Assessment ID/CIPD_5CO03_25_01

Professional behaviours and valuing people

» LEARNER INSTRUCTIONS

The assessment has been developed to enable you to evidence achievement of the learning outcomes
and assessment criteria for 5CO03 Professional behaviours and valuing people.

Each of the learning outcomes (LO) and assessment criteria (AC) for the assessment must gain a pass
outcome for you to successfully achieve the unit.

Preparation for the assessment

Before you begin the assessment, please access and complete the topic essentials videos,
activities and the assessment guide video available via your virtual learning environment (VLE).

Completing the assessment

 The assessment contains a series of tasks/questions which are clearly referenced to the relevant
assessment criteria.
 Refer to the generic grade descriptor grid at the end of the assessment, which outlines the
requirements.
 Evidence must be provided in the main body of the assessment document. If appendices are
included, these will not be marked or moderated; however, they may be reviewed by your
assessor.
 The assessment must be completed in a professional manner (eg applying business conventions
for writing formal reports) and by using Microsoft Word.
 The assessment must be saved as a Word document (.doc or .docx) and not in a PDF format,
unless another format is requested within the brief, eg PowerPoint.
 Referencing must be included within each assessment criteria unless stipulated otherwise.
 Harvard referencing system must be used to ensure the original source(s) of quotations or
models can be verified.
 You must sign the Learner Declaration of Authentication statement (a photo or scan of your
signature is acceptable).

» WORD COUNT AND EXPECTATIONS

 Your word count allowance is specified against each task. There is a +/-10%
allowance on this word count, and you must not exceed this. If you exceed the
overall word count, your work will be returned to you unmarked and you will be
allocated a refer grade.
 Please note that everything within the main body of your assessment is included within
the word count unless otherwise stipulated. This includes any headings or sub-
headings, in-text references and words within tables.
 You must title your answers using the relevant assessment criteria number. We will be
unable to mark your work if it is unclear where one assessment criteria / question ends,
and the next assessment criteria / question begins.
 The bibliography or list of references is not included in the total word count.
 Expectations are set out in the marking descriptor grid, which you will find at the end of this
document. You must pass all assessment criteria/learning outcomes to successfully achieve
this unit.

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 » REFERRALS

 You must update the version of your assessment which includes the tutor feedback.
 Please ensure you do not change any of the assessment criteria where you have received
a mark of a 2 or above. Only amend sections of your assessment where you have been
awarded a mark of a 1 (Refer), taking into account your tutor feedback whilst remaining
within the allocated word count.
 When updating any AC which has received a mark of a 1, please strike through all of the original
text using the strikethrough key so the text to be ‘removed’ appears like this. You will need to
rewrite your full answer below the original text using a different colour to the original submission,
so the new text appears like this. This clearly shows what was in the original submission and
what has been added.
 Please do not use track changes as these are not permitted.
 Before you resubmit your assessment, please ensure you refer back to the Topic Essentials,
Assessment briefing webinar or the Assessment guide video, and the learner resource zone, as
these will support you with any changes needed to achieve a pass grade.
 Please ensure you have fully addressed all parts of the assessor feedback before you upload
your resubmission to the VLE.

You can contact your Support Tutor via the VLE for further assessment guidance if needed or email the
team at [email protected], who will be able to respond to any administrative questions.

If you receive a Refer grade for any assessment criteria, you will have three
weeks to resubmit from the date your feedback is released. Please note that
any referred assessment criteria will be capped at a Low Pass.

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 
» LEARNER INFORMATION

Please write clearly in block capitals.

Centre name and number MOL – 531

Learner Name

Learner CIPD
membership number

Unit code and title 5CO03 Professional behaviours and valuing people

Assessment ID CIPD_5CO03_25_01

Assessment due date To be completed by the centre

Assessment submission To be completed by the centre

date

First Assessment re- To be completed by the centre

submission date for
centre marking (if
applicable)

Second Assessment re- To be completed by the centre

submission date for
centre marking (if
applicable)

Declared word count

Declared learning Please stipulate your learning difficulty if applicable.

difficulty

Assessor name

Assessor signature

IQA name (if applicable)

IQA signature (if

applicable)

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 » DECLARATION OF AUTHENTICATION

Declaration by the learner (this box must be signed—not typed—or your assessment will not be accepted)

Learner name

I can confirm that:

1. This assessment is all my own work.
2. Where I have used materials from other sources, they have been properly
acknowledged and referenced.
Learner statement of
authenticity 3. I have not used Artificial Intelligence tools to generate content for my
assessment.
I understand the consequences of malpractice and accept that any violation of
this agreement may result in disciplinary action.

I am aware my assessment may be chosen for standardisation purposes on the

Standardisation
understanding that the content will be anonymised.

Signed Date

Declaration by the centre

On behalf of the centre, I confirm that the above mentioned learner is registered at the
centre on a CIPD programme of study.
I confirm that
Centre statement of
authenticity  the learner’s work was conducted under the conditions laid out by the
assessment brief
 I am satisfied that, to the best of my knowledge, the work produced is solely
that of the learner

Name Janet Brown Role Quality Manager

Signed Date

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 » PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOURS AND VALUING PEOPLE

This unit focuses on how applying core professional behaviours such as ethical practice, courage and
inclusivity can build positive working relationships and support employee voice and well-being. It
considers how developing and mastering new professional behaviours and practice can impact
performance.

» TASKS

You must complete two tasks. The first one requires you to answer 6 questions, referring to the
case study, about the ‘purpose and value of the people professional’. Your answers should respond
accurately to the questions and should be informed by wider reading from key academic texts, articles
and relevant publications.
For the second task, you will conduct a professional review of your own strengths, weaknesses and
development areas.
Please ensure that your work is presented clearly, typically using sub-headings or AC references to
link your responses to the questions, and that your work complies with the wordcount requirements
stated at the end of the assessment brief. If you exceed the word count by more than 10% your work
will be referred. References should be included within your answers (unless the question specifically
states that these are not required) and full details presented in a reference list at the end of your
assessment.

» TASK 1 – CASE STUDY

You have recently taken up a new position as HR/L&D Adviser at Nexxobyte, a rapidly growing
software development company. Nexxobyte was established two years ago by Kit, the only Director
until recently joined by his new business partner, Aisha. The organisation has grown quickly and
organically and currently consists of 23 software engineers (in three teams), three team
managers, two administration staff and the two directors. Since joining Nexxobyte, the
second director, Aisha, has been concerned about the way things are being run and has
brought you in to help her make improvements. Aisha’s main concerns are the lack of
standard procedures and the lack of management capabilities (none of the three team
leaders had management training or experience prior to being informally allocated their
roles by Kit). With Kit fully occupied in marketing and promoting the business, the team managers
have been free to recruit and manage their teams as they choose, calling on the administration staff
for support when needed. Consequently, the teams have been managed quite differently leading to
inconsistent practice (e.g. different working arrangements and different access to paid L&D), several
employee complaints and the loss of some valuable staff.

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 » TASK 1 – QUESTIONS

Q1. As part of her actions to improve systems and procedures at Nexxobyte, Aisha has established
monthly on-site Management Team meetings to be attended by her, Kit, you and the three Team
Leaders. She would like you to make a short presentation at the first meeting ‘appraising what it
means to be a people professional, and some of the ways you can contribute at Nexxobyte.’
Being a people professional means acting as a role model of ethical, inclusive, and evidence-based
practice. At Nexxobyte, I would emphasize the importance of consistency, fairness, and developing clear
policies for recruitment, learning and development (L&D), and performance management. By embedding
HR best practices, I can support a culture of collaboration and transparency that aligns with business
growth.
NOTE: there is no requirement to ‘present’ anything for this question - only to provide a written
response.

Q2. You are excited by your new role and whilst you can see that there is a lot to do, you feel ready
for the challenge.
Two key values I bring are integrity and inclusivity. Integrity ensures I act fairly, challenge unethical
behaviors, and uphold high standards. Inclusivity means ensuring all voices are heard, which will shape
fair policies and build trust at Nexxobyte.

Q3. Aisha has emphasised that she wants you to be a ‘a firm voice for people practice at Nexxobyte’.
This means communicating with the management team in an informed, clear and confident way
to convince them of the need for change and new ways of working.
Clear and confident communication fosters trust and ensures stakeholders understand the rationale for
change. Without it, I risk losing credibility, and Nexxobyte may continue with inconsistent and damaging
practices.

Q4. During a conversation with the two administration staff, you learn more about some of the
problems there have been at Nexxobyte. Some of these involved unethical behaviour (one
manager regularly approving attendance at expensive training events and conferences for
his ‘favourite’ team members, whilst consistently refusing similar requests from others) and
even some illegal activity (a former employee using Nexxobyte work time and
equipment to operate his own separate business).
I would first gather evidence and consult our Code of Conduct. I'd report the unfair training
approvals and unauthorized business use confidentially to leadership, ensuring due process
and protecting confidentiality.

Q5. You are pleased that your presentation at the manager’s meeting (see Q1) was well received.
However, one manager has since commented in the Manager Chat group, “We don’t really need
to change anything - the company is doing well financially and anyway people work much harder
when they are not protected by a load of feel-good policies and procedures.” You want to
respond to this comment in a professional and informative way which may help to change these
views.
Research (CIPD, 2022) shows that inclusive and fair workplaces improve morale, reduce turnover, and
increase productivity. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, feeling valued boosts motivation,
supporting long-term business success.

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Assessment submission template v1 06/2025
 Q6. Following several of the complaints about unfair practice in relation to staff training, Aisha has
asked you to devise a fair Staff Learning & Development Policy, which will include all staff
members and will set out factors such as: allowable paid time for development activities,
individual training budgets, type of learning activities that can be included, etc.
To ensure fairness in the L&D policy, I would consult employees, benchmark industry standards, and build
transparent criteria. After 3 months, I’d review participation rates, gather anonymous feedback, and
evaluate if all groups have equitable access.
 to make your design of the initiative fair and inclusive
 to check, after three months of implementation, that the initiative is as inclusive as you have
intended.

NOTE: there is no need to devise a policy here, only to discuss how you will design it to be
inclusive and how you will check inclusivity after three months. (AC 2.2)

Your evidence must consist of

 written responses to questions 1-6 (approximately 2,400 words +/- 10%)

» TASK 2 – PROFESSIONAL REVIEW

Note: This task is not related to the Task 1 Case Study. It is just about you and your awareness of
your own strengths, weaknesses and development areas.

To complete the task, you must complete all five activities below.

Q7. Using a combination of your own reflections and feedback from at least one other
person, review your own behaviour against the six Associate-level standards for
‘Working inclusively’ in the CIPD Profession Map. https://www.cipd.org/uk/the-
people-profession/the-profession-map/explore-the-profession-map/core-
behaviours/working-inclusively/
I reflected on the 'Working Inclusively' standards and sought feedback from my manager. I learned that I’m strong
in collaboration but need to better challenge exclusive behaviors. The review helped me set goals to become
more proactive.
Summarise your conclusions from this activity, along with a brief explanation of who you involved
and how their feedback informed your review. (AC 2.3)
You don't need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 2.3.

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 Q8. Research and identify two ways the people practitioner role (generalist or any specialist) is
evolving. Summarise these two developments and the implications they have for your ongoing
professional development. (AC 3.1)
The people profession is evolving with (1) digital transformation, requiring tech-savvy HR approaches, and (2)
greater focus on employee wellbeing. This means I must continuously learn to integrate tech tools and adopt a
holistic people strategy.

Q9. With reference to your reflections and feedback at Q7, and your research at Q8, assess your
current strengths, weaknesses and development areas in relation to people practice. (AC 3.2)
Strengths: collaboration and ethical judgement. Weaknesses: low confidence in using data tools.
Development: need to build knowledge in HR analytics and diversity strategy.

Q10. Following on from your self-assessments, identify two development activities you will undertake
(or commence) in the next six months. Provide a brief explanation of the activities you have
selected along with your reasons for choosing them. (AC 3.3)
I plan to take a short HR analytics course to improve data interpretation. I’ll also attend a CIPD seminar on
inclusive leadership to deepen my impact.

Q11. Shifting your focus to development activities you have already undertaken within the last two
years, reflect on the two activities (formal or informal) that you consider had the greatest impact
on your behaviour and performance.
Attached are two CPD records: 1) A workshop on employment law that helped me apply legal knowledge
confidently, and 2) Peer mentoring, which improved my coaching and listening skills.
 your own format CPD record, edited to include just the two selected activities, or
 a report (or reports) from the CIPD ‘My CPD Reflections’ tool (AC 3.4)

You don't need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 3.4.

Your evidence must consist of

 written responses to questions 7-10, approximately 850 words (+/- 10%). Refer to CIPD
word count policy
 A CPD Record or Report(s), as described at question 11. (Not included in word count)

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 INSERT YOUR ANSWER IN THE SPACE PROVIDED BELOW.
(Please provide your word count at the end of your completed work for this task.)

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 » REFERENCE LIST

Use the space below to cite any external sources used in your assessment.

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 » BIBLIOGRAPHY

Use the space below to include any sources referred to but not directly cited (eg books, articles,
websites) within your assessment.

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 TO BE COMPLETED BY THE ASSESSOR

Centre name MOL Centre number 531

Learner name

Membership number Please enter the learner’s number here. Must be the first 7 digits of CIPD membership number

Note to Assessor: Please enter a mark for each AC. You need only provide feedback where you have awarded a mark of 1. This feedback must be
developmental. Where a learner has received a refer against an AC, on resubmission you can only allocate a maximum mark of a 2 against that AC if
successfully achieved and an overall Low Pass grade.

Task 2

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 Questions Assessor Feedback Mark 1-4

Q7 Using a combination of your own reflections and feedback

from at least one other person, consider your own
behaviour against the six associate-level standards of the
CIPD Map Core Behaviour, ‘Working inclusively’.
Summarise your conclusions from this activity, along with
a brief explanation of who you involved and how their
feedback informed your assessment. (AC 2.3)

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Assessment submission template v1 06/2025
 Q8 Research and identify three ways the people practitioner
role (generalist or any specialist) is evolving. Summarise
these two developments and the implications they have
for your ongoing professional development. (AC 3.1)

Q9 With reference to your reflections and feedback at Q1,

and your research at Q2, assess your current strengths,
weaknesses and development areas in relation to people
practice. (AC 3.2)

Q10 Following on from your assessments, identify two

development activities you will undertake (or commence)
in the next six months. Provide a brief explanation of the
activities you have selected along with your reasons for
choosing them. (AC 3.3)

Q11 Shifting your focus now to development activities you

have already undertaken within the last two years, reflect
on the two activities (formal or informal) that you consider
having had the greatest impact on your behaviour and
performance.
Provide your reflections, attached to your assignment, as
either:
• your own format CPD record, edited to include just
the two selected activities, or
• a report (or reports) from the CIPD ‘My CPD
Reflections’ tool. (AC 3.4)

Total marks for Task 2

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Note to assessor: Please use the below box to summarise your feedback on the assessment overall. Please ensure you highlight strengths and any
areas for improvement, either referring to specific (good or requires improvement) ACs or commenting more generally across the assessment.
Please use a different font colour for any resubmission comments)

OVERALL FEEDBACK SUMMARY

Total Marks for Unit (your grade is provisional until Grade

moderated and confirmed by the CIPD)

Total Marks for first Resubmission (your Capped Grade

grade has been capped and remains provisional until
moderated and confirmed by the CIPD)

Total Marks for second Resubmission (your Capped Grade

grade has been capped and remains provisional until
moderated and confirmed by the CIPD)

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 Submission Resubmission 1 Resubmission 2
Assessor name

Assessor signature*
I confirm that I am satisfied that to the best
of my knowledge, the work produced is
solely that of the learner.

Date

*This must be a true signature, so a handwritten signature, or a photo or scan of a handwritten signature, or an e-signature. A typed signature is not
acceptable.

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 » MARKING GUIDELINES

You will receive a Low Pass/Pass/High Pass or Refer/Fail result at unit level. Assessors will provide a mark from 1 to 4 for each of the assessment
criteria in the unit. The marking descriptor grid is provided here as guidance. This will provide you with feedback that is developmental. To pass the unit
assessment you must achieve a 2 (Low Pass) or above for each of the questions/assessment criteria.
Mark Range Descriptor
1 Refer/Fail The response DOES NOT
• demonstrate the knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC
• include any, or appropriate examples, where these are required to support the answer
• include evidence of the use of reading and research to inform the answer
• include at least one appropriate reference for each assessment criteria (where this is required) *
• refer to the case study
• respond clearly to the question/task and is not well expressed
• have an appropriate format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
2 Low Pass The response DOES
• demonstrate the minimum level of knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC.
• include an appropriate example where this is required to support the answer.
• include evidence of some reading and research to inform the answer.
• include a reference for each assessment criteria (where this is required) *
• refer to the case study
• respond to the question or task although it could be clearer and/or better expressed
• have an appropriate format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
3 Pass The response
• demonstrates a good level of the knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC
• includes use of a good example or examples where these are required to support the answer
• includes evidence of a good level of reading and research to inform the answer
• includes good use of at least one reference for each assessment criteria (where this is required). *
• makes good reference to the case study
• directly addresses the question/task and is well expressed
• has a good format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
4 High Pass The response
• demonstrates an excellent level of the knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC
• includes use of an excellent example or examples where these are required to support the answer
• includes evidence of extensive reading and research to inform the answer.
• includes excellent use of at least one reference for each assessment criteria (where this is required) *
• makes excellent reference to the case study
• responds very clearly to the question/task and is particularly well expressed
• has an excellent format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
*Not all ACs in each unit need a reference. If they don’t, the brief will say so. In Unit 5CO03 the following questions (ACs): Q7 (AC 2.3, Q9 (AC 3.2), Q10
(AC 3.3) and Q11 (AC 3.4) do not require a reference. References should be presented using a recognised form of referencing. For example, if using Harvard
referencing, this would include in-text citations and a list of references or bibliography at the end of the assessment.

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The total mark achieved will dictate the grade you receive for the unit, provided NONE of the assessment criteria has been referred.

Overall mark Unit result

0 to 21 Refer/Fail

22 to 28 Low Pass

29 to 35 Pass

36 to 44 High Pass

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Assessment submission template v1 06/2025