GPM360º

GPM360º Project Certification

GPM360° certification helps to determine whether and to what extent a project and its outcome are sustainable. The project can be assessed at any stage of its delivery. Independent assessors verify whether the project meets the requirements for sustainable project management set out in P5 Standard. GPM360° provides certification for all types of projects. The certification assessment covers every project phase from pre-initiation to execution and benefits realization.

Benefits of GPM360° project certification

The GPM360° certification confirms a project’s compliance with industry best practices.
It is independent and actual documentation of sustainability opportunities and risks, prepared against a recognized framework for the project, considering stakeholders’ impact and expectations.
The assessment enables better, more informed sustainability decision-making, identifying which issues the project organization wants to focus on and how to prioritize them in the project.
The certification process records how decisions are made in the project and the planned follow-up actions.
The organization gains assurance that its projects have been independently assessed against industry best practices by certified assessors.
The GPM360° certification logo can be used on all project documents highlighting the importance of sustainable practices to the organization.
GPM360° certification is the first step to start documenting an organization’s project sustainability practices and an opportunity to ensure continuous improvement.

Assessment of compliance with P5 Standard

Developed by Green Project Management, the P5 Standard for Sustainable Project Management is the most widely used standard worldwide. It can be applied to all types of projects. Once a project has been assessed according to the GPM360° model for excellence in sustainable project management and risk mitigation, projects that emphasize sustainability can be certified to the P5 Standard.

Projects that achieve GPM360° certification are assessed by assessors and validated by GPM Global. The assessment process takes into account two perspectives. The first is the impact of the product that results from the project – its sustainability and serviceability. The second is the impact of the process, i.e. the impact of all elements of project management on sustainability – effectiveness, efficiency, and fairness. The assessment is based on three categories: social, environmental, and economical, and the elements listed in the table below are used to determine the project’s sustainability.

Main assumptions of the GPM360° assessment

The GPM360° assessment is carried out based on the PRiSM Methodology (PRojects integrating Sustainable Methods) and the P5 Standard.
The primary benefit for organizations and sponsors of conducting a GPM360° assessment is the ability to receive independent verification and certification of their project as a sustainable project (Green Project) at various stages of its delivery (planning, implementation, completion).
The assessment results can be used to continuously improve and validate the implementation of sustainable, socially responsible projects and products, services or assets.
A GPM360° certified project must not violate any P5 elements over which the organization controls.
To be certified, the score for all elements of the P5 Standard must be neutral or higher.

GPM360° assessment process

Step 1: GPM360° self-assessment

The evaluation process begins with the applicant organization completing a self‑assessment questionnaire. It identifies whether the sponsor and project manager understand how the project will be or is being managed, why this management approach was chosen, and what additional sustainable elements the project includes and their benefits. It takes up to several hours to complete the self‑assessment, depending on the project's complexity.

Step 2: Assessment of GPM360° according to Standard P5 by the assessors

Accredited assessors will conduct a formal assessment with the project manager and sponsor, particularly concerning the business case, sustainability management plan, and project outcomes. The assessment is an independent and factual documentation of the sustainability risks and opportunities that the organization perceives, prepared against a proven and recognized framework for the project, considering stakeholder impacts and expectations. Finally, the assessors submit the project assessment report to the sponsor and for a validation by GPM Global. The assessors' assessment takes between 0.5 and 5 days to complete.

Step 3: Verification of the application and granting of certification by GPM Global

Based on the assessment report prepared by the assessors, GPM Global validates and awards the GPM360° Certified Green Project certificate. This stage takes between 1 and 2 days. An organization certified is assured that its projects have been independently verified against industry best practices.

When the GPM360° assessment can be carried out

The project assessment can be carried out at any stage of the project. Conducted at the project’s planning stage, it establishes clear guidelines on effectively implementing sustainability into project activities and products. It is the best time to evaluate if you want your project to be sustainable from the outset. On the other hand, assessing a project in a delivery phase allows for reviewing actions and implementing improvement, especially in the case of longer-term programmes. However, assessing at the end of a project will enable you to validate used methods used and their impact on sustainability, to learn lessons for the future, and in case of a positive outcome, to appreciate the results achieved.

If you are considering conducting a GPM360° assessment of a project your organization is implementing, please get in touch with us (gpm@gpm-emea.org). We will be happy to talk you through the benefits of the project certification process and help you determine the best time to conduct an assessment.