Unit Outline

Organisations create various benefits and various costs for stakeholders. Some of these costs and benefits – which can be of a financial, social, or environmental nature - can be quantified in monetary terms while others cannot. Managers have a responsibility and accountability for these costs and benefits regardless of whether they can be measured in monetary terms. To manage an organisation sustainably, the significant costs and benefits generated by an organisation need to be measured, monitored, and managed. Society generally, and different groups of stakeholders specifically, expect an organisation to accept responsibility for the ‘costs’ it generates. Failure to manage various sustainability-related costs can have implications for the survival of an organisation. Among the many expectations of managers, an ever-increasing expectation is that managers will actively attempt to mitigate their contribution to climate change, Employer groups, professional accounting bodies and course advisory committees have consistently highlighted the need for business students to be critical thinkers; be able to demonstrate skills that extend beyond technical competencies; and to be able to demonstrate an understanding that organisations are part of a broader social system on which they rely for organisational survival. This unit responds to this expectation, as it focusses on graduate self-awareness and applied technical and professional ‘soft’ skills in the following key areas: • Provides insight into identifying the range of resources used by an organisation (including the use of so called’ free goods’), and the costs the organisation creates (both private and public costs) in doing so. • Emphasises the importance of considering the lifecycle of an organisation’s goods and services. • Explores the motivations driving managers to report sustainability-related performance information • Explores the role and usefulness of various sustainability-related reporting frameworks • Discusses the global problem of climate change and the responsibilities and role of managers in addressing it.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1.	Critically evaluate various reporting frameworks and theoretical perspectives used to explain managerial motivations to report sustainability related information
2.	Advocate the importance of a longer-term planning perspective for managers to attain sustainable development
3.	Critically evaluate relevant accounting approaches to improve organisational sustainability-related performance and reporting
4.	Analyse and evaluate the risks and opportunities that climate change poses to an organisation
5.	Communicate information sourced from analysis of sustainability reports to a range of stakeholders

Alterations as a result of student feedback

To be determined.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Team Assignment	Week 5	30 %	LO1, LO2, LO5
Assessment Task 2:	Individual Assignment	Week 9	35 %	LO1, LO2, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Individual Assignment	Week 14	35 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Team Assignment

Task Description:

For a fictional case organisation, prepare a report to management in which you identify the resources being used and the ‘costs’ being generated by the organisation.
In doing so, you are to identify which particular accounting approaches should be applied to identify, measure, monitor and manage the various costs, and benefits, being generated by the organisation. This analysis is to include costs and benefits that are measured in monetary terms, and those that are not. Your report should include diagrams as relevant to show the flow of various resources into the organization and the outflow of various good and/or services, possible wastes, possible emissions and other costs.
You are to clearly explain why the selected accounting approaches are appropriate to the case organisation and how the particular approach assists managers to embrace a longer-term perspective.

Task Length:

2500 words

Due Date:

Week 5

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Analyse and evaluate the different types of ‘costs’ and ‘benefits’ likely to be generated by the case organisation	LO2
2	Demonstrate knowledge of different accounting approaches that can be used to identify and manage ‘costs’ relating to social and environmental impacts likely to be generated by the organisations	LO1, LO2
3	Critically review prioritizing the ‘costs’ and ‘benefits’ likely to be generated by the organisation from a socially and environmentally responsible perspective	LO1, LO2
4	Professionally communicate your findings in a report to management	LO5

Assessment Task 2: Individual Assignment

Task Description:

Produce a report to management of the case organisation in which you provide a critical review of available sustainability-related reporting frameworks, and in which you provide a recommendation about which framework(s) are particularly appropriate to the organisation.
Management wants to use your report to explain to different stakeholders why the organisation has decided to adopt a particular framework. Therefore, management has asked that your report be prepared in a way that makes it suitable for loading on the organisation’s website and therefore available for public view.
The report shall also identify the potential costs and benefits to the organisation from producing a sustainability-related report.

Task Length:

2500 Words

Due Date:

Week 9

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Describe and critically evaluate various sustainability reporting frameworks	LO1, LO2
2	Analyse and advocate which frameworks/ disclosures are particularly relevant to the case organisation and its stakeholders, and explain why	LO1, LO2
3	Analyse and critically evaluate the likely costs and benefits associated with producing a sustainability report	LO1
4	Professionally communicate your findings in a report to management	LO5

Assessment Task 3: Individual Assignment

Task Description:

This final assessment will assume knowledge of all material covered in the unit. Students will be asked to assess the sustainability-related reporting of two ‘real-life’ organisations, and to suggest improvements for the organisations’ reporting based on the material covered across the unit.

Task Length:

2500-word essay

Due Date:

Week 14

Weight:

35 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Demonstrate advanced understanding of sustainability reporting practices and different perspectives of the role of managers in promoting sustainable business practices	LO1, LO2
2	Critically review and evaluate various reporting frameworks and approaches available to demonstrate accountability for the social, economic and environmental impacts of an organisation.	LO3
3	Apply an understanding of sustainability reporting practices and frameworks to evaluate the public disclosures an organisation makes with respect to its social, economic and environmental performance and make recommendations for improvements thereto.	LO3, LO4, LO5

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.