Sustainability Practices Assessment

This assignment requires a comprehensive review of sustainability practices across different industries, as discussed in the given research papers. You are to assess the effectiveness of these practices, identify areas for improvement, and propose solutions to overcome any identified challenges. The assignment is based on eight research papers focusing on sustainable practices in medicinal chemistry, manufacturing firms, dairy supply chains, workplace settings, solar hydrogen fuel education programs, UK construction industry, and landfill design.

SUSTAINABLE
PRACTICES IN IT

Table of Contents
TASK 1: POLICY SCOPE..............................................................................................................1
1.1 Key Stakeholders..............................................................................................................1
1.2 Issues face by business.....................................................................................................1
1.3 Responsibility...................................................................................................................1
1.4 Legislation mandating compliance...................................................................................1
1.5 Vision...............................................................................................................................2
1.6 Values...............................................................................................................................2
TASK 2: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SITUATIONS..................................................................2
3. GOAL AND TARGETS FOR IMPROVEMENTS....................................................................6
TASK 4: ACTION...........................................................................................................................6
4.1 Waste management...........................................................................................................6
4.2 Energy management.........................................................................................................6
4.3 Water management...........................................................................................................6
4.4 Transportation emission...................................................................................................6
4.5 Purchasing........................................................................................................................7
4.6: Action Plan......................................................................................................................7
TASK 5: COMMUNICATION AND REVIEW.............................................................................7
5.1 Role and responsibilities...................................................................................................7
5.2 Competence training and awareness................................................................................8
5.3 Communication with stakeholders...................................................................................8
5.4 Barriers to implementation...............................................................................................8
5.5 Continuous improvements................................................................................................9
6. MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE.......................................................................................9
6.1 Compliance.......................................................................................................................9
6.2 Monitoring........................................................................................................................9
7. REVIEW AND EVALUATION.................................................................................................9
REFERENCE LIST.......................................................................................................................10

TASK 1: POLICY SCOPE
1.1 Key Stakeholders
Key stakeholders of Kingfisher garden Centre are as following:
 Customers
 Employees
 Managers
 Government
 Suppliers
These are main stakeholders of Kingfisher garden Centre. Sustainable policy of company
will affect these persons. Company always try to bring benefit to its stakeholders. By managing
stakeholders well it will be able to enhance its sales volume. This would support in retaining
customers and employees with company for longer duration.
1.2 Issues face by business
High wastage of water is the main issue in the business. Furthermore, uses of water,
energy are high as compare to benchmark.
1.3 Responsibility
 Sustainability is very important for the Kingfisher garden Centre because t supports in
fulfilling corporate responsibilities towards society.
 With the assistance of this act entity can be able to run business legally and ethically.
That would minimize further complications of organization.
 Sustainability increases ability of the firm to comply its practices with regulations. These
elements look upon the impact of practices on climate, resources etc. thus adoption of
laws supports in integrating sustainability and making positive changes time to time.
1.4 Legislation mandating compliance
As per South Australian Plant health Act 2009, the main objective of this act is to provide
plants safe environment and keep them away from pests. Furthermore, national waste policy has
been made by government. The main purpose of this legislation is to reduce wastage of resources
and use it for social welfare. Environment protection act 1997 has been made for safeguarding of
environment.
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1.5 Vision
Vision of Kingfisher garden Centre is to provide amazing gardening services to
customers and create garden spaces to them at affordable rates.
1.6 Values
 Values statement of Kingfisher garden Centre is sustainable development of nature and
society.
 Improve lives of people by providing them beautiful garden spaces.
TASK 2: OVERVIEW OF CURRENT SITUATIONS
Current performance of Kingfisher's Garden Centre in respect to waste, energy, water
consumption, emission and procurement
Energy
Chart 1: Average daily energy usage chart
Interpretation: From the above graph it is analysed that average daily usage of energy is
fluctuating but it is always high with benchmark. So there is requirement of make modification.
In the month of Oct benchmark was 36 KWH daily but it has used 41, same in the month
benchmark was 38 but Kingfisher's daily uses of energy was 39. Same in the month of March
benchmark was 38 but daily usage of energy in the Kingfisher garden centre was 42.
Chart 2: Green house emission on monthly bases
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Interpretation: from the chart it is analysed that energy uses for entire month has increased
initially but later on its being controlled. Green house emission is increasing continuously in
each month. It is found that monthly use of energy in the month of Oct was 1209 and greenhouse
emission was 2440. When it moves to next month of Nov then green house emission was 2208
and monthly use was 1230. In the month of March green house emission was 2673 and month
usages of energy was 1302. It shows that green house emission is increasing monthly with the
working of Kingfisher Garden Centre.
Chart 3: Monthly energy cost
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Interpretation: From the chart it is analysed that cost energy is fluctuating. In Nov month it was
389 but in Dec it reached to 510. In the month of Feb cost was 482 but in March it reached to
399. Budget of the company is good, it is able to control over its cost. However, it can be stated
that on October, the cost is getting higher, in this context, appropriate steps need to be planned so
that the rate does not exceeds. There are two months in which the rate was highest these are
February and December.
Water
Chart 1: Average daily water usage against benchmark
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From the above analyses it is identified that water usages is not near about the best
practices. In order to make it more efficient it is required to improve it more. The use of water
each month is getting reduced. This way, it can be stated that the type of strategies that applied
are effective enough to make sure that appropriate support is provided to the firm. When the rate
of cost that are incurred in is deduced by saving automatically rate of profit increases.
Chart 2: Quarterly water bills
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Interpretation: From the analyses it is found that current performance of Kingfisher Garden
Centre is average. Its quarterly water bills are decreasing. Though in the quarter between Feb to
April it reached to 150 but in May to Jul it was 135 and in Aug to Oct it was 126. That shows
budget is managed. Steps are taken from the side of management to make sure that they
understand the issues due to which cost that raised. This way, from the month of February the
cost of bill has fallen.
3. GOAL AND TARGETS FOR IMPROVEMENTS
In accordance with the situations identified, it is required to set up appropriate goals that
will be suitable enough to control the issues faced. In this context, below given are the SMART
objectives:
 To reduce the rate of greenhouse gas by next year
 To reduce usage of water by 10% by next year
 To reduce cost of energy by 10%
TASK 4: ACTION
4.1 Waste management
In order to manage wastage, it is important for the firm to be transparent for the demand
that is made from the side of customer. When this is identified, then it becomes favourable
enough to make production and this way, there will not be access of goods developed (Katzeff,
Broms and Räsänen, 2013). It will require to have strong communication with people who sell
the products to customers.
As per the types of policies and procedure, it can be stated that time to time report can be
taken regarding the production that are made. This will be favourable enough to make sure that
waste is managed.
Below given are the cost that will be incurred by the firm:
Project A
Initial
investment -190
1 500 310
2 640 950
3 580 1530
4 700 2230
5 800 3030
6 900 3930
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In accordance with the above table, it can be stated that the cost will be covered within
three months’ time.
4.2 Energy management
To improve energy of the organisation, it requires for the business to set out goals in
which the total energy that was consumed previously is identified and steps are taken to reduce
them. In order to set out the targets, consumption of energy should be made in which employees
are able to perform effectively so that energy is saved (Nowotny, Bak and Veziroglu, 2014).
4.3 Water management
To increase water management, it is important to make sure that firm increase the soil
structure and its organic matter. In addition to this, steps should be taken so that firm is able to
reduce soil erosion. When these aspects are considered, then it becomes favourable enough to
manage waste. Further, by increasing the efficiency of water use is also helpful for the business
to manage water.
4.4 Transportation emission
For transportation emission, it is essential for the business to take up proper monitoring
through which they are able to determine the total distance. Those distances are covered at same
place (Oluwole Akadiri and Olaniran Fadiya, 2013). For example, in the visit they are made at a
particular place is 5 time, then steps should be taken in which the total number of visit at that
particular place is reduced.
4.5 Purchasing
To improve purchasing decision, it is important to understand the benefits and features of
the purchases that have to be make. Before making purchase decisions, it is important that
appropriate steps are taken so that information can be gathered with its price and quality. When
the product is able to meet all requirements, then it will be favourable enough to improve
purchase decision.
4.6: Action Plan
An action plan is important to be made so that it helps management to determine the step
by step process that they need to follow so that they are able to attain the goals and objectives.
Below given are the action plans that will be followed:
Areas to be considered Action plan Total time required
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Greenhouse emission Making use of new and advanced
technology
6 months
Waste management Providing training to workers 5 months
Water management Increase the soil structure, soil organic
matter and increasing the efficiency of
water use
3 months
Energy management Setting up appropriate goals 1 month
Purchase decision Gathering information as per
requirements
3 months
Transportation emission Reducing the transportation by
covering all aspect in one travel
2 months
TASK 5: COMMUNICATION AND REVIEW
5.1 Role and responsibilities
There are managers for each of the areas who will be responsible to make sure that the
goals that are set can be attained in an effective manner (Dubey and Bag, 2013). In this context,
below given is the responsibility matrix that will be enable to focus on the people to perform
their roles:
Waste manager Energy manager Water manager
Planning scheduling R A C
Risk management A I R
Quality management I R Q
Getting feedback from employees Q C A
Implementing strategies A R I
Follow up R Q A
I: Informed, A: Accountable, R: Responsible, C: Consulted, Q: Quality Reviewer
5.2 Competence training and awareness
For all the employees who are involved in the process of reducing the problems faced
within the organisation, it is important that appropriate steps are taken. In this context,
management need to monitor their workers so that they are able to identify the issues that are
faced by them. When this is done effectively, then it helps management to focus on training and
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development (Townsend, Powell and Reinhart, 2015). This is helpful enough to improve the
areas in which they lack. Further, they can put on their full efforts to support the firm to
overcome the issues in an effective manner.
5.3 Communication with stakeholders
All the stakeholders need to be informed about the changes which are to be made, then it
becomes favourable enough to accept the changes. There are people, when they are conveyed
about the changes, then they show some resistance (Katzeff, Broms and Räsänen, 2013). With
this respect, when information is provided to them, then they are able to accept the changes.
Further, there are various type of preference. When they are informed about the initial stage, then
they can also provide their suggestions to implement them.
5.4 Barriers to implementation
In order to implement the plan in an effective manner, it is essential that all the barriers
that can arise are identified. In this process, it requires the management to have proper analysis to
be made so that they get to determine the risk that can fall (Bryan, Dillon and Sneddon, 2013). In
implementing any type of plan, it is essential that there are activities planned and for each of the
activities, it requires to have support from the side of employees. It is a type of barrier faced
when employees are not able to perform their set of roles in an effective manner.
5.5 Continuous improvements
When changes are implemented, then it requires to have frequent improvement to be
made. This is important because plan may have any type of gap and to overcome them it requires
to have continuous improvement (Glover, Champion and Dainty, 2014). When proper steps are
not taken to maintain the goals can be difficult, then the issues for with the plan was developed
will again arise.
6. MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE
6.1 Compliance
It is important that time to time analysis is made so that management is able to boost up
people towards making the business for performing their set of goals in an appropriate manner. It
requires to have compliance so that employees are able to develop trust on the operations that are
targeted to be achieved.
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6.2 Monitoring
In order to monitor the process, management will focus on the cost and the investment
that they have to make for the areas. When the rate of analysis made is low, then it can be stated
that the plan that are set are attained (Shove and Spurling, 2013). Further, feedback will be
gathered from managers who are responsible to look over the operations. When monitoring is not
done properly, then it causes negative impact over the business. They are not able to determine
the areas in which improvement needs to be made.
7. REVIEW AND EVALUATION
Energy usage
1. In accordance with the evaluation made, it can be stated that by following the plan, firm will
be able to reach out the targets in effective manner.
2. As per the basement line data proper efforts made by the firms has helped in making
improvement in effective manner.
3. The benchmarks there were not met due to lack of fund.
4. Further, the business needs to conduct frequent surveys for the performance level and cost that
they incur for each of the aspect. In this way, management will be able to maintain their
operations and the set goals can be attained efficiently.
Water usage
1. Yes were able to meet the targets
2. There was identified an improvement against the baseline data.
3. The benchmarks there were met.
4. Proper training should be provided to workers so that they perform their set of roles in
effective manner.
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REFERENCE LIST
Bryan, M. C., Dillon, B. and Sneddon, H. F., 2013. Sustainable practices in medicinal chemistry:
current state and future directions. Journal of medicinal chemistry, 56(15), pp.6007-6021.
Dubey, R. and Bag, S., 2013. Exploring the dimensions of sustainable practices: An empirical
study on Indian manufacturing firms. International Journal of Operations and
Quantitative Management, 19(2), pp.123-146.
Glover, J. L., Champion, D. and Dainty, A. J. D., 2014. An Institutional Theory perspective on
sustainable practices across the dairy supply chain. International Journal of Production
Economics, 152, pp.102-111.
Katzeff, C., Broms, L. and Räsänen, M., 2013. Exploring sustainable practices in workplace
settings through visualizing electricity consumption. ACM Transactions on Computer-
Human Interaction (TOCHI), 20(5), p.31.
Nowotny, J., Bak, T. and Veziroglu, T. N., 2014. Sustainable practices: solar hydrogen fuel and
education program on sustainable energy systems. international journal of hydrogen
energy, 39(9), pp.4151-4157.
Oluwole Akadiri, P. and Olaniran Fadiya, O., 2013. Empirical analysis of the determinants of
environmentally sustainable practices in the UK construction industry. Construction
Innovation, 13(4), pp.352-373.
Shove, E. and Spurling, N. eds., 2013. Sustainable practices: Social theory and climate change
(Vol. 95). Routledge.
Townsend, T. G., Powell, J. and Reinhart, D., 2015. Sustainable Practices for Landfill Design
and Operation. Springer.
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