Make resilience your edge

Project delivery is evolving. Sustainability is shaping how organizations reduce risk, build resilience and deliver long-term business value.

About Sustainability

Sustainability ensures that progress doesn’t come at the cost of people, the planet, or future generations.

Our Maximizing Project Success research reveals a reality where sustainability is the highest predictor of project success. Projects aligned with sustainability goals significantly outperform others—55% meet or exceed customer satisfaction compared to just 33% of non-aligned projects. Yet this transformative opportunity remains largely untapped as only 23% of projects are aligned today.

42-point

confidence gap

Sustainability executives believe their organizations can meet their goals, but PMO leaders lack confidence in delivery—the gap is the right knowledge.

59%

integration gap

Most organizations haven’t fully embedded sustainability across projects and functions and they’re actively seeking professionals who can.

1 in 5

Project Professionals

Only 20% can confidently deliver sustainability outcomes today.

Sustainability in Project Management

Sustainability in project management is the strategic integration of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic prosperity throughout the project lifecycle. It represents our profession's commitment to delivering outcomes that not only meet present needs but actively restore and revitalize the systems they touch.

Project Managers can be key drivers of sustainable transformation. Positioned at the heart of change, they possess the influence and responsibility to:

  • Lay out clear, actionable roadmaps for effectively implementing sustainability
  • Close the gap between ambition and execution
  • Deliver long-term value for people, planet, and prosperity.

Project Professionals have a unique opportunity, even an imperative, to translate bold sustainability goals into real, measurable outcomes.

Sustainable delivery, certified 

Built for today’s project landscape, the Certified Sustainable Project Professional (CSPP)™ gives you the tools to turn sustainability into execution—uncovering hidden value, reducing risk and building resilience into project delivery.

CSPP is designed for project leaders who want to:

  • Navigate delivery where sustainability, resilience and reporting expectations are reshaping outcomes
  • Embed sustainability into strategy, governance and decisions to drive measurable, auditable results
  • Deliver resilient, high-value projects that meet evolving business and stakeholder expectations
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Sustainability with PMI

In addition to specialized certification and eLearning, download free standards publications to guide your sustainable project management practice.

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    Executing Sustainability Strategy

    85% of sustainability executives are confident their organization can deliver on its sustainability goals. Only 43% of PMO leaders agree. PMI research surfaces the friction points where sustainability strategy weakens between commitment and execution.

    Sustainability Insights

    Report

    Sustainability in the Age of AI: The Integration Imperative

    Global research and real-world examples outline why having skilled project leaders, strong data foundations, and strategic alignment are key to scaling impact.

    Read Now

    Article

    Project Management: A Hidden Superpower in Sustainability

    Learn insights that offer a roadmap for integrating sustainability into project delivery while balancing strategic objectives.

    Read Now - opens in a new tab
    Blog

    Sustainability or Innovation? Why Not Both

    PMI’s Brightline® initiative shows how organizations can integrate sustainability into strategy while overcoming challenges.

    Read Now

    Blog

    Sustainability as a Strategic KPI for Formula 1-Scale Experiences

    Danny Klima, PMP, PgMP, shares insights on the pivotal role PMI certifications played in advancing his career, his passion for sustainability, and how he leads major projects for Formula 1.

    Read Now

    Blog

    Driving Sustainability in Construction: A Project Leadership Perspective

    Discover how PMI-CP–certified leaders integrate sustainability into construction projects, driving innovation, efficiency, and lasting impact.

    Read Now

    Report

    Measuring the Impact of ESG Initiatives: Key Takeaways

    By communicating, identifying metrics, and increasing visibility, project leaders can help make ESG goals a reality.

    Read Now
    Report

    Sustainability in the Age of AI: The Integration Imperative

    Global research and real-world examples outline why having skilled project leaders, strong data foundations, and strategic alignment are key to scaling impact.

    Read Now

    Perspectives from Our Community

    Joel Carboni
    Project sponsors should be partners with project managers to deliver projects sustainably.
    Joel Carboni, PhD
    President of Green Project Management Detroit, Michigan USA
    Orlando Nastri

    The ESG agenda is a change agenda, a transformation agenda.

    Orlando Nastri
    FIA Business School
    Turbine

    UN Sustainable Development Goals

    PMI has partnered with the United Nations and committed to driving its 17 Sustainable Development Goals with social impact initiatives focused on education, health, sustainability, and economic stability.

    Search our Learning Library for more information on ESG and sustainability

    PMI partners with Green Project Management

    PMI and Green Project Management (GPM), a pioneer in sustainable and regenerative project management, have joined forces to fill a global green talent gap projected to grow 101.5% by 2050, as demand for sustainability-aligned projects surges.

    PMI partners with Green Project Management

    Through this strategic partnership, Project Professionals can:

    • Position themselves at the forefront of the sustainability transformation, where purpose meets unprecedented demand
    • Develop interdisciplinary expertise to bridge traditional project management with environmental science and social impact
    • Become change agents, translating sustainability commitments into regenerative actions that improve environments, communities, and economies

    Footnotes

    1. Global Green Skills Report, LinkedIn Economic Graph. 2024.

    2. "The Future of Nature and Business," World Economic Forum. 2020.