A project can use the word “sustainable” repeatedly without defining what it means for its decisions. The term becomes useful when the team agrees which impacts matter, what evidence it will collect and who is accountable for the targets.

Connect the target to the project

PRINCE2 Version 7 includes sustainability among the aspects of project performance. The project context should guide what the team considers. Energy use, material consumption or waste may matter for some projects; others may need a different set of relevant measures.

A fictional office-refurbishment project could assess material reuse and disposal arrangements. A software project might consider the resources required to operate its proposed solution. These are examples for discussion, not a universal checklist.

Compare options using the same assumptions

An option that looks attractive during delivery can have a different operating impact over its useful life. Compare alternatives on a consistent basis and record the assumptions behind the assessment.

Do not present a weak estimate as a verified environmental saving. Explain what is known, what is uncertain and whether specialist advice is required. Relevant legal or technical obligations need their own checks.

Assign responsibility and report evidence

Put agreed responsibilities into the project’s management arrangements and relevant role descriptions. Decide how progress against a sustainability target will be reviewed and what happens if the target is forecast to be missed.

Sustainability can involve trade-offs with cost, timing or scope. Those trade-offs belong in the project’s decision process rather than being left to individual team members without guidance. A modest target with a credible measure is more useful than an ambitious claim nobody can substantiate.