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PMI:  Why Social Impact Matters

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As part of PMI’s 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2019, PMI partnered with the United Nations to identify Sustainable Development Goals.  From the PMI website, “The UN's Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice." The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030. 

A list of 17 goals were identified and you can see the full list below.  Additional details are provided here:   Take Action for the Sustainable Development Goals – United Nations Sustainable Development.

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As part of the 50th Anniversary celebration, chapters and individuals pledged hours to work on projects that would achive these sustainable development goals.  Initially, PMI hoped that 50,000 hours would be pledged but this initiative was so popular that ultimately, 151,874 hours were pledged!

Fast forward two years, and PMI wants to continue to keep a focus on meeting these sustainable development goals and are emphasizing how you as Project Managers can help to make a difference.  This focus is higlighted in an article titled “Why Social Impact Matters – Deliverying Meaningful Change Through Projects”.  As stated in the article,

“Projects have the power to make a better world – to create new jobs; advance diversity, equality and inclusion; provide essential infrastructure; enhance education; improve public health and safety.  Every day, projects help the world take one more step toard achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).    But such change doesn’t happen by chance.  To truly make a difference, organizations must examine the social impact of their projects from the start.  Only then, with meticulous planning and tracking, can companies deliver projects that generate benefits across the enterprise – and the world at large.” 

The article goes on to talk about how Social Impact is Measured, Turning Intent into Action, Leading the Pack on Social Impact, The Power of Positive Impact, Doing the Right /Smart Thing (1. Discover a Competitive Edge, 2. Make It a Strategic Priority, and 3. Measure the Influence), Social Impact in the Project Economy, and the article concludes with 10 Positive Forces (The top 10 Social Good Initiatives on PMI’s 2020 list of Most Influential Projects).  You can read the full article here:  Why Social Impact Matters | PMI

If you are working on a project that meets one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals click here to pledge your hours.  If you would like more information or have any questions, please email externalrelations@fwpmi.org.