Sustainable Project Management Practices: Environmental and Social Responsibility

Posted on Sep 27, 2023 at 09:09 PM

In this time and place, the sustainability of our planet is the number one topic of global discussions and one of the fastest-growing challenges of the modern business world. Managers and business owners have chosen to integrate sustainability into every part of our lives or vanish from the industry simply.

One specific area that deserves attention is sustainable project management. Within this domain, we can bring forth ideas and utilise our tools to promote environmental and social accountability.

 What is sustainable project management?

If we were to define sustainable project management (Or green project management), it would be someone's (in most cases a manager's) ability to contribute to environmental, social and economic benefits through their project management strategies.

In a similar context, sustainable project management isn't just about completing whatever project you might have; it goes beyond that and involves ensuring you (through your project) positively impact your surroundings and make the world a better place.

Sustainable project management (by being one form of sustainability) works to reduce the environmental impact of any project and, by extension, reduce its subsequent use of resources. It is one-way businesses can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by embedding it into all aspects of their processes, including planning, design, development, construction and execution.

What are the three pillars of sustainability in project management?

We encounter three players in project management: environmental, economic and social. These are not supporting roles; they take on lead roles in their own right.

Regarding environmental principles, we are urged to minimise our companies' impacts on the environment. This means implementing environmentally positive practices like reducing waste,  managing resources, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and designing and executing projects that will strengthen these core concepts.

This pillar aims to develop future projects that support the environment rather than conflict with it and deliver better outcomes for the planet.

On the other hand, social responsibility prompts us to consider the aspect of our projects. It compels us to develop initiatives that uphold rights, promote diversity and inclusivity, and bring positive concepts to the communities they touch. It's a call to ensure that our potential projects are financially viable and socially beneficial.

The economic pillar boils down to this: for your project to be called sustainable, it needs to meet the expectations of financial sustainability, and you should deliver a return on investment for your investors.  In addition, you should make sure that our projects are financially sustainable and will not require additional cost once they're completed, your buildings are durable, your operations are well concluded and don't require additional monitoring, etc.

 What are the forms of sustainability in project management?

When you're working on your next project and wondering how you're going to manage it, how you'd approach environmental issues like climate change and global warming and thinking you're just a tiny company that has nothing to do with the field of nature. You should know that you, too, can play a significant role in achieving sustainable goals, even on a smaller level.

This is because the fact is, sustainability is a much broader term than just environmental sustainability. It's about ensuring that the project you're working on will be successful and will continue.

Some of these forms might include:

• Training your employees to gain more knowledge, professional experience and skills around sustainability, for example, through the best project management diploma in London.

• Controlling your use of water and fuel and limiting resource abuse.

• Incorporating sustainability into your social image.

• Raising awareness and changing how your consumers and stakeholders think about sustainable living.

• Creating projects that stick to the budget.

• We are developing a strategy and integrating sustainability into all your project management.

In conclusion, 

Sustainable project management is a way to create a better future. Sustainability is about the environment, people, and business opportunities.