23 May
Sustainability Mindset
- Brian Cleere
- No Comment
- Circular Economy, Environmental awareness, Global Sustainability Goals, Mindset, Resources, Sustainability, Sustainable Practices, Training
In a rapidly changing world project management is one of the key competencies required to help ensure our global change requirements are delivered in a timely manner. Effective project management plays a critical role in ensuring delivery of these change requirements and organisations need to adapt rapidly to respond to remain competitive and demonstrate a willingness to change (Amiri, King and Duesing, 2022).
Bringing a sustainable mindset to projects is crucial for integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations into project management practices. Here are some approaches to help you cultivate a sustainable mindset in your projects:
- Education and Awareness: Start by educating yourself and your project team about sustainability principles, best practices such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Circular Economy and Product Life Cycle Assessment and understand their importance for incorporating sustainability into projects. Stay informed about current trends, regulations, and emerging technologies in sustainable project management.
- Set Clear Sustainability Goals (use the SDGs to guide you). Define clear and measurable sustainability goals for your project. These goals should align with broader organisational sustainability objectives and policy. Ensure these goals are integrated into project planning (use a sustainability management plan) and communicate them to all stakeholders involved.
- Incorporate sustainable practices into project management processes by using an iterative project management lifecycle such as PRiSM and the P5 standard to help embed sustainable project practices and identify sustainability project impacts.
- Adopt sustainable operational practices in your projects. This may include using green building materials, implementing energy-efficient technologies, promoting waste reduction and recycling, and adopting sustainable procurement practices. Encourage your team to consider sustainable alternatives and innovative solutions that align with project objectives.
- Actively engage stakeholders, including clients, team members, suppliers, and local communities, in sustainability discussions. Seek their input, perspectives, and expertise to identify sustainable opportunities and potential challenges. Engaging stakeholders promotes collaboration and ensures that sustainability considerations are well-integrated throughout the project lifecycle.
- Regularly monitor and measure the progress of sustainability initiatives throughout the project. Establish key performance indicators focused on sustainability to track resource consumption, waste generation, greenhouse gas emissions, and social impact. This data will help assess the effectiveness of sustainability efforts and identify areas for improvement. The P5 standard for sustainable projects will guide you with this.
- Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement by encouraging knowledge sharing, lessons learned, and feedback. Stay updated on sustainable project management practices, attend conferences and workshops, and collaborate with sustainability experts. Embrace a mindset of adaptability and be open to incorporating new strategies that enhance project sustainability.
Incorporating these strategies into all your projects will help you acquire a sustainable mindset. This mindset encourages a holistic approach that balances environmental, social, and economic considerations, leading to more resilient, responsible, and successful projects.