The summary analyzes how the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) Guide version 4 addresses sustainability aspects in key areas of project management. It finds that while some economic benefits are mentioned, there is a lack of explicit recognition of social and environmental impacts, stakeholders, success criteria, and risks. It also notes few considerations for sustainable procurement, reporting, team management, and organizational learning. Overall, it concludes the PMBOK Guide fails to fully integrate sustainability perspectives across the various aspects of project management covered.

1. Analysis of the coverage of sustainability aspects in the PMBOK® Guide version 4.
Area of PMBOK® Guide Sustainable PM
impact
Project Section 1.8, Enterprise Environmental Factors, mentions the The context of the project is
context organization’s human resources and marketplace conditions addressed in relationship to
as “internal or external environmental factors that surround the organization's strategy, but
or influence a project’s success”. But the section fails to more also in relationship to society
explicitly identify potential social or environmental interest as a whole.
resulting from sustainability policies as factors of influence.
Stake- In Section 2.3, Stakeholders, or the definition of stakeholders In the identification of
holders in the Glossary, any reference to typical sustainability potential stakeholders, explicit
stakeholders as environmental protection pressure groups, notion is made of potential
human rights groups or nongovernmental organizations are stakeholders representing the
lacking. In fact, chapter 10, Project Communications environmental and/or social
Management, also fails to recognize these potential aspects of the project.
stakeholders when it discusses stakeholder communication. Communication with
stakeholders includes
proactive engagement with
potential stakeholders.
Project In the introduction of chapter 3 Project Management The content, intended result
content Processes, the PMBOK® Guide mentions a few criteria for a and success criteria are based
successful project. Here it is mentioned that the project on a holistic view of the
manager should be able to “balance the competing demands project, including sustainability
of scope, time, cost, quality, resources and risk”. In this perspectives as 'economical,
section the PMBOK® Guide fails to recognize the social and environmental and social',
environmental aspects as relevant factors in project success. 'short term and long term' and
'local and global'.
Business Section 4.1.1., Develop Project Charter, mentions “Ecological The business case addresses
case impacts” and “Social needs” as potential benefits of a project the 'triple bottom line' of
when it discussed the business case. economic, social and
environmental benefits.
Investment evaluation is done
based on a multi-criteria
approach of both quantitative
and qualitative criteria.

2. Project As stated earlier, the PMBOK® Guide mentions compliance The definition and perception
success with the project’s requirements and objectives and specifically of project success take into
the demands of scope, time, cost, quality, resources and risk account the 'triple bottom line'
as aspects of the project’s success. No mention is made of of economic, social and
social or environmental aspects, unless included in the environmental benefits as laid
project’s requirements or objectives. out in the business case, both
in the short term as in the long
term. This implies that the
success of the project is
assessed based on the life
cycle of the project and its
result.
Materials Processes related to the selection of materials and In the selection of materials
and procurement can be found in different sections of the and suppliers for the project,
procure- PMBOK® Guide. For example section 3.4.20 Plan these decisions are also based
procurements, section 3.5.8. Conduct procurements, chapter on environmental and social
ment
12 Project Procurement Management. None of these sections considerations.
include any references to sustainability aspects in for example
the selection of suppliers or the selection of materials.
Project Project reporting processes can be found in the PMBOK® Project reporting is pro-active
reporting Guide in section 3.6.8. Report Performance and section 10.5 and transparent. Project
Report Performance. In these sections, project reporting progress is reported on
focuses on progress and changes in the areas scope, schedule, different aspects of the
cost and quality of the project. Reporting on sustainability project, including
aspects is not explicitly addressed, nor is the principle of environmental and social
transparency. aspects.
Risk Chapter 11, Project Risk Management, of the PMBOK® Guide, The risk identification and risk
manage- does mention a process and several techniques to identify management processes
ment risks. However, these techniques do not mention the include the identification and
possibility of environmental and/or social risks. management of
environmental and/or social
risks
Project Chapter 9 of the PMBOK® Guide, Project Human Resource The management and
team Management, shows little consideration of social development of project team
sustainability aspects such as life-work balance, equal members is aimed at preparing
opportunity, part time job opportunities, etc. Section 9.2.2., them for their role in the
however, pays attention to ‘virtual teams’ and links this to project and keeping them fit
team members working from home offices, potentially with for this role. But also considers
mobility limitations or disabilities. Also the personal the effectiveness of team
development of team members is addressed. The objective members in their personal and
for this development, however, is the performance of the professional life after the
project team, without considering the effectiveness of team project.
members in their professional life after the project.
Organisa- Section 2.4.3 mentions 'Historical information and lessons Lessons learned and previous
tional learned' as part of the 'Corporate Knowledge Base' of the experiences are explicitly
learning organization. However, this section lacks a more explicit captured during project
reference to organizational learning or knowledge execution and closing and are

3. management in order to improve an organization's made to use in the initiation
competence in doing projects. and start-up of new projects.
This is done to improve an
organization's competence in
doing projects.
Excerpt taken from the book Sustainability in Project Management by Gilbert Silvius, Ron Schipper,
Jasper van den Brink and Adri Köhler (Gower Publishing, 2012)
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