Sustainability in Agile Project Management

Introduction

The Agile Manifesto outlines 4 key values and 12 principles that define the Agile methodology. Principle number 8 refers to sustainable development, both for the team and for product development. Let's see what it says:  

Principle 8

"Agile processes promote sustainable development. The sponsors, Developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely."¹

Producing more could be convenient only in certain situations. If the company wants to keep hyper-production viable in the long term, it should be convenient to plan a break between each sprint to create team-building and new training and evaluate the way of doing it, applying the concept of continuous improvement, the team could discover more efficient ways to achieve the goals. Also, invite them to reflect on the value of the products delivered and the ethical value of their organisation to maintain a pleasant work environment, allowing conciliation and respect for the environment.  

Agility, Sustainability, and Technology

Why is sustainability essential for tech companies?  

Unless tech companies take significant steps to mitigate their environmental impact, they could be responsible for over 20% of global CO2 emissions within a decade.²

For this reason, leading companies invest and promote the culture of sustainable development and respect for the environment, managing to balance growing technological innovation and social responsibility throughout the entire value chain of their products and services.  

What are the ESG Criteria?

ESG criteria are the ethical and sustainable standards that companies must meet to attract responsible investors.

• Set of standards that define the behaviour of a company related to sustainability.  
• Socially conscious investors use this information to evaluate potential investments in those companies.  
• Environmental criteria consider how a company contributes to sustainable development, including corporate policies that address climate change.  

They must be integrated into an organisation's strategy to create business value by identifying, evaluating, and managing risks, and creating new opportunities related to sustainability and care for the environment, as well as compliance with government regulations. This includes customers, suppliers, stakeholders, employees, and processes.  

Regardless of the company's size, integrating ESG criteria into corporate strategy is a key aspect for investors. Compliance with ESG criteria or factors in corporate or investment and project financing may be essential when accessing certain financial markets. It's an opportunity for companies to have more open doors since it provides greater confidence on the part of the market and an increase in value on the part of shareholders. Many investors and the largest investment funds are incorporating ESG criteria into the selection process for future investments, and for this reason, integrating these sustainability factors into a business strategy can have a positive impact on income.  

A Change of Mindset

The measures towards greater sustainability and social commitment is here to remain. ESG criteria should be considered as an investment rather than a cost.  

New technological advances must be used to improve industrial, technological, and service processes to add value to society and positively impact the environment.  

Develop and Deliver Sustainable Products and Services with Agile Project Management

Sustainable development has always been part of the Agile Principles because it primarily focuses on creating consistent value in a short delivery cycle. It also applies to how we work to benefit the ecosystem in which they were delivered (for example, Cloud Computing, Green Software Engineering, and Green IT). Build great solutions without harming the environment or abusing resources to find a balance with the ecosystem.  

What is Agile Project Management Sustainable Development?

At the highest level, it could be defined as the approach taken by a team or a company to develop high-value products that satisfy customers while achieving a positive impact on economic, social, and environmental results. The characteristics of those results can be anything from lower energy consumption and less production waste to a better work-life balance for the product development team. This effort is applied throughout the entire life cycle, from the early ideation phase to the end of life. The good news is that agile practices work directly with sustainability. For example, user stories can be used to capture the product outcomes you want to achieve as part of your normal planning process. Then, with each iteration of the product, you can check and adjust the process using Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA).

At the operational level, User Stories must be included in the Backlog that reflects ESG criteria and sustainable software engineering practices so that the Product / Service meets the sustainability standards required from the beginning of its creation in the first version of its (MVP) Minimum Viable Product.  

Other policies may also need to be established to examine the supply chain and create sustainability guidelines for the procurement of external components.  

In some cases, development teams may need to assess things like the impact of the product after it's in use. It's necessary to establish the objectives and the future state of how the company wants to be seen by stakeholders and customers. This all starts with creating a vision and Product Roadmap that include sustainability and Agile principles as a core part of your products and services.  

Final Thoughts

Everything is interconnected, and even subtle shifts can have a profound impact. By fostering open dialogue on Agility and Sustainability, we create a space where new ideas can flourish and drive positive change.  

Taking small steps towards the goal. This is how change is generated in any organisation and in life itself. With a positive mentality, we collaborate to leave a legacy for future generations that allows for sustainable abundance and wealth generation. We have dedicated a large part of our lives to incorporating knowledge through studies and established doctrines and instructing us through the systematic repetition of established processes.

Now is the time to transcend processes and take more environmentally friendly actions integrated into business agility. We need to go back to the beginning, but from a higher level, incorporating the lessons learned to achieve a balance between people, ecology, the economy, sustainability, and harmony with the environment.  

Reference Literature

1. Beck K, et al. 2001. "The Agile Manifesto: Principles."

2. United Nations. Sustainable Development Growth.