Implementing BS202002: Benefits management on
portfolios, programmes and projects
SERIES ARTICLE
By Dr. Hugo Minney
United Kingdom
Abstract
In today’s rapidly changing world, organizations are increasingly recognizing the importance of sustainability and regeneration in their projects. The benefits manager plays a crucial role in ensuring that projects not only deliver financial benefits but also contribute to the economic, environmental, social, and community well-being. This article explores the benefits manager’s role in influencing sustainability and regeneration in projects, the moral imperative for doing so, and the ways in which they can make a tangible impact.
Project Leadership Team Recap, Benefits Manager’s Role
The project leadership team guides a project towards organizational success. It comprises the project sponsor (who understands evolving organizational needs), project manager (ensures task delivery within budget and time), and benefits or change manager (who validates project contribution to success and suggests improvements). The benefits manager plays a crucial role in assessing project impact on stakeholders, especially those directly affected by the change.
The benefits manager also has a role across the organisation, setting standards and policies, and ensuring consistency between projects so that the combined investment (money, resources, skills, reputation) of the organisation is at its most effective.
This article focuses on the role that the leadership team and in particular the benefits manager can play, both on individual projects aligning them to sustainability and regeneration outcomes and advising the benefits and value of sustainability to the organization, which could then adjust the priorities for project delivery.
Benefits and Sustainability – Economic, Environmental, Social, and Community
The four pillars of sustainability and regeneration, as covered in May’s article in this series (PMWJ141), are illustrated in Error! Reference source not found. and described as:
- Economic: Projects must deliver long-term financial benefits and contribute to the economic growth of both organizations and communities [1].
- Environmental: Projects should minimize negative environmental impacts, such as reducing carbon emissions, conserving natural resources, and promoting energy efficiency; and if possible promote regeneration, including reversing climate change and improving biodiversity [2] .
- Human: Recognizing that mental and physical health are critical aspects of quality of life. Project delivery methods (e.g., engagement and response) and the changes brought about (e.g., location, distance, green spaces) significantly affect these aspects [3].
- Social: Addressing social implications both during and after project delivery, including community engagement, stakeholder participation, and the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The goal is to build stronger communities and empower individuals [4].
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Editor’s note: The author Dr. Hugo Minney is a Fellow of APM (Association for Project Management), a Member of PMI and PMI UK, Co-Chair of APM’s Benefits and Value SIG, and committee member of PMI UK’s Sustainability Community of Action. For more, see his author profile at the end of this article.
Minney, H. (2024). The Benefits Manager’s Role in Influencing Sustainability and Regeneration in Projects, Implementing BS202002: Benefits management on portfolios, programmes and projects, series article, PM World Journal, Volume XIII, Issue VII, July. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pmwj143-Jul2024-Minney-Benefits-Managers-Role-in-Influencing-Sustainability-and-Regeneration-in-Projects.pdf
About the Author
Dr Hugo Minney
London, UK
Dr. Hugo Minney is a Fellow of APM (Association for Project Management), a Member of PMI and PMI UK, Co-Chair of APM’s Benefits and Value SIG and committee member of PMI UK’s Sustainability Community of Action (none of which are paid).
Minney set out to become a farmer, but was defeated by bureaucracy. He sold high ticket computer systems and specialist software for workforce planning; joined the National Health Service for 18 years (and as a Chief Executive for the last 7 of these), and is now a project management consultant with a sideline chairing a charity restoring the sense of community for young people.
Minney works in project management, and in particular benefits management, motivating team members by reporting what they are achieving together and changing the community and culture to want to achieve – together. At present, he’s more involved on the governance side, accredited as a Social Value practitioner and Chartered Project Professional, and reviewing the balance of projects and contribution to objectives and benefits across portfolios.
Dr. Minney can be contacted at hugo.minney@thesocialreturnco.org
To view previous works by Hugo Minney, visit his author showcase in the PM World Library at https://pmworldlibrary.net/authors/dr-hugo-minney/
