New research from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and Green Project Management reveals a significant gap between sustainability ambition and actual delivery. Many organisations in Africa and worldwide struggle to achieve measurable sustainability outcomes. This challenge emerges as the world races against time to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025 indicates that only 35% of SDG targets are on track. Nearly half are advancing too slowly, and 18% have regressed. PMI's report, titled 'Executing Sustainability Strategy: When Ambition Meets Reality', surveyed nearly 1,600 professionals across 35 countries. It found a significant disconnect between strategic confidence and execution readiness.
While 85% of sustainability executives believe their organisations will achieve their sustainability goals, only 43% of Project Management Office (PMO) leaders share this confidence. Among project professionals, who are responsible for implementation, just 20% are extremely confident in their organisation's ability to deliver. This disparity highlights a major hurdle in translating strategic intent into tangible results.
This execution gap has profound implications for Ghana's economic development and its ability to attract crucial investment. Organisations that cannot demonstrate measurable sustainability delivery risk being excluded from international development finance, ESG-linked investment, and climate funding. These investment flows are vital for the continent's growth over the next decade.
George Asamani, Managing Director for PMI Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasised the urgency of this issue. He stated that sustainability is no longer separate from business performance. Governments and businesses across Africa have set bold targets and made significant commitments. The real challenge, according to Asamani, lies in delivery.
Asamani noted that a strategy alone does not build infrastructure or improve water security; projects do. If sustainability is not embedded into project delivery, organisations will struggle to achieve their intended outcomes. This perspective underscores the importance of practical execution over mere strategic planning.
The research identified sustainability as the strongest predictor of project success, even surpassing traditional factors like governance structures and project methodologies. Despite its proven value, 59% of organisations have not fully integrated sustainability into project delivery and operational decision-making. This indicates a widespread failure to leverage a key driver of successful projects.
The report identified six recurring barriers preventing successful execution of sustainability strategies. These include difficulty quantifying sustainability benefits in business terms and weak integration into decision-making processes. Other barriers are unclear goals, competing delivery priorities, limited visibility into outcomes, and the challenge of working against longer-term outcome horizons. Addressing these barriers is crucial for improving sustainability performance.
Asamani further explained that many organisations treat sustainability as a reporting exercise rather than a delivery discipline. He observed that sustainability often resides in strategy documents and annual reports but is less visible where decisions are actually made. The question, he added, is whether organisations can deliver sustainability consistently, project after project.
Organisations most successful in delivering sustainability commitments typically share two characteristics. They have leadership alignment around a clear definition of success. They also possess strong organisational capability to translate sustainability priorities into project-level decisions and actions. These characteristics are essential for effective implementation.
To help organisations strengthen this capability, PMI and GPM have launched the Certified Sustainable Project Professional (CSPP)™. This new certification and e-learning programme equips project professionals with practical tools. It helps them integrate sustainability considerations throughout the project lifecycle. The CSPP™ is built around the PMI® GPM® P5™ Standard for Sustainability in Project Management and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The P5 framework expands project success beyond time, cost, and scope to include People, Planet, Prosperity, Process, and Product. Asamani concluded that the next phase of sustainability leadership will be defined by execution. He highlighted that as Africa invests in infrastructure, energy, industrialisation, and digital transformation, the demand for professionals who can balance economic, environmental, and social outcomes will only grow. Building this capability is good for business, competitiveness, and ultimately growth.