Sustainability: A New Strategic Imperative
It’s a new business era with sustainability at the heart of this shift. It requires not only a commitment to the planet, but a strategic, long-term vision integrating people, planet, prosperity, and purpose.
About Sustainability
and ESG
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.
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.
An update to the
GPM-b™ certification is coming
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
Preview the CSPP Exam Content Outline
Download the CSPP™ Exam Content Outline for details about the exam, eligibility requirements and the application process.
Sustainability with PMI
In addition to specialized certification and eLearning, download free standards publications to guide your sustainable project management practice.
Sustainability Insights
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.
Perspectives from Our Community
The ESG agenda is a change agenda, a transformation agenda.
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.
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.