Strategy below.

Wherever possible, centres should adopt a holistic approach to assessing the units in the qualification. This gives the assessment process greater rigour and minimises repetition, time and the burden of assessment on all parties involved in the process

Unit assessment requirements

This unit must be assessed in the workplace in accordance with the Skills CFA Assessment Strategy for Business Administration, Customer Service and Management and Leadership, in Annexe A. Simulation is not allowed for this unit.

All evidence of occupational competence should be generated through performance under workplace conditions; this includes evidence of achievement for knowledge- based learning outcomes and associated assessment criteria.

Unit assessment guidance

This guidance supports assessors in making decisions about how best to assess each unit and the evidence needed to meet the assessment requirements of the unit. Centres can adapt the guidance for learners and the particular assessment context, as appropriate.

The evidence to demonstrate achievement of all three learning outcomes is likely to come from a combination of learners’ work products, professional discussion or reflective accounts and witness testimonies.

For learning outcome 1 the evidence could be provided in a professional discussion which explains how to carry out an environmental impact analysis, a comparison of the sources which provide specialist advice on environmentally friendly working practices and an analysis of the business and environmental benefits of effective energy management policies (AC1.1, AC1.2 and AC1.3). The evidence must be in sufficient depth to satisfy the commands verbs of explain, compare and analyse.

The evidence for AC1.4 could come from work products, such as emails, letters or reports, which explain the health and safety requirements for the use and disposal of resources and waste. Alternatively the evidence could be provided in a professional discussion or a reflective account.

For learning outcome 2, the evidence could be work products, such as reports, letters or emails, which analyse the potential adverse effects on the environment from work activities (AC2.1). Work products, such as reports, letters or emails, which evaluate the effectiveness of the methods of improving environmental sustainability would provide evidence for AC2.2. The work products must be in sufficient depth to satisfy the command verb of analyse and evaluate. Alternatively the evidence for AC2.1 and AC2.2 could be provided in a professional discussion or a reflective account.

The evidence for AC2.3 could be copies of the plans and procedures which have been implemented to adapt work practices to make them more environmentally friendly. The evidence for AC2.4 could be witness testimonies from a line manager or from colleagues who have used the system developed.

For learning outcome 3 the learner has to explain when to obtain and where to seek specialist environmental management advice (AC3.1 and AC3.2) and this could be produced in a reflective account, with the learner outlining where they have done this and integrated with the comparison of the sources of specialist environmentally friendly advice (AC1.2).

The evidence for AC3.3 could come from work products, such as reports, letters or emails, where the learner has determined the environmental impact of the use of different physical resources. Alternatively the evidence for AC3.3 could be provided in a professional discussion. The evidence for AC3.4 will be copies of the procedures developed by the learner for the disposal of waste and unwanted resources to minimise the impact on the environment. The procedures could be supported by a witness testimony from a line manager or colleague. The evidence for AC3.5 could be provided in a reflective account or professional discussion which evaluates the effectiveness of the organisation’s environmental policies and procedures. Work products, such as reports, letters or emails, could be used for AC3.5 but should show that the learner has satisfied the command verb of evaluate. Witness testimonies from a line manager or colleagues could be used for AC3.6 to evidence how the learner has adhered to the organisational policies and procedures, legal and ethical requirements.

Evidence of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can also be used within the unit to confirm competence. Wherever possible, the learning outcomes in this unit should be assessed holistically across the qualification.

Unit 31: Manage the Impact of Work Activities on the Environment


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