List two ways that Quality Assurance (QA) contributes to quality management.

Outline how decoupling contributes to Smart’s Shoes sustainable policies and practices.

Outline one reason why Smart’s Shoes would use lean production to help meet their sustainability goals.

Explain the benefits of sustainability reporting for manufacturers such as Smart’s Shoes.

Develops processes and systems to prevent defects;

assures products meet the required/consistent quality / ensures the quality of all activities (quality of raw materials, machinery, parts, training, assemblies and products) from design to inspection;

Award [1] for listing each way how Quality Assurance (QA) contributes to quality management up to [2 max].

Smart’s Shoes is experiencing economic growth / sold 35 million pairs in 2015 / sold over 250 million pairs to date;

while decreasing its environmental impact / reusing materials / recycling / reducing energy consumption;

Award [1] for identifying how decoupling contributes to Smart’s Shoes sustainable policies and practices, and [1] for a brief explanation up to [2 max].

Lean production enables Smart’s Shoes to minimize waste / errors / energy;

which lowers their impact on the environment;

Award [1] for identifying reason why Smart’s Shoes would use lean production to help meet their sustainability goals and [1] for a brief explanation up to [2 max].

A sustainability report focuses on a company's sustainable (economic, environmental, social and governance) performance;

through reporting targets / impacts / strengths / weaknesses / progress;

demonstrating a commitment to sustainability / increasing transparency;

which boosts their reputation / competitive advantage in the market / sales / innovation / brand loyalty / stakeholders' trust / ability to attract investors / government subsidies;

Award [1] for identifying the benefits of sustainability reporting for manufacturers such as Smart’s Shoes and [1] for each subsequent explanation up to [4 max].

This question required two ways that Quality Assurance (QA) contributes to quality management and well prepared candidates correctly listed them (refer to an example at the end of this report under the high scoring candidate responses). However, around 50% of the responses included one and/or two ways from Quality Control (QC) rather than Quality Assurance (QA). For example, many candidates mentioned ‘detecting defects’ (refer to an example at the end of this report under the average/below average candidate responses). Therefore, what was intended as fairly easy became one of the paper’s more challenging questions. Slightly over 5% of candidates did not attempt this question.

Even though the infographic included in question 1 provided enough information to attain a full mark, around 50% of the candidates did not show a good understanding of decoupling and were unable to benefit from this information. Surprisingly, around 8% of the candidates did not attempt this question.

On average the majority of candidates managed to obtain at least one mark. 100% of the candidates attempted this question.

This long response question asked the candidates to explain the benefits of sustainability reporting for manufacturers such as Crocs. Majority of candidates managed to obtain one or 2 marks. Most popular responses included ‘brand loyalty’ and ‘transparency’. Only the stronger candidates explained the benefits of ‘focusing on a company's sustainable performance’ and ‘reporting progress/strengths/weaknesses’ and managed to achieve higher marks. 100% of the candidates attempted this question.