Develop workplace sustainability policy

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Details of Assessment
Term and Year		Time allowed	1 week
Assessment No	1	Assessment Weighting	100 %
Assessment Type	Written Project Report
Due Date		Room
Details of Subject
Qualification	SIT50416 Diploma in Hospitality Management
Subject Name	Sustainability
Details of Unit(s) of competency
Unit Code (s) and Names	BSBSUS501 – Develop workplace policy and procedures for sustainability
Details of Student
Student Name
College		Student ID
Student Declaration: I declare that the work submitted is my own and has not been copied or plagiarised from any person or source. I acknowledge that I understand the requirements to complete the assessment tasks. I am also aware of my right to appeal. The feedback session schedule and reassessment procedure were explained to me.	Student’s Signature: ____________________ Date: _____/_____/_________
Details of Assessor
Assessor’s Name
Assessment Outcome
Assessment Result	Competent Not Yet Competent	Marks	/ 100
Feedback to Student Progressive feedback to students, identifying gaps in competency and comments on positive improvements:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Assessor Declaration: I declare that I have conducted a fair, valid, reliable and flexible assessment with this student. Student attended the feedback session. Student did not attend the feedback session.	Assessor’s Signature: ___________________ Date: _____/_____/________

Purpose of the Assessment
The purpose of this assessment is to assess the student in the following learning outcomes:	Competent (C)	Not Yet Competent (NYC)
1. Develop workplace sustainability policy
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
2. Communicate workplace sustainability policy
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
3. Implement workplace sustainability policy
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
4. Review workplace sustainability policy implementation
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
Assessment/evidence gathering conditions
Each assessment component is recorded as either Competent (C) or Not Yet Competent (NYC). A student can only achieve competence when all assessment components listed under “Purpose of the assessment” section are recorded as competent. Your trainer will give you feedback after the completion of each assessment. A student who is assessed as NYC (Not Yet Competent) is eligible for re-assessment.
Resources required for this assessment
Computer with relevant software applications and access to internet Weekly eLearning notes relevant to the tasks/questions
Instructions for Students
Please read the following instructions carefully This assessment has to be completed In class At home The assessment is to be completed according to the instructions given by your assessor. Feedback on each task will be provided to enable you to determine how your work could be improved. You will be provided with feedback on your work within two weeks of the assessment due date. All other feedback will be provided by the end of the term. Should you not answer the questions correctly, you will be given feedback on the results and your gaps in knowledge. You will be given another opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to be deemed competent for this unit of competency. If you are not sure about any aspect of this assessment, please ask for clarification from your assessor. Please refer to the College re-assessment for more information (Student handbook).

TABLE OF CONTENTS & MARKING CRITERIA

Report should include below components:	Pages	Marks	Marks Achieved
Task 1: Develop workplace sustainability policy
Scope of sustainability policy		5
List and identify the type of information		5
Meeting agendas and minutes		5
Recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, cost and timeframes		5
Implementation Strategy		5
Task 2: Communicate workplace sustainability policy
Promote your new workplace environmental sustainability policy		10
Communicate the Sustainability policy		10
Task 3: Implement workplace sustainability policy
Procedures for the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental sustainability program		10
Action (strategy) plan for continuous improvement in resource efficiency		10
Record Keeping for Sustainability program		10
Task 4: Review workplace sustainability policy implementation
Memorandum & email		15
Modify the procedures		10
Total		100

Background

The Business

Business name:ACA Restaurant Cafe’

Business structure:Partnership

ABN:2000000000

Business location:Located within ACA Hotel, 505 George Street Sydney NSW 2001

Date established:1 July 2014

Business owner(s):Emma Supreme; Rufus Clarendon

Relevant owner experience

Rufus Clarendon has an MBA from the University of Melbourne and 15 years’ experience in financial management and operating various small businesses, including restaurants and cafes.

Emma Supreme has two qualifications which includes Bachelor’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Western Sydney University and Diploma of Marketing from Sydney TAFE with a 13 years’ experience in Cafe’ Restaurant operations, customer service, sales and marketing.

Mission and Vision of ACA Café Restaurant

Passionate about ethically sourcing the finest hot and cold gourmet food and beverages with combining unique culinary creations, exquisite décor and superior service provides a truly definitive dining experience. Delivering with great care, improving the lives of people allowing all to eat, drink and dine from with friends and family. Perfect place to start of the day valuing everyday life style that assists to guide our strategic direction and corporate planning.

Products/services

ACA Restaurant Cafe’ provides an impeccable, unique and compelling combination of café and restaurant experience that associates 50 seating arrangements for breakfast, lunch and dinner cuisine with a new function/party area accommodating 20 guests. It promises the consistently of high-quality level of expertise, quality service and knowledge from 11 qualified and experienced employees.

ACA Café’ Restaurant provides:

• high excellence of a line of drinks and beverages for a wide range of delicious, wholesome breakfast including confectionaries, Danish pastries, cakes and sweets
• hot and cold gourmet food and beverages

• an exhilarating menu for lunch and dinner philosophy of using natural seasonal flavours, enhanced by classic technique and presents only the best and freshest ingredients with a selection of wines that complement the quality cuisine

Sustainability Approach

Throughout the years, ACA Restaurant Café’ has looked into ways to improve sustainability practices since its establishment. The Owners plans to have an ethical accountability to make a devoted and ongoing community in which they operate. Many businesses and industries are making a commitment to sustainability to help avoid the reduction of our world’s natural resources – meaning operating in a way that protects, preserves or restores the natural environment, promotes social equity, enhances the lives of people and communities and contributes to economic prosperity for stakeholders.

The Owners of ACA Restaurant Café’ are aware that employing eco-friendly practices of running on 100 percent renewable energy, producing no waste, capturing and recycling water, supporting and helping grow local farms, will ultimately improve the health of customers and the environment. It will also generate a customer line out the door and that can amplify the interest of local community members to get employed. Sustainability can have a key influence on internal stakeholders by helping to hire top talent, enhance employee engagement and improve reduce turnover by maintaining employees. Reducing turnover and increasing the engagement and production of employees can lead to significant cost savings and efficiency gains for businesses.

ACA Restaurant Café currently employs numerous staff ranging from management, administration, and customer service.

Environmental sustainability is a critical issue for hospitality businesses in this century. A research states that the restaurant café’ industry is facing many challenges today including slowing growth, high operating costs, employee recruitment and retention and the need to attract a younger demographic customer. A corporate commitment to sustainability for a restaurant café’ business appears like it should be a no-brainer, as it directly addresses each of these issues.

Increasing number of corporations are adopting standards and implementing initiatives to improve the environmental performance of their operations by reducing energy, transportation and waste. These standards and initiatives include green building standards, environmental management systems and environmental initiatives. They do this not only to comply with environmental regulations, but also to remain competitive in the marketplace. Within the restaurants, sustainable practices will benefit a business’s bottom line by reducing operating costs. Reducing a business’s impact on the environment means reducing waste and reducing waste means saving money.

In view of this, ACA Restaurant Café; is thinking its fundamental approaches to use of resources in its business including the processes involved in its practices.

The Owners wants to design and manage its resources to enhance worker productivity and satisfaction while reducing its demands on the environment. They also want to look at their current business practices and discover ways for minimising resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use, and employing lifecycle management approaches.

ACA Restaurant Café believes that the successful integration of information technology, networking, and work operations systems e.g. moving towards zero waste, managing emissions, improving working conditions with proper meals, work-day hours and competitive wages, supply chains will result in workplace environments that both empower its workforce and reduce resource consumption. The aim is to continually increase their commitment to sustainability and convey to the staff, customers and suppliers the loyalty to sustainable food, minimising waste, environmental impact whilst increasing social engagement.

After numerous consultations with various personnel, specialists and relevant stakeholders, the Owners came up with the following goals for the new sustainability initiatives for ACA Restaurant Café’:

• Reduce consumption of materials and equipment.
• Improve energy efficiency.
• Increase space utilisation.
• Support local business and suppliers
• Reduce electronic and kitchen, restaurant café’ and office waste

• Community investments

In order to accomplish these goals, they would like to develop approaches to sustainability in the workplace, including the development and implementation of sustainability policies and procedures which require access to industry information and applicable legislative and Work health and safety (WHS) guidelines.

The proof-of-concept for the workplace sustainability project was initiated for only in the restaurant café’ office at the back of the premise. Designed for general office administration and business management, the project addressed environmental sustainability by reducing the number of electronic devices per employee, leading to reduced equipment wattage and, eventually, less e-waste disposal.

The back office consists of two rooms adjacent to each other, one for the Owners and Managers with 2 desktops, 1 laptop, 1 multifunction (printer, scan and fax) machine and workstations, and the other room used as a staff room for all employees, that has chairs and tables for staff, 1 laptop and a workstation. The management room is used majorly by the 2 Owners, 2 Managers and the other laptop in the staff room is used by Head Chef, Barista, wait staff Team Leader and Senior wait staff and depending on tasks allocated, other employees share the laptop. There is a networking system connected within the full premise e.g. for on-site and online customer orders, CCTV footage, intranet etc.

At this stage, the individual consumption, including the environmental and cost impact of computer and networking equipment over its entire lifecycle, including extraction, processing, manufacture of product, distribution, use or reuse, or recycling or disposal within the kitchen, restaurant café areas and office are still unknown.

ACA Restaurant Café’ has identified sustainability as an area of growth for the business. The management has decided they want to introduce sustainable practices at the workplace in order to improve company usage and reduce paper resource wastage.

ACA Restaurant Café’ – Environmental

ACA Restaurant Café’ will focus on sustainability as a key driver in its own activities. They are committed to improving the environmental performance of their kitchen, restaurant and office-based activities and to being leaders in best practice environmental management of these. This forms a key component of our commitment to demonstrate good environmental practice in our own operations.

To do this the Owners in discussion with the managers will establish appropriate procedures and practices to minimise the consumption of energy, water, paper and other material inputs, and minimise the generation of waste associated with our kitchen, restaurant and office-based activities as stated below.

Kitchen – Based Policy:

These will include:

• dishwashing – by reducing water consumption, energy and use of detergents
• well maintenance of kitchen e.g. mending leaking taps, checking boilers
• washing machines in full load and dish/glass washers
• developing of own vegetable garden
• developing and increasing responsible purchasing methods to include sourcing products using suppliers that maintain ethical practices
• using of Fair Trade, Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified products where possible
• practicing waste minimisation, plastic policies & composting
• swapping disposable marker pens for a refillable option and use wooden pencils instead of plastic pens throughout the business

Restaurant Café’ – Based Policy

These will include:

• using fabric napkins instead of paper ones
• purchasing of energy efficient equipment
• using eco-wooden spoons forks and knives, compostable/biodegradable cups, napkins, containers and straws in the café’ e.g. for take away
• using recycled products wherever possible
• using environmentally friendly cleaning materials, and micro fibre cloths
• using of energy saving bulbs
• encouraging a “switch off policy” with staff and customers e.g. turning off lights in bathroom after use
• turning down/off radiators thermostats when rooms are not booked out
• changing to electronic customer feedback surveys or printing recycled paper for surveys (if needed)
• separating suitable parts of the restaurant so heating can be turned off and lighting reduced to emergency levels only
• turning down the heating before opening the windows
• encouraging customers to take home any leftovers, therefore reducing waste
• using reusable straws

Bar – Based Policy

• embracing the concept of zero-waste
• making sustainable cocktails with the intention that it could save money, time, and resources while also—in small part—help save the planet from added waste.
• avoiding using coasters and cocktail napkins to reduce waste in the bar
• building a tight relationship between the bar and kitchen team e.g. using left over mint stalks for teas and infusions, avocado seed for bitters
• using recycled citrus juicing limes to make a sherbet, the leaves from the stems and the stalks from rhubarb.
• removing of plastic water bottles, moving to in-house or community water filtration where possible.
• miminising food wastage
• reusing, recycling, or upcycling ingredients that otherwise would be discarded as rubbish e.g. leftover citrus juices, citrus rinds, and the seeds and skins of fruits, making tepache with throw away infusion of pineapple, citrus skin & Lemon Myrtle soda in place of lemonade
• using own sodas by making from recycled ingredients e.g. making a citrus soda from the skins of citrus left over from the juicing process promoting to less glass wastage
• using recycled tonic water bottle
• starting a bottle exchange program with many suppliers to decrease the amount of new bottle stock
• using bamboo, metal and glass straws or pasta straws

Office Based Policy

These will include:

• reducing the energy, water and paper intensity of our office-based operations
• purchasing Green Power
• reducing the amount of waste, we produce and maximising the amount reused and recycled
• separating our office wastes into reusable, recyclable, compost and true waste components
• making environmentally sound purchasing decisions for capital items and consumables
• adopting a pollution prevention approach to our activities
• adopting an environmental management system based on ISO 14001
• communicating our environmental performance through regular reporting
• striving for continual improvement in our environmental performance

Recognising that all ACA Restaurant Café’ staff have a responsibility to meet these commitments, empowering staff to minimise our environmental impacts through generating staff awareness and encouraging participation and feedback.

ACA Restaurant Café’ Sustainability Initiatives

The Owners of ACA Restaurant Café’ addresses the sustainability initiatives through reference to standards, guidelines and approaches such as:

• Ecological foot printing
• Energy Efficiency Opportunities Bill 2005
• Green office program
• Green purchasing
• Greenhouse Challenge Plus (Australian government initiative)
• ISO 14001:1996 Environmental management systems life cycle analyses
• Life cycle analyses
• Triple bottom line reporting
• Integrated approach to sustainability which includes environmental, economic and social aspects, or a specific approach that focuses on each aspect individually
• Investigating particular business and market context of the industry/organisation
• Meeting relevant laws, by laws and regulations or best practice to support compliance in environmental performance and sustainability at each level as required (such as Environmental Protection or Biodiversity Conservation Act):
  • International
  • Commonwealth
  • State/territory
  • Industry
  • Organisation

Assessment Task – Written Project Report

ACA Restaurant Café’ Sustainability Project (100%)

Please refer to Appendix 1 for guidelines and sample on how to complete the tasks.

Task 1: Develop workplace sustainability policy 15 Marks

Background information

You are required to do some external research and make assumptions on the most likely consumption costs of the equipment as listed below:

ACA Restaurant Café’ Hardware and Network Devices
Devices	No. of Devices
Printing and copying equipment	1
Desktop PCs	2
Laptops	2
Audio equipment	4
Handheld server tablets for taking orders including touchscreen terminal, self-order kiosk, kitchen display screen	5
Networking equipment Switches with dual power supply Access points	4
Projectors	1
Entertainment TV screens for customers	3 (including in the party/function area)
Other electronic devices e.g. CCTV cameras	8
Restaurant Café’ & Bar POS System with Kitchen Printer, receipt printer, cash drawer	3
Devices for café’ and bar (e.g. chiller, microwave, coffee machine, espresso machine, refrigeration system, blender, toasters etc.)	12
Devices for kitchen (e.g. microwave, blenders, dishwasher, freezers, refrigerator, cooking ranges & grills, broilers, griddles, fryers etc.)	15
Total number of devices	60
Number of staff	15

The Owners have recently assigned you, the Manager, for the development and implementation of workplace sustainability policy.

Requirements

A copy of the organisational schedule, with members of the sustainability committee and your various roles and responsibilities in the business must be submitted as part of the evidence.

Your task is to:

1. Define the scope of sustainability policy at ACA Restaurant Café, as per the information provided above,’. Submit a Scope Statement explaining what the sustainability initiatives you are trying to address.

5 Marks

<For example: To ensure compliance to environmental regulations by meeting relevant laws, by laws, regulations and best practice standards in environmental sustainability.>

< Insert your responses here>

2. List and identify the type of information you will gather from a variety of sources to plan and develop policy. You are required to provide the information in a tabular form (see sample below).

5 Marks

For example:

Source of information	Information
Government departments	Relevant laws, by laws, regulations pertaining to workplace sustainability

< Insert your table here>

3. Discuss appropriate strategies in policy at all stages of work for minimising resource use, reducing toxic material and hazardous chemical use, and employing lifecycle management approaches. You should identify the roles of stakeholders in the company.

For this task, you may consider discussing strategies to incorporate in policies with your classmates, assuming they are staff members of ACA Restaurant Café’. This is to assist you brainstorm ideas for your findings.

A copy of meeting agendas and minutes must be produced which serves as the evidence of the discussion process. 5 Marks

< Insert your responses here>

4. Gather feedback and solicit ideas as part of the policy development process. In the report, make recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, cost and timeframes.

5 Marks

For example: Using Lifecycle Analysis techniques, assess the environmental and cost impact of computer and networking over its entire lifecycle, including extraction, processing, manufacture of the product/s, distribution, use or reuse, or recycling or disposal.

In this scenario, you are only required to assess the lifecycle impact of computers and computer related peripherals, including how to properly dispose of the hazardous by-products of this equipment. A copy of meeting agendas and minutes must be produced which serves as the evidence of the consultation process.

For this task, you may consider discussing methods of feedback and the various feedback and ideas that you could gather for the policy development processes with your classmates, assuming they are staff members of ACA Restaurant Café’. This is to assist you brainstorm ideas for your findings.

< Insert your responses here>

5. List down methods for how you can implement the workplace sustainability policy at ACA Restaurant Café’. 5 Marks

Create an Implementation Strategy, which includes the following elements:

• Activities to be undertaken
• Outcomes expected
• Assigned responsibilities.

< Insert your responses here>

Task 2: Communicate workplace sustainability policy 15 Marks

Your task is to:

1. Design a simple poster to promote your new workplace environmental sustainability policy.

10 Marks

Poster requirements:

• Must be at least A4 in size
• Must use recycled materials
• Must promote the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Program at ACA Restaurant Café’
• Must be interesting and eye-catching

< Insert your poster here or attach to this assessment >

2. Write an email to your Trainer a copy with information about the activities to be undertaken in the program, the target dates, target numbers and contact details of the person responsible for the program. 5 Marks

< Insert your response here >

Task 3: Implement workplace sustainability policy 20 Marks

For tasks 1- 3, you may choose any of the areas of the restaurant café’ e.g. office, kitchen, bar, café’ or restaurant to complete your work.

Your task is to:

1. Develop procedures for the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental sustainability program to encourage environmentally responsible disposal of electronic equipment at the restaurant café’.

After developing the procedures, prepare a 10-minute presentation to all staff to communicate your procedures. You should incorporate a 5 minutes question and answer portion where you will have to demonstrate an effective way to handle stakeholder objections to recommended sustainability procedures.

A copy of the developed procedures needs to be submitted as evidence. 5 Marks

< Insert your response here >

2. Develop a plan of action (strategy) for continuous improvement in resource efficiency. A copy of the plan needs to be submitted as evidence. You may choose to create the plan for any of the areas of the restaurant café’ e.g. office, kitchen, bar, café’ or restaurant. 10 Marks

< Insert your response here >

3. Establish a recording system to track and record continuous improvement outcomes related to sustainability programs initiated in the workplace. 10 Marks

For example: For office area,develop an Excel spreadsheet template to record and keep track of expenses incurred in buying toners and maintaining the office printers and photocopiers within a 6-month period. The template must include relevant headings and labels appropriate to the data to be entered (see sample below). The information later entered into the spreadsheet will be converted into graphs/charts to be used to make informed decisions about how to further improve processes and reduce costs. Also assign a member of your group as a person responsible for monitoring, recording and reporting the outcomes.

The given sample table below, contains items from the office area of the restaurant café’. You may utilise this table to complete this task (add items if necessary) or choose for any of the areas of the restaurant café’ e.g. office, kitchen, bar, café’ or restaurant to create the recording system.

A copy of the blank template including procedures on how to fill it with data must be submitted as part of the evidence.

Sample template Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun
Photocopier pages
Laser printer pages
MFD Pages
Total reams paper
Ream of paper
Cost of paper
Laser printer toners
Printer toner cost
Photocopier toners
Photocopier toner costs
MFD Toners
MFD Toner Costs
Cost p.p. for servicing
Cost of servicing
Total print costs

< Insert your table here if needed >

Task 4: Review workplace sustainability policy implementation 25 Marks

Scenario

After six months of implementation, you sat down with your staff to investigate the success and/or failure of the sustainability policy implementation.

Assume that, ACA Restaurant Café’ has been purchasing remanufactured toner cartridges with great success.

For the past 6 months, the restaurant café’ has purchased 220 remanufactured laser toner and inkjet printer cartridges from their supplier Green Business Products. Cost savings range from 25% – 60% of the price of new cartridges. New cartridges typically cost $98-$158 each. The company also gets $5 credit for each recycled cartridge.

In terms of lighting, the restaurant café’ has replaced all 60W light bulbs with 13W 6400-kelvin high-efficiency bulbs in the whole premise. A single 60W light bulb burns $5.96 worth of electricity per month. This is doubly the case with down lights, which typically consume 50W – which equates to 200W in an average four-light office, costing $0.03 per hour or $0.72 a day to run.

On the other hand, a 13W 6400-kelvin high-efficiency bulb consumes just $0.03 per day-one-sixth the cost of incandescent. The restaurant café’ is 90 m2 with 50 seating arrangements for breakfast, lunch and dinner cuisine with a function/party area accommodating 20 guests. There are 30 four-light restaurant and café’ area, a party area equivalent to four offices, kitchen area approximately the same size as the party/function area, the office and staff room area approximately the same size as the party/function area, the bar area approximately the one-third of the restaurant and café’ area and eight four-light toilets each.

Your task is to:

1. Make a memorandum then email to stakeholders and key personnel for the review and feedback about the positive results of the restaurant café’s sustainability initiatives. 15 Marks

In the memorandum, make sure you summarise the savings listed above in an easy-to-read table comparing previous expenses over a 6 months period with the total savings to date.

Ensure to embed the appropriate restaurant café’ logo within the memorandum. The logo is available on e-learning titled “ACA Restaurant Cafe’ LOGO”.

A sample has been given below for your understanding:

Jan – June 2019 Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	TOTAL
Laser toner cartridges @ $158 each	4	2	2	3	4	4	$3,002
Inkjet printer cartridges @ $98 each	5	4	5	5	3	5	$2,646

< Insert your response here>

2. Reading the existing Environmental Sustainability Policy of ACA Restaurant Café’ stated in the background information earlier, you realised that under the “Office Based Policy”, it lacks procedures for how to reduce paper and printing wastage.

Modify the procedures to include procedures for how to reduce paper and printing wastage in the restaurant café’. The new and revised procedures must be submitted as part of the evidence.

10 Marks

Report Requirement:

• Microsoft Word, Single spaced, 10 pt. Arial font
• Header containing, Student Name, Number, Subject Name and Assessment number. Page number in the footer at the bottom right corner
• Provide references where applicable

Note: Refer the Sample Report provided below.

SUSTAINABILITY IN WORKPLACE

REPORT FOR ACA RESTAURANT CAFÉ’

SUBMITTED TO: __________________

Owners

ACA Restaurant Café’

SUBMITTED BY: __________________

Manager

DATE: DD/MONTH/YYYY

Appendix 1

Guideline and sample of Task 1 – Task 4

Task 1: Develop workplace sustainability policy

1. Scope of sustainability policy

Example: Sustainability Policy Template

Sustainability Policy

Policy Code: XXXXX

Table of Content

Purpose

Scope

Definitions

Policy Statement

Responsibility

Legislative Context

Associated Documents

Implementation

Purpose

To make a clear statement of the commitment by ACA Restaurant Café’ to:

• Point 1
• Point 2
• Point 3
• Point 4

Scope

This policy applies to all activities of ACA Restaurant Café’, to its XXXXX at XXXXXX.

Definitions

Example: Sustainability:	Operating and behaving in a manner, which equally considers environmental responsibility alongside social and financial responsibility, to meet the needs of the present and create a foundation for future generations to meet their own needs.
XXX	XXX
XXX	XXX
XXX	XXX

Policy Statement

Example:

XXXXX is committed to improving the sustainability performance of the organisation through promoting a culture of sustainability, managing our operations in a manner that minimises our environmental and social impacts and enabling the integration of sustainability principles and practices into research and community engagement.

The XXXXX will meet this commitment by:

• Ensuring sustainability is reflected in XXXX’s strategic documents.
• Developing an annual Sustainability Reporting framework.
• Incorporating the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) into all capital and infrastructure projects.
• Undertaking research, which will develop and strengthen regional partnerships that address sustainable development.
• Partnering with the community to respond to the regional needs for a sustainable future and provide leadership in our region.

Responsibility

The XXXXX or nominee of the XXXXX will have responsibility for ensuring the policy is implemented.

The XXXX, XXXX & Support will have responsibility for monitoring and reviewing the Policy.

Legislative Context

Example:

• Environmental Protection Act 1970.
• OTTE Energy Management Reporting.
• Annual Reporting Requirements, Report on Environmental Performance.

Associated Documents

• Nil

Implementation

Example:

The Sustainability Policy will be implemented and communicated in the following ways:

• Presentation to XXXXX Forum.
• Email to all staff.
• Information workshops to be held with Sustainability Champions network.
• Meetings and presentations to key stakeholders.
• Section on Sustainability @ website.
• ‘Current News’ on the website and the ‘What’s New’ page on the ‘Policies and Procedures @ website.

Approved and version

Approval Authority:		Original Issue
Policy Sponsor:		Current Version:
Policy Code		Review Date:

2. List and identify the type of information

• Refer ACA Restaurant Café’ Sustainability Initiatives on page 7
• Website resource:
• Australian Government ICT Sustainability Plan

See Mandatory Environmental Standards section

• https://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/government/ictplan/guidance-materials
• Department of Environment and Energy

https://www.environment.gov.au/energy/efficiency

• GRI Standards

https://www.globalreporting.org/standards

• Energy Efficiency Opportunities Bill 2005

https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2005B00167

Source of information	Information
Example: Government departments	Relevant laws, bylaws, regulations pertaining to workplace sustainability

3. Meeting agendas and minutes

Sample: Minutes of meeting

4. Recommendations for policy options based on likely effectiveness, cost and timeframes

Note: The sustainability policy recommendations should evaluate the following factors:

• Effectiveness at reducing the resource use
• Timeframe
• Budget

Example:

Likely Effectiveness: How likely is it that the idea will actually work? Not all ideas will be effective. On first impressions, some may seem like they will be very effective at reducing resource use; but even these ideas should be carefully examined to ensure that they will be effective at applying the principles contained in your policy statement.

Timeframes: When examining ideas, look first at those ideas, which can be implemented quickly. Those ideas are likely to be the ideas that will have an immediate impact at improving the organisation’s sustainability.

Budget: When examining ideas and strategies, ensure that you consider the budget. The amount of money that it will cost to implement the strategy should reflect the effectiveness of the strategy. If a given strategy will cost a lot of money, but will provide very little improvement, carefully consider whether it should be implemented.

5. Implementation Strategy

Website resource:

• Australian Government ICT Sustainability Plan

See Fact sheets section: Fact sheet 4 – ICT Sustainability Scorecard (PDF – 108KB)

https://www.environment.gov.au/sustainability/government/ictplan/guidance-materials

• Global Reporting Initiative

https://www.globalreporting.org/resourcelibrary/G3.1-Guidelines-Incl-Technical-Protocol.pdf

Guideline:

What are some of the key considerations to keep in mind when developing and implementing a sustainability strategy?

1. Every company operates differently, has a unique organizational structure, supply chain, employee base and geographic footprint, therefore sustainability strategies must be catered to each company in its own unique way as no two companies are the same3.  References can be made to other companies in the industry or region, but it is important to remember that what works for someone else might not work for you.
2. Identify and prioritise material issues to focus resources.  Companies with successful sustainability strategies connect their sustainability efforts with issues and activities that are material to the business3. 
3. Develop a sustainability strategy that will create value for the company and communicate that to shareholders. A major hurdle for many companies is crafting an approach that improves the environmental and social impacts of their operations while simultaneously producing business value3.  Demonstrating that the strategy can create value from a business perspective is the key to getting support from shareholders.  This is also the bridge that links sustainability to profit instead of cost.     
4. Engage and consult with middle management.  Middle management is often an important but under-represented group when developing and implementing a sustainability strategy. Failure to engage them can doom a sustainability effort.  This group often times ends up doing the heavy lifting to implement the strategy, which is why they are most likely to resist.  Communication, patience and persistence is essential to get middle management board.
5. Establish KPIs tied to important tangible goals with clear assignment of responsibilities.  This is important for managing and monitoring sustainability progress, without it, efforts will founder.  Consideration should be given for establishing a separate function in the company to conduct this task.

Task 2: Communicate workplace sustainability policy

1. Promote your new workplace environmental sustainability policy

Poster requirements:

• Must be at least A4 in size
• Must use recycled materials
• Must promote the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Program at ACA Restaurant Café’
• Must be interesting and eye-catching

Example: Poster

2. Communicate the Sustainability policy

Write an email to your Trainer a copy with information about the activities to be undertaken in the program, the target dates, target numbers and contact details of the person responsible for the program.

Task 3: Implement workplace sustainability policy

1. Procedures for the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental sustainability program

• Develop procedures for the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental sustainability program to encourage environmentally responsible responsible disposal of electronic equipment at the restaurant café’.
• After developing the procedures, email to all office staff to communicate your procedures.
• You should incorporate a question and answer portion where you will have to demonstrate an effective way to handle stakeholder objections to recommended sustainability procedures.

Example:

Reduce

Want to help the environment? The most effective way is to reduce your waste before it becomes rubbish.

• Become informed about the environmental impacts of products. If not satisfied, search for better alternatives
• Bulk buy when possible, but don’t buy more than can be used
• Choose products with less packaging
• Choose products with recyclable or reusable packaging
• Carry reusable shopping bags or boxes
• Say ‘no’ to unnecessary plastic bags and other packaging
• Re-use plastic bags and all types of containers over and over again
• Buy quality goods that will last
• Encourage manufacturers to play their part.

Buy recycled goods

Recycled goods have already saved resources and raw materials and helped reduce the overall quantity of waste. Remember, `recycled’ means the product is made partly or wholly from recycled materials and `recyclable’ means the product is capable of being recycled. If an effort isn’t made to buy recycled goods, it’s not really recycling.

Reduce energy and water use

Reducing waste also means saving resources. Energy Information Centres can give information on reducing energy consumption in the home by switching to high-efficiency fluorescent light bulbs, using cold water for washing, and cooking efficiently.

Large amounts of water can be saved at home by fixing leaking taps, using dual-flush toilets, running washing machines and dishwashers only when full, turning the tap off while cleaning teeth, and using a control nozzle on the hose when washing the car or the dog. Design gardens to be water-efficient.

Re-use

• Look for products in reusable, refillable or recyclable packaging when shopping.
• Donate unwanted clothing, furniture and white goods to charities.
• Enquire if goods can be repaired rather than replaced.
• Hold a garage sale.
• Use rechargeable batteries rather than single-use batteries and ask the local council about how to dispose of batteries properly.
• Use retreaded tyres if they are appropriate.
• Use glass bottles and jars, plastic bags, aluminium foil and take away food containers over and over again before recycling or disposing of them.
• Carry lunches in a reusable container rather than disposable wrappings.
• Re-use envelopes and use both sides of paper.

Recycle

Recycling recovers materials used in the home or in industry for further uses. Only recycle after trying to reduce and reuse.

Why recycle?

Recycling has environmental, economic and social advantages.

• Recycling generates civic pride and environmental awareness
• Recycling helps prevent environmental pollution
• Recycling saves natural resources
• Recycling conserves raw materials used in industry
• Making products from recycled ingredients often uses much less energy than producing the same product from raw materials
• Recycling reduces the amount of material dumped in landfill sites
• Goods are used productively and prevented from becoming litter and garbage.

How do I recycle?

Recycling is easy. First, call the local council to find out what recycling facilities exist locally. There may be a kerbside collection system, or a community drop-off system. Kerbside collection of recyclables involves placing recyclables out on the footpath for collection on a set day-just like a normal garbage collection.

Council will provide a recycling container and will details what can and cannot be included for collection. The usual items include all glass jars and bottles, aluminium and steel cans, PET plastic soft drink bottles and HDPE plastic milk and detergent bottles. It may also be possible to include paper, light cardboard, newspapers and ‘junk’ mail, and milk and fruit juice cartons.

Community drop-off centres require a little more effort. Store recyclables at home and then take them to the drop-off centre. Remember to take boxes and bags home from the drop-off centre to prevent litter, and do not mix any non-recyclables with the recyclables.

• Separate recyclables such as glass, plastic, paper and metal from other rubbish – depending on what your local council will collect.
• Do not put recyclables in the bin in a plastic bag.
• Recycle kitchen and garden scraps, which can make up almost 50% of garbage, as compost.
• Get involved in local school and community recycling schemes.
• Keep potentially hazardous household waste such as motor oil, batteries, pesticides and paint out of landfill sites-council will provide information about how to dispose of them safely.
• Encourage friends and family to get involved in recycling at home, at school and in the workplace.

What can I recycle?

Most items can be recycled, but only when there’s a market for the finished product. So, choose products that foster the recycled market.

Glass

100% recyclable household bottles and jars are made from a melted mixture of silica (sand), soda ash and limestone. Glass manufacturers can use your old glass in this process.

Multi-fill bottles such as some beer bottles can be rewashed and refilled. Single-fill containers, made of thinner glass, are separated into clear and coloured glass and broken down for cullet (used broken glass).

When recycling glass:

• recycle all glass containers, not just bottles
• rinse containers
• remove contaminants such as lids, corks and caps – labels can remain
• sort glass into refillable and recyclable (check message on bottles to see which type they are)
• find out if local schools or community groups collect glass for fundraising
• take glass to collection points or support kerbside schemes
• place only glass in bins-contaminants such as ceramics china plates and cups can ruin a batch of glass because they melt at a different rate to glass and can weaken the recycled glass.

Plastic

More than 60 types new plastics and uses, constantly being developed.

Different types of plastic must generally be kept separate for recycling. The Plastics Industry Association has introduced a voluntary system of product coding to help recyclers and the public.

• PET Polyethylene Terephthalate
• HDPE High Density Polyethylene
• UPVC Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride
  PPVC Plasticised Polyvinyl Chloride
• LDPE Low Density Polyethylene
• PP Polypropylene
• PS Polystyrene
  EPS Expanded Polystyrene
• Includes all other resins and multi materials (eg. laminates)

The two types of plastic most commonly recycled in Australia are PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high density polyethylene). PET is commonly used for soft drink packaging (the rocket bottom bottle) and HDPE is used to make plastic milk and detergent bottles. Other types of plastic can be recycled, but are not recycled in the same quantities.

When recycling plastic:

• first, re-use plastic containers and bags
• sort plastic into different types-follow the instructions at the drop-off centre or the instructions provided for kerbside collection
• rinse containers and remove lids (lids are often a different type of plastic)
• ask the supermarket to recycle plastic bags
• look for the code number on any plastic item and try to choose those which can be recycled in local recycling programs.

Packaging waste such as plastic bottles, bags and other consumer plastics are priority wastes under Queensland’s waste strategy. 

Aluminium

Can be recycled over and over again.

Much energy is used to produce primary aluminium from bauxite. Once in metallic form, aluminium can be recycled indefinitely.

Recycling aluminium uses only 5% of the energy needed to produce new aluminium. This saves coal in energy production in power stations and reduces emissions to the atmosphere.

Around Queensland, sell cans at ‘Cash for Cans’ and ‘Cash-a-Can’ centres or put them in kerbside collections or drop-off centres. Find out if local schools collect cans for fund raising.

Currently, the industry recycles 55 per cent of the steel cans Australians use every year.

When you recycle aluminium:

• place aluminium cans in a recycling bin, not the wheelie bin
• encourage schools or workplaces to recycle aluminium cans
• remove foreign objects (e.g. straws) that could ruin new aluminium.

Other metals

Metal recycling has been around for centuries.

Salvaging and reusing metals such as lead, copper and steel makes economic sense.

Metal recycling also makes environmental sense. Processed metals and many alloys require less energy to recycle than to mine and process. This conserves our raw material resources for the future.

Lead can be recycled from old car batteries. Service stations and car battery retail outlets will generally accept car batteries for trade-in or take them to a metal recycler for recycling. Do not empty out battery acid before delivering the batteries to a collector.

Don’t throw away copper from hot water systems, copper pipes or old car radiators-take them to a scrap metal dealer. Electric cabling and wiring contain copper and aluminium, which can be recycled. The plastic coating found on some wiring can be removed by metal recyclers in a process called ‘granulation’. Using this process, the plastic is removed and the copper, aluminium and any steel present are separated magnetically for recycling.

Brass retrieved from old household fittings can be restored for use in old houses.

Steel and iron can be reclaimed from car bodies and engines, disused household or industrial equipment and building materials. Most household steel scrap is in the form of human and pet food cans. Scrap metal dealers may take clean, de-labelled cans but may not be able to offer payment for them. Steel cans, including aerosol, are accepted in many kerbside recycling programs.

When you recycle metal:

• take it to a scrap metal dealer or local drop-off centre
• ask if money is paid for returned metal goods
• remember that old car bodies and old fridges and freezers look better in a scrap metal yard than dumped in bushland
• don’t include fire extinguishers, gas bottles, or shock absorbers-they have the potential to explode.

Paper

Plantation timber, not native forests, is the source of most paper-making pulp. Stronger, better quality paper is made from hardwoods. Softwoods produce shorter fibres suitable for paper such as newsprint.

2. Action (strategy) plan for continuous improvement in resource efficiency

• Develop a plan of action (strategy) for continuous improvement in resource efficiency. You may choose to create the plan for any of the areas of the restaurant café’ e.g. office, kitchen, bar, café’ or restaurant. .

Example: Action plan

No.	Strategy	Responsibility	Target Date
1	Reduce downtime, rework and scrap	Managers	XX/XX/20XX
2	Establish new for switching off lights or heating when not needed and equipment that is not in use – put labels for reminders	Team Leaders	XX/XX/20XX
3	Optimise production process for better productivity	Managers	XX/XX/20XX
4	Establish and enforce standards for house keeping	Managers	XX/XX/20XX
5	Identify activities that add value to the business to improve time efficiency	All staff	XX/XX/20XX
6	Measuring and reporting environmental/sustainability performance on a quarterly basis	Team Leaders	XX/XX/20XX

3. Record Keeping for Sustainability program

• For office area of the restaurant café’, develop an Excel spreadsheet template to record and keep track of expenses incurred in buying toners and maintaining the office printers and photocopiers within a 6 months period.
• The template must include relevant headings and labels appropriate to the data to be entered (see sample below). The information later entered into the spreadsheet will be converted into graphs/charts to be used to make informed decisions about how to further improve processes and reduce costs.
• Also assign a person responsible for monitoring, recording and reporting the outcomes.
• The given sample table below, contains items from the office area of the restaurant café’. You may utilise this table to complete this task (add items if necessary) or choose for any of the areas of the restaurant café’ e.g. office, kitchen, bar, café’ or restaurant to create the recording system.

Example: Excel spreadsheet template

Jan – June 2019 Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	June	TOTAL
Laser toner cartridges @ $158 each	4	2	2	3	4	4	$3,002
Inkjet printer cartridges @ $98 each	5	4	5	5	3	5	$2,646
Ream of paper @ $30	10	10	8	8	8	11	$1,650
Cost of servicing @ $100	2	3	1	2	2	1	$1,100

Example: Responsibility for monitoring, recording and reporting

Monitoring, recording and reporting	Responsibility	Date Progress Checked	Comment Action required (Who & When)
Records of monitoring of noise at appropriate intervals and in response to complaints during construction. Records include information on recurring or major exceeding of noise goals.	Manager
Records of monitoring of light pollution to confirm relative to its mounting orientation, 95% of external public lighting luminaries within the project boundary have an Upward Light Output Ratio less than 5%	Manager

Task 4: Review workplace sustainability policy implementation

• Email the memorandum of sustainability policy for review and feedback

• Document all these positive outcomes and prepare and send email to stakeholders and key personnel to provide feedback about the positive results of the restaurant café’s sustainability initiatives.
• In the email, make sure you summarise the savings listed above in an easy-to-read table comparing previous expenses over a 6 months period with the total savings to date (see sample below).
• Ensure to embed the appropriate restaurant café’ logo within the memorandum. The logo is available on e-learning titled “ACA Restaurant Cafe’ LOGO”.

• Refer to below sample for your answer.
• Modify the procedures

• Modify the procedures to include procedures for how to reduce paper and printing wastage in the company.
• Refer Task 3.1 Procedures for the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle environmental sustainability program

Sample Memorandum

Note for Student:

• For reference only. Don’t copy the memorandum. Create your own. Reflect all the positive outcomes and give feedback on the initiatives taken and how it has impacted on the restaurant café’

MEMORANDUM

Company

Logo

Month X, 20XX
To: XXXX
From: XXXX
Subject: New “Environmental Sustainability” Section in Reports to XXXXX

Starting with the Month X, 20XX ACA Restaurant Café’ meeting, all reports to the XXXX from restaurant café’ staff will include an “Environmental Sustainability” section. The report templates for staff members have been updated to include the new section as well. The purpose of the new section is to identify environmental considerations associated with the item being addressed in the report, thereby allowing the XXX Restaurant Café’ to include those considerations in making decisions.

The report has been submitted for review to the XXXX, of the results of newly addressed sustainability initiatives taken.

The XXXX should use the new report section to summarize considerations of how their recommendation to the restaurant café’ affects the its environmental sustainability goals and meets environmental requirements.

All sustainability report templates have been updated to include the “Environmental Sustainability” section. All Managers will provide those templates to the XXXXX as needed. Please direct any questions regarding the new report section to XXXXX.

cc: XXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXXX, XXXXX

XXXX, Position

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