Integrating Sustainability Into Major Projects

CHAPTER 3Standards and Guidelines

Although sustainable development is becoming part of the dialogue in organizations, it is not yet formally regulated by governments. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have emerged as strong influencers in developing standards and guidelines for measuring and managing sustainability performance. The United Nations (UN) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), for example, provide guidance for corporations and governments on operating standards, performance metrics, and operating principles for sustainability. Many of these guidelines, including the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the IFC's Performance Principles, are considered effective in helping corporations and governments address global issues including poverty, human rights abuses, and changing climate, through their business plans and operational practices. By developing practices that adhere to guidelines for sustainable development, organizations can improve the sustainability performance of their projects and operations.

Depending on the level of commitment your organization or project has in becoming a high performer in sustainability, you may have a number of standards and guidelines that your project is looking to follow, or perhaps no decisions have been made about which standards or guidelines to follow. This chapter provides an overview of some of the main standards and guidelines that can help the team integrate sustainability into project planning and development. ...