12–13 October 2026 | Athens, Greece
On 12–13 October 2026, the PM² Alliance participated in the 4th Transnational Project Meeting of ESG4PMChange, held at the National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos” in Athens, Greece. The meeting was co-hosted by European Academy and the University of Thessaly, bringing together consortium partners to review project progress and coordinate the next phase of activities.
The Erasmus+ co-funded ESG4PMChange project – “The ESG Imperative for the Project Management World: Alliance for Developing and Empowering Changemakers” aims to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into project management education and professional development, addressing the growing demand for sustainability-related competencies across industries.
The Athens meeting marked a significant transition from the development of the project’s learning framework to its practical piloting and validation, with particular emphasis on professional training, skills assessment, and micro-credential certification.
Advancing Professional Recognition of ESG Competencies
A central focus of the meeting was the development and piloting of the ESG4PMChange micro-credential framework, led by the PM² Alliance.
Building on the project’s educational and competency development activities, the Alliance presented a proposed certification approach designed to assess and recognise the skills required to integrate ESG considerations into project management practices.
The framework introduces three complementary micro-credentials:
- Environmental Performance, addressing the integration of environmental sustainability into project management.
- Social & Stakeholder Leadership, focusing on responsible stakeholder engagement and social considerations.
- Governance, Ethics & Responsible Project Management, supporting ethical decision-making, accountability, and responsible governance.
Each micro-credential is designed to be awarded following an individual assessment combining knowledge-based questions and practical scenarios. Together with the completion of the training programme, the three credentials will form the basis of the ESG in Project Management Certificate.
Through this approach, the PM² Alliance contributes to establishing a structured pathway for recognising ESG-related project management competencies and supporting professionals in demonstrating their skills.
From Framework Development to Practical Application
Beyond certification, the consortium dedicated substantial attention to the upcoming piloting activities under Work Package 4, which will test the project’s learning framework across higher education and professional training environments.
Partners confirmed 15 pilot courses across five higher education institutions, expected to involve approximately 635 students, alongside the implementation of Virtual Living Labs that will enable participants to apply ESG principles to practical challenges.
Discussions also focused on the upcoming professional training pilot, led by European Academy and co-hosted by the University of Thessaly, scheduled for 7–9 April 2027 in Volos, Greece.
In addition, the Alliance will collaborate with European Academy on an international training initiative targeting approximately 50 participants through business-to-business networks and training providers, as part of the project’s wider ambition to reach more than 300 additional learners and professionals.
Strengthening the Connection Between Sustainability and Project Management
The second day of the meeting addressed the project’s dissemination priorities, quality assurance processes, and evaluation of the forthcoming pilots.
Participants also explored synergies with the Erasmus+ sister project Sustainable Project Management through PM² (SPM²), which builds on the European Commission’s PM² Methodology to integrate sustainability considerations into project governance, processes, and practices.
The exchange highlighted the complementary contributions of both projects towards making sustainability a practical component of project management education and professional practice.
Supporting the Next Generation of Sustainable Project Managers
As ESG4PMChange enters its piloting phase, the focus shifts towards putting the newly developed learning and certification frameworks into practice. Through upcoming training activities and competency assessments, the project aims to make ESG knowledge more accessible, applicable, and recognisable across the project management profession.
The PM² Alliance remains committed to advancing professional standards and ensuring that sustainability-related competencies are not only developed but also formally recognised, supporting project managers in responding to evolving environmental, social, and governance expectations.
Explore ESG4PMChange
Interested in how ESG competencies are shaping the future of project management?
Visit the ESG4PMChange website to explore the project’s objectives, learning resources, and latest developments.
For updates on the upcoming training pilots, micro-credential framework, and project milestones, follow ESG4PMChange on LinkedIn and Instagram.
Discover the skills behind responsible project management and follow ESG4PMChange as its learning framework moves into practice.
