Your company is committed to sustainability. How can you use project management to help achieve this goal?

1 Define your scope

The first step is to define what sustainability means for your project and your company. You need to identify the environmental, social, and economic impacts of your project, and set specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely (SMART) objectives. For example, you may want to reduce energy consumption, waste generation, carbon emissions, or water usage. You may also want to improve the well-being, health, and safety of your employees, customers, and stakeholders. You may also want to align your project with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or other global standards.

2 Choose your methods

The next step is to choose the methods and tools that will help you implement your sustainability objectives. You need to consider the best practices, standards, and frameworks that are relevant for your project and your industry. For example, you may want to use the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification system for your building projects, or the ISO 14000 series for your environmental management systems. You may also want to use the Project Management Institute (PMI) standards for project management, such as the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) or the Project Management for Sustainable Development Framework.

3 Engage your stakeholders

The third step is to engage your stakeholders and communicate your sustainability vision and plan. You need to identify who are the key people and groups that are affected by or can influence your project, and understand their needs, expectations, and interests. You need to involve them in the planning, execution, and evaluation of your project, and provide them with regular and transparent updates. You need to demonstrate how your project contributes to the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit, and how it creates value for your company and society.

5 Learn from your experience

The final step is to learn from your experience and share your results and lessons. You need to conduct a post-project review and document your achievements, challenges, and best practices. You need to celebrate your successes and recognize your team and stakeholders. You need to disseminate your findings and recommendations to your company and the wider community. You need to use your experience to improve your future projects and contribute to the advancement of sustainability knowledge and practice.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?