“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

"
~Native American Proverb~

Sustainability in
Project Management
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

I .Defining sustainability

II. Sustainability in project management

III. Sustainable Projects – study by Zoyd

Reed LUCE

IV. Sustainablity in European Funded Projects

V. Life experience
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

I.Defining sustainability

General definition of sustainability:

“The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has
become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as
development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
1. World Commission on Environment and Development
“Forms of progress that meet the needs of the present without compromising
the ability of future generations to meet their needs”
 
2. International Institute for Sustainable Development
“Adopting business strategies and activities that meet the needs of the
enterprise and its stakeholders today while protecting, sustaining and
enhancing the human and natural resources that will be needed in the future”
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

II. Sustainability in project

management 
What is Sustainability in project
management? Sustainability in PM :
purpose, importance
As a key concept Sustainability brings
balance between social, economic and
environmental development.
Sustainability has to be taken into
consideration throughout the entire life-cycle
of the project.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

Sustainable development circles

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

PM Diagram
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

III. Sustainable Projects- study by Zoyd Reed LUCE

“A sustainable project should be designed according to 4 principles”

Zoyd Reed LUCE
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow
it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

1. The first principle is that population, directly and

indirectly, historically and in the future, must always be
the primary issue when dealing with sustainability.

2. The second principle is that in any endeavor the

utilization of resources must never exceed the resources
necessary for the completion of the project.

3. The third principle of sustainability requires that long-

term environmental needs are equivalent in value to short
term human needs.

4. The fourth principle of sustainability requires recognition

that animate and inanimate objects have rights.
„We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

IV. Sustainability in European Funded Projects:

Sustainability represents a major criteria that is taken into

consideration when the funding is decided for a project.

When applying with a project in order to receive European funding, in

the Application Form that needs to be filled, there is a specific section that
requires to be clearly explained the project’s sustainable character .
„We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

The Sustainability section usually includes 3 important points:

1. Transferability
– the way in which the activities/ results of the project can be transferred to
another target group, to other sectors, or how it can be multiplied

2. Mainstreaming
– the way in which the results or the gathered experience from the project can
be integrated in the organization’s politics, local, national strategies

3. Financial and organizational sustainability

– the project has to present future sources of finance (external funds or internal
ones) in order to ensure maintenance or of its results even after the European
funds have closed the finance.
„We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children."
~Native American Proverb~

Conclusions:
Integrating sustainability into project management
involves the entire project management cycle.

It is a known fact that sustainability will decrease

costs, reduce risk and increase brand value. This is
why it is important for us as project managers to
work in the best interests of the company at large
which means that the companies organizational goals
are parallel with environmental goals. With
sustainability on the forefront of every goal, it is now
required for many project managers to incorporate
sustainability into every individual project.