Implementing Environmental, Social, and Governance in wind energy project management: evidence from a mixed-methods study

Introduction: The application of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics in project management practice is widely recognised as a critical means of improving organisations’ sustainability and ethical performance, particularly in wind energy projects. Given the growing concerns of corporate stakeholders such as investors, regulators, and customers, organisations are compelled to demonstrate sustainability. However, gaps remain in the consistent application and practical implementation of ESG frameworks.

Materials and methods: This study employs a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, collecting data from 63 stakeholders involved in wind energy projects via semi-structured questionnaires. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative responses underwent thematic content analysis to uncover key patterns related to ESG implementation, challenges, and stakeholder engagement.

Results: The findings show that stakeholders’ ESG awareness is generally moderate, with 43% having slight familiarity and 36% moderate familiarity. ESG integration in projects remains inconsistent, primarily due to governance-related challenges, the most significant barrier. The main limitations in sustainability practices include poor data quality, the absence of standardised assessment tools, and the complexity of implementing Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods. While stakeholder engagement is recognised as crucial, it is not consistently prioritised.

Conclusions: This study emphasises the importance of standardising sustainability metrics, strengthening governance frameworks, and increasing stakeholder engagement to facilitate effective ESG integration. It contributes to advancing sustainable project management in the renewable energy sector by offering empirically supported insights and suggesting ways to improve ESG practices in wind energy projects.

Keywords: environmental, social, and governance (ESG); ethical performance; life-cycle assessment; sustainability; sustainable development goals (SDGs); stakeholder engagement; project management; wind energy