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Sustainability in Project Management Practices

Author

Listed:
  • Inês Soares

    (Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Gabriela Fernandes

    (Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal)

  • José M. R. C. A. Santos

    (Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
    Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal)

Abstract

The intersection between sustainability and project management has received significant attention as organizations recognize the criticality of incorporating sustainability practices into their projects. However, incorporating sustainability considerations presents some challenges, requiring the development and adoption of methods, tools and techniques tailored to address sustainability at the project level. Against this backdrop, this study endeavors to develop an understanding of the effective incorporation of sustainability within projects through the micro-level perspective of practices. An online survey was developed based on a comprehensive literature review of which a total of 107 valid responses were collected and analyzed. The results show the most useful sustainable project management practices perceived by experienced project professionals, including ‘Sustainability team management’, ‘Lessons learned towards sustainability’ and ‘Sustainability risk register’, among others. However, a data analysis reveals a prevailing trend marked by the limited perceived usefulness of sustainability practices in the context of project management. Furthermore, through exploratory factor analysis, a clear classification of sustainable project management practices was identified, according to the specific phases of the common project management lifecycle: ‘Initiation and planning’, ‘Execution, monitoring, controlling and replanning’ and ‘Closure’. By providing a set of sustainable project management practices and identifying the underlying factors that elucidate the incorporation of sustainable project management practices across the project management lifecycle, this study extends a guiding hand to practitioners in pursuing successful sustainability integration in their projects. It vividly illustrates that sustainability can be readily incorporated into project-management processes, delivering sustainable products and/or services in a sustainable way, combining both the ‘sustainability of the project’ and ‘sustainability by the project’ perspectives.

Suggested Citation

  • Inês Soares & Gabriela Fernandes & José M. R. C. A. Santos, 2024. "Sustainability in Project Management Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:10:p:4275-:d:1397481
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stefano Armenia & Rosa Maria Dangelico & Fabio Nonino & Alessandro Pompei, 2019. "Sustainable Project Management: A Conceptualization-Oriented Review and a Framework Proposal for Future Studies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-16, May.
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