# Embedding Sustainability in Complex Projects: A Pedagogic Practice Simulation Approach

**Authors:** Caroline N J Tite, David Pontin, Nicholas Dacre  
**arXiv:** [2104.04068](https://arxiv.org/abs/2104.04068)  
**Date:** 2021-03-28  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/arxiv-id/2104.04068v2/

## Key points

- Sustainability is a critical focus in today's world
- UK government aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions to almost zero by 2050
- Achieving this target requires complex projects with challenging lead times and requirements
- Incorporating sustainability into these projects presents an opportunity for debate, review, and application through a project management lens
- Academic literature highlights the emergence of sustainability in project management as a new field with its own challenges
- Project management education can play a crucial role in instilling sustainability factors across industries and projects
- The Chartered Association for Project Management (APM) actively drives practitioner interest and approaches to sustainability in project management
- APM also addresses ongoing sustainability challenges within the UK economy across multiple sectors
- Connecting with the next generation through practice simulation approaches is essential for improved focus on sustainability in complex project management
- Embedding sustainability issues within project management tools and methods allows practitioners to effectively address concerns
- Research emphasizes the importance of incorporating sustainability considerations into project management practices for achieving environmental goals and resource preservation
- Integration of sustainable practices into project management education and tools based on research findings and practitioner developments is necessary
- Advanced Project Management journal published a paper emphasizing the need for increased focus on sustainability within complex projects.

## Summary

Sustainability is a critical focus in today's world, with the aim of avoiding the depletion of natural resources in the long term. The UK government has set ambitious targets to combat climate change, including cutting greenhouse gas emissions to almost zero by 2050. Achieving this target requires complex projects, such as the development of new power generation methods, which come with challenging lead times and demanding requirements. Incorporating sustainability into these complex projects presents an opportunity for further debate, review, and application through a project management lens. Academic literature has documented the incorporation of sustainability in project management, highlighting the emergence of a new field that brings its own set of challenges. Project management education can play a crucial role in instilling sustainability factors across various industries and complex projects. The Chartered Association for Project Management (APM) is actively driving practitioner interest and approaches to sustainability in project management. As an organization that contributes significantly to the UK economy across multiple sectors, APM also addresses ongoing sustainability challenges. To achieve improved focus on sustainability in complex project management, it is essential to connect with the next generation through practice simulation approaches. By embedding sustainability issues within project management tools and methods, practitioners can effectively address sustainability concerns. Their research emphasizes the importance of incorporating sustainability considerations into project management practices. This approach will not only contribute to achieving environmental goals but also ensure long-term resource preservation. To further enhance sustainable practices within complex project management it is necessary to integrate them into project management education and tools based on research findings and practitioner developments. This paper was published in Advanced Project Management journal emphasizing this point further as well as highlighting the need for increased focus on sustainability within complex projects.