8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance

Introduction

In the ILM Level 5 qualification for leadership and management, a key unit is 8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance. This unit is all about enhancing environmental sustainability. In today’s world, addressing environmental concerns and corporate social responsibility is crucial for achieving organizational success. It’s highly important for leaders and stakeholders within organisations to recognise their role in improving and sustaining environmental sustainability and performance according to set standards. The approach also includes understanding the legal frameworks that guide practices affecting environmental sustainability.

8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance, part of the ILM module, offers learners the chance to gain relevant information on environmental sustainability and the need to enhance organisational performance in this regard. The unit focuses on recognising the organisational context and understanding the policies designed to protect the environment. Its main goal is to help learners understand the role and responsibilities of leaders in contributing to the improvement and maintenance of superior environmental performance.

Unit Aim

This unit aims to help practising or potential middle managers gain a better understanding of how to enhance and sustain environmental performance.

Who is this unit suitable for?

Environmental sustainability is a crucial factor influencing modern organizational activities. To meet established standards, organizations must effectively implement legal and ethical policies and procedures related to environmental sustainability. It’s important for all stakeholders to understand these standards, legal principles, and approaches to enhance environmental sustainability. Unit 8607-525, Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance, is well-suited for various stakeholders. It covers essential theoretical and practical information aligned with the achievement of goals related to environmental sustainability and conservation.

This unit is specifically designed to meet the needs and learning objectives of middle managers, who are leaders in the second tier of organizational leadership responsible for making tactical decisions. It equips them with information and knowledge to enhance their contributions to environmentally sustainable practices. However, the unit is not limited to middle managers; it is also beneficial for other leaders in the organization. Executive managers can use it to develop effective organizational-level strategies and plans. Junior managers, team leaders, and employees can contribute to achieving environmental performance goals in their respective areas. Moreover, this unit is suitable for external consultants actively involved in supporting decision-making within the organization.

What are the learning outcomes of this unit?

By the end of this unit, learners should be able to:

• Explain what environmental sustainability is and why it’s a strategic concern for the organization.
• Review the laws and codes of practice related to environmental sustainability and understand their impact on the organization.
• Evaluate the organization’s current strategies and policies for environmental sustainability in comparison to established standards.
• Recommend improvements for the organization’s current environmental policies and sustainability strategy to meet set standards.
• Conduct an environmental audit or baseline environmental audit in their area of responsibility, using various methodologies to enhance environmental performance.
• Create an audit report covering findings, recommendations, action plans, and approaches for monitoring and evaluating the plans used to sustain improvements.

What are the key learning areas of this unit?

Unit 8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance, is all about understanding environmental issues and aspects. It covers important topics, including:

Strategic Context of Environmental Sustainability:

• This part focuses on laying the foundations for managing environmental sustainability. Learners will grasp the basic principles of effective environmental management, understand why sustainability is important, and learn about associated challenges. The module also improves understanding of regulatory requirements, workplace environmental standards, and managerial responsibilities. It covers reducing the carbon footprint and teaches best practices for reporting, including the triple bottom line (profit, people, and planet).

Environmental Audit:

• This section helps learners comprehend the principles of scanning established environmental standards within the workplace. It ensures that organization leaders can implement strategies for sound environmental practices. Learners will understand environmental management systems like BS11992 and BS7750 in British standards. The module also guides leaders in understanding the practices, procedures, and methodologies for conducting an environmental sustainability audit at the workplace. Lastly, learners will be guided in documenting the audit findings and implementing strategies across various areas of practice.

How is the unit evaluated?

After finishing the unit, the learner needs to be able to understand both the theory and practical aspects of managing environmental sustainability. The assessment of 8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organization’s Environmental Performance involves various methods. A written assessment gauges how well the learner has grasped the theoretical information covered in the unit, while supervised practice and simulated exercises play a crucial role in evaluating the practical skills applied in a workplace setting.

References

Strategic Context of Environmental Sustainability:

• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). (2020). Vision 2050: Time to Transform. Accessed from https://www.wbcsd.org/
• UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme). (2021). Making Peace with Nature: A Planetary Biodiversity Strategy 2030. Accessed from https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/29357
• WEF (World Economic Forum). (2023). The Global Risks Report 2023. Accessed from https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2023.pdf
• GRI (Global Reporting Initiative). (2023). GRI 3: Standard Disclosures on Management Approach 2023. Accessed from https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/
• Brundtland Commission. (1987). Our Common Future. Accessed from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf (While older than 5 years, this foundational text on sustainable development remains relevant to the strategic context.)

Environmental Audit:

• ISO 14001:2015 Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use. (2015). International Organization for Standardization. Accessed from https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:14001:en
• BS 8555:2014 Environmental impact assessment – Code of practice for the identification of opportunities for improvement. (2014). British Standards Institution. Accessed from https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/environmental-management-systems-phased-implementation-guide/standard
• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). (2023). Environmental Auditing Policy Requirements. Accessed from https://www.epa.gov/compliance/epas-audit-policy
• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). (2020). Audit & Assurance Protocol for Sustainable Reporting. Accessed from https://www.wbcsd.org/Programs/Redefining-Value/Making-stakeholder-capitalism-actionable/Assurance-Internal-Controls
• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). (2020). Circular Economy Assessment Protocol. Accessed from https://www.wbcsd.org/Programs/Circular-Economy

Additional Resources:

• ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management). (2023). 8607-525 Improving and Maintaining the Organisation’s Environmental Performance. Accessed from https://www.iasj.net/iasj/article/217593
• UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). (2023). Paris Agreement. Accessed from https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement

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