New Project Management Concepts for Sustainability

THE NEW PROJECT MANAGEMENT CONCEPTS FOR SUSTAINABILITY
 
 “THE SUSTAINABLE PROJECT MANAGER" (SPM)
Every project manager can initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close A project sustainably with their project management team.  The Sustainable Project Manager doesn’t need management approval to apply sustainability principles to 'the how' of operating the project team.  Sustainable project operation is defined by the project manager and project team as part of the team or project ground rules, e.g.,

• Electronic distribution of all project materials is the norm and default; paper copies only provided on request
• Virtual attendance and work is encouraged to minimize travel; central locations for meetings are chosen 
• Recyclable or reusable containers are required for team meetings; No disposable containers are permitted in team meetings
• Team awards and recognition are bestowed on recycled paper for possible framing; plaques are avoided, specialty products are not purchased or given unless long term usefulness assured for recipient
• All resources used for prototyping and trials are reused, recycled, or disposed of properly.
• All resources used by the team are from renewable sources, recycled sources and/or will biodegrade or can be recycled, e.g., paper used is from recycled content.
• All chargers will be unplugged when not required to charge an electronic device.
• PCs will be turned off when not in use, especially after work hours, on week-ends and holidays.

 
Look for The Sustainable Project Manager Manifesto (First Quarter 2010 posting on this site and potentially the Project Management Institute site) that will highlight additional sustainable actions a project manager and the project team can make part of their project or team ground rules in at least the following areas:

• Green Meeting principles and best practices
• Green Lodging principles and best practices
• Green Travel principles and best practices
• Green Office principles and best practices
• Green IT User principles and best practices

 "PROJECT MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABILITY INTEGRATION” (PMSI)
The Project Management Discipline lends itself to the integration of sustainability. The paper and presentation just begins the work of applying sustainability in each PMI process management group.
Project Management Sustainability Integration establishes several undeniable principles:

• Integrating sustainability at the start of a project will produce a more sustainable end result at less cost and faster.
• Integrating sustainability in a project drives innovation and additional team shared purpose, which results in higher performing teams and better overall project results.
• Integrating sustainability into the project management discipline requires a whole system view and particular attention to user or operations hand-off to ensure realizing the environmental or social gains built into the project.
• Project Managers and Teams must view themselves as ‘choice architects’ to deliver products, services, buildings that make environmental and social responsible decisions the easiest path for users and operations.
• Project Managers and Teams don’t have to wait for management direction, i.e., they can seek management approval as they initiate and plan the project.

 
The integration of sustainability usually results in one or more of the following for the project:

1. Cost Savings
2. High customer satisfaction
3. Increased revenues due to innovation or sustainable benefits
4. Less overall risk and better Risk Management
5. Longer term  value for the customer and the company 

Sustainability principles apply from Project Initiation through Project Close, including responsible and measurable hand-off to ensure what gets initiated and planned in for the result of the project in a sustainable society can be achieved, measured, and produce the results desired on an ongoing basis.  See the paper or presentation to review each PMI Process Group for possible application of sustainability.  Look for future work on “Project Management Sustainability Integration” on this site and especially in the PMI Global Sustainability Virtual Community.
 
SEE "THE PROJECT MANAGERS SUSTAINABILITY ACCORD" MENU ITEM FOR THE THIRD NEW CONCEPT.