M08: HR and People Management Assessment

Assignment Overview

Briefing

Ending plastic waste in Africa is not just an environmental issue but an opportunity to create a sustainable, profitable, and scalable solution that positively impacts local communities, economies, and ecosystems. To be successful, it is important to have a passionate, skilled, and committed team. This business case asks you to explain why attracting, developing, and retaining the right talent is critical to driving the systemic change needed to transform plastic recycling in sub-Saharan Africa.

Company Information

You work for an international company. Your company’s African business aims to help shape Africa’s sustainable future by accelerating circularity in the plastics industry.

You have been tasked with assembling a team to implement a new project in a sub-Saharan African country. Your team must provide industry leadership and technical expertise, with a focus on technologies that will help Africa achieve its sustainable development goals. By attracting and retaining the right talent, your team should drive sustainable change transforming the game of plastics recycling in the region.

Project Motto: “Let’s build the team that will turn our vision into reality.”

Business Objectives: Transforming Plastic Recycling in Africa

• Growing Plastic Waste Problem: Africa generates millions of tons of plastic waste each year, and waste management systems are often underdeveloped or inefficient.

• Market Potential: As awareness of plastic pollution grows, so does the demand for sustainable recycling solutions. The circular economy for plastic waste in Africa is poised for growth.

• Environmental & Economic Impact: Tackling plastic waste can reduce pollution, create jobs, boost the green economy, and position Africa as a leader in global sustainability initiatives.

Why Talent Is Key to Success

Building a team aligned with the mission of ending plastic waste is fundamental. Talent is not only about technical expertise it is about passion, vision, and the ability to drive change within communities and industries.

The right team will enable the organisation to:

• Innovate: Develop new recycling technologies and sustainable materials through diverse perspectives and expertise.

• Scale: Manage large-scale projects across multiple African countries, navigate regulatory landscapes, and form strategic partnerships.

• Advocate: Educate communities, businesses, and governments on the importance of recycling and sustainable practices.

• Develop Partnerships: Work with local governments, NGOs, businesses, and communities to implement scalable solutions.

Key Roles & Expertise Needed

To transform the plastic waste problem, your team needs specialists who excel in:

• Innovation and Technology

Engineers and scientists who can design scalable recycling processes, new alternatives to plastics, and advanced waste-management technologies.

• Operations and Supply Chain Management

Experts who can build efficient waste-collection, sorting, and recycling systems across urban and rural settings.

• Environmental Policy and Advocacy

Professionals who can navigate regulations, collaborate with policymakers, and drive systemic environmental change.

• Community Engagement

Leaders who can educate local communities, build trust, and promote participation in recycling initiatives.

• Financial & Business Development

Professionals with strong business acumen who can design sustainable business models, attract investors, and build partnerships with governments and global corporations.

Why Retention Is Crucial

While attracting the right talent is essential, retaining them ensures long-term success. High turnover can disrupt operations, slow progress, and result in the loss of valuable knowledge.

Retention matters because it provides:

• Knowledge & Continuity: Experienced team members understand local dynamics and the unique challenges of African recycling systems.

• Leadership & Culture: Retention builds strong internal culture and leadership vital for scaling operations.

• Innovation Incentives: Training and professional development motivate employees to continue innovating to solve environmental challenges.

Key Questions: How Do You Find and Keep the Right Team?

To attract and retain top talent, your strategy must address:

• How to attract talent: Where to find the right people and how to encourage them to apply.

• What to offer: Compensation packages, personal development opportunities, and meaningful social and environmental impact.

• How to create a purpose-driven culture: Ensuring alignment with mission and values.

• How to foster inclusion and diversity: Building a team with varied skills and perspectives, while ensuring deep understanding of the local context.

• How to ensure employee well-being: Protecting mental and physical health.

Measuring Impact and Success (KPIs)

To ensure the effectiveness of your team-building efforts, track KPIs for each strategy area:

Attracting Talent

• Number of qualified applicants

• Time-to-fill positions

• Diversity of candidate pool

• Application conversion rate

Retention

• Turnover rate

• Average employee tenure

• Employee satisfaction scores

• Participation in training and development

Culture

• Engagement survey results

• Alignment to organisational purpose scores

• Participation in mission-driven initiatives

Inclusion & Diversity

• Representation across roles and demographics

• Intercultural training completion

• Local community involvement metrics

Employee Well-Being

• Absenteeism rates

• Well-being program participation

• Health and safety incident reports

Summary of Assessment Requirements

The assessment requires students to prepare a business case explaining why attracting, developing, and retaining the right talent is essential for transforming plastic recycling in sub-Saharan Africa. Students must analyse the role of talent in driving systemic change, support Africa’s transition to a circular plastics economy, and outline how a competent team can help achieve environmental, economic, and social sustainability goals.

The key pointers to be addressed in the assessment include:

1. Company Context

• Role of an international organisation aiming to advance plastic circularity in Africa.

• Responsibility to assemble a specialised team for a project in a sub-Saharan country.

• Project motto: “Let’s build the team that will turn our vision into reality.”

2. Business Objectives

• Understanding Africa’s escalating plastic waste problem.

• Market potential for recycling and circular-economy innovations.

• Environmental and economic benefits of addressing plastic pollution.

3. Importance of Talent

Students must explain how the right talent contributes to:

• Innovation

• Scalability

• Advocacy and education

• Partnership development

4. Key Roles & Expertise

Assessment must identify and justify the need for talent across:

• Innovation & Technology

• Operations & Supply Chain

• Environmental Policy & Advocacy

• Community Engagement

• Financial & Business Development

5. Importance of Employee Retention

Students must discuss:

• Knowledge continuity

• Leadership and organisational culture

• Motivation and innovation through training

6. Strategies to Attract and Retain Talent

Students must outline:

• Recruitment strategies

• Employer value proposition

• Purpose-driven culture

• Diversity & inclusion practices

• Employee well-being measures

7. KPIs for Measuring Success

Students must propose measurable indicators under:

• Talent attraction

• Retention

• Culture

• Inclusion & diversity

• Employee well-being

How the Academic Mentor Guided the Student: Step-by-Step Approach

The academic mentor supported the student through a structured and systematic process to complete the assessment effectively. The guidance followed several key steps:

Step 1: Understanding the Brief

The mentor first helped the student break down the task by analysing the provided briefing.
They discussed:

• The purpose of the business case

• The importance of linking talent management with sustainability goals

• The key sections required to form a coherent and well-structured response

Outcome:
The student gained clarity on the expectations and scope of the assignment.

Step 2: Identifying Core Themes

Next, the mentor guided the student to extract the main themes of the task:

• Talent acquisition and retention

• Organisational impact

• Circular economy opportunities

• Environmental sustainability

Outcome:
The student understood what specific areas needed deeper analysis.

Step 3: Structuring the Business Case

The mentor helped the student develop a structured outline that mirrored best practices in HR and business case writing. The recommended structure included:

1. Introduction

2. Company background

3. Business objectives

4. Importance of talent

5. Key roles required

6. Retention strategies

7. Attracting and retaining talent

8. KPIs for measuring success

Outcome:
The student had a clear roadmap for writing the full assessment.

Step 4: Writing Each Section with Clarity

The mentor then guided the student through each section:

• Introduction:

Explaining the linkage between plastic waste reduction and talent strategy.

• Company Background:

Presenting the organisation’s goals and project context.

• Business Objectives:

Describing Africa’s waste challenge and market opportunity.

• Why Talent Matters:

Connecting talent capabilities with innovation, advocacy, and large-scale change.

• Roles Required:

Justifying the need for technological, operational, policy, community, and financial expertise.

• Retention:

Discussing how continuity, culture, and development drive long-term success.

• Attraction & Retention Strategy:

Describing what the organisation must offer to secure top talent.

• KPIs:

Proposing measurable benchmarks aligned with HR best practices.

Outcome:
The student was able to write each section clearly, ensuring logical flow and relevance.

Step 5: Reviewing and Refining the Draft

The mentor helped the student:

• Align arguments to the assessment brief

• Improve academic tone

• Strengthen justification with HR and sustainability concepts

• Ensure all key questions were addressed

• Add measurable KPIs

Outcome:
The final draft became coherent, professional, and academically sound.

Final Outcome and Learning Objectives Achieved

By following the mentor-guided process, the student successfully produced a well-structured and comprehensive business case. The assessment demonstrated the student’s ability to:

Analyse complex sustainability issues

By understanding plastic waste challenges in Africa and linking them with talent management strategies.

Connect HR strategies with organisational goals

By showing how attracting, developing, and retaining talent supports innovation and growth.

Design effective talent acquisition and retention plans

Including recruitment, culture-building, diversity, and well-being strategies.

Identify and justify critical roles and expertise

Essential for technological, operational, policy, community, and business functions.

Apply strategic thinking and problem-solving

While addressing systemic challenges in the plastics recycling sector.

Develop actionable KPIs

To ensure measurable impact and continuous improvement.

Communicate professionally in a structured business case format

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