Sustainability In Project Management
Sustainable project management is the planning, monitoring and management of project implementation and support processes, taking into account the ecological, economic and social aspects of the life cycle of a project, resources, processes and the actionable effects, with the aim of achieving benefits for all stakeholders and acting in a transparent, fair and ethical manner, including proactive stakeholder involvement. Everyone involved in a project should have a clear understanding of project standards. The Global Association of IPMA provides the profession with its best practices. [Sources: 4, 8]
Sustainability of projects starts with a value system of the company and a principled approach to managing portfolio programs and projects. The P5 standard is a tool to support the orientation of portfolio programs, projects and organizational strategies towards sustainability. Proprietary methods used by project managers to manage sustainability include projects that integrate sustainable practices, such as the PRISM approach introduced by the Global Project Management Network, to support projects that are consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [Sources: 7, 8]
Signing a call to action is when a company commits itself to promoting the sustainable development of a project. A call to action calls on organisations and individuals to extend sustainability to the operation of the project. [Sources: 7]
Sustainability is a key entrepreneurial focus and a key factor in changing the way organisations work and the way project managers approach their work. Projects should be managed separately from, rather than aligned with, things like organizational strategy, corporate governance, distance from the rest of the world, society, and the environment. [Sources: 8]
The role of project managers in the implementation of sustainability requires appropriate competences. Early studies concluded that developed standards for project management skills do not address and enable the role of projects in sustainability. We cannot rely on these standards when developing project managers and their role in implementing sustainability in organizations. [Sources: 6]
However, project management standards do not address the role that project managers play in the realisation of sustainable development because they do not have the competence to consider sustainability aspects of their projects. For the implementation of sustainability in organisations, it is crucial that the skills gap is closed through standard project management skills. [Sources: 6]
The topic of project management and sustainability has been covered in countless studies, and research is needed that focuses on the intersection of these topics. Here is a look at five strategies for planning and implementing sustainable projects in the industry. [Sources: 1, 3]
Once your evaluation is complete, the next step is to design a strategy that sets the organization’s sustainability goals, how these improvements will be achieved, and what the organization hopes to gain from them. Similar to a project plan, the strategy should identify the people, roles and departments responsible for leading sustainability initiatives, as well as the authority they have in defining project priorities. When considering the sustainability aspect of project management standards, literature-based analysis and coverage of competencies are required. Competencies aim to highlight competence gaps between project managers in relation to sustainability and provide guidance on how to close them. [Sources: 3, 6]
Sandy DelCommune, Sustainability Project Manager at Solvay, was nominated for the WBCSD World Business Council Sustainable Development Award in the category “Generation X” in this year, recognizing the next generation of female leaders driving sustainability in their company. By signing up to this principle as a call to action, you are demonstrating leadership in a value-based project that focuses on setting an example to other companies. The letter should be signed by a C-level executive, project executive or sponsor who is responsible for the project in your organization. [Sources: 5, 7]
I am responsible for answering customer inquiries related to sustainability standards through questionnaires and comparative studies of several products over their entire life cycle. In looking after our customers, I keep both short-term and long-term sustainability trends in mind for Solvay’s various businesses in packaging, electronics, aerospace and healthcare. [Sources: 5]
She is the editor of the journal Eureka and the editor of selected issues of the Research Bulletin of the Technical University of Czestochowa. Her scientific interests focus on management and international organizational culture. She has participated in more than 30 international and local conferences as well as in several research projects. [Sources: 2]
##### Sources #####
[0]: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Sustainability-in-Project-Management-Competencies%3A-Silvius-Schipper/ad8b4b6a25221ecd28ba12623d96e053fe50cdfd
[1]: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263786316300163
[2]: https://www.routledge.com/Sustainability-in-Project-Management-A-Functional-Approach/Brzozowska-Pabian-Pabian/p/book/9780367518745
[3]: https://www.clarizen.com/five-ways-project-managers-can-make-projects-sustainable/
[4]: https://www.projectmanagement.ie/blog/sustainability-in-project-management/
[5]: https://medium.com/solvaygroup/sustainability-project-manager-women-leaders-8a46fdee211
[6]: https://www.scirp.org/html/3-2830059_46506.htm
[7]: https://www.greenprojectmanagement.org/gpm-standards/principles-for-sustainable-project-management
[8]: https://www.liquidplanner.com/blog/how-project-managers-can-lead-the-way-in-sustainability/