The Agile Sustainability Manifesto

Context

The planet is facing many challenges, including war, hunger, the climate crisis, and the decline of democratic rights. All these challenges (and many more) are addressed by the United Nations’ seventeen sustainable development goals.

Why is this important for the Agile community?

The challenges are so existential, that they should be important for any community.
The challenges are wicked and the Agile community has learned over time how to address the complicated, complex, and wicked problems.
Agile comes with an expectation. For example, if a team states it is Agile, it is assumed that the team is also inclusive.

The Agile Sustainability Assessment, Videos & Exemplars can be found here:

Agile Sustainability Manifesto | Agile Alliance

Values

1. People & Planet over Profit

We prioritize the well-being of place (ecosystem services and biodiversity) and people (individuals, communities, and future generations) over short-term financial gains, fostering a regenerative and equitable world.

2. Adaptability over Rigidity

We embrace change as an opportunity for growth, resilience, and sustainability, valuing adaptability over rigid plans and structures. Being adaptable to changing conditions is a key skill in the face of climate change.

3. Abundance over Scarcity

Consciously moving away from narratives where if I win you lose, away from increasing market share at the cost of others, away from blaming each other and instead working together across boundaries. Resulting in a mindset of abundance, where “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

4. Value over Consumption

We strive to reduce the consumption of energy, materials, and transport in all that we do, with the courage to ruthlessly prioritize value and advocate for responsible resource use and mindful consumption on our finite planet with the pursuit of regeneration across all our stakeholders.

Principles

Sustainable Practices:

We pledge to incorporate sustainable practices into all aspects of our work, seeking to minimize environmental impact and promote ecological balance.

Embrace and Respond to Global Challenges: We welcome the ever-evolving challenges posed by climate change, social inequality, and environmental degradation as opportunities to innovate and drive sustainable change.

Deliver Sustainable Value Frequently: We commit to delivering sustainable solutions incrementally, with a preference to shorter timescales, to address urgent and long-term sustainability issues. Infusing and shortening feedback loops to rapidly assess to either pivot or persevere.

Collaborate with Diverse Stakeholders: We actively engage with diverse stakeholders, including communities, governments, and organizations, to co-create sustainable solutions that benefit all.

Empower Agile Sustainability Leaders: We nurture a new generation of Agile Sustainability leaders who champion ethical, equitable, and environmentally responsible practices.

Support Academic Adoption of Agile Sustainability: We encourage the integration of Agile Sustainability principles into academic curricula to educate future generations about the importance of sustainable development.

Innovate for the Well-being of Society and the Environment: We explore how Agile can be a force for positive social and environmental impact, striving for innovative solutions that improve lives (beyond just anthropocentric) and ecosystems.

Evolve Agile for Modern Sustainability Needs: We adapt Agile practices to meet the evolving needs of a sustainable world, continually improving our practices to create a better tomorrow. Leaving the place better than how we found it.

By embracing the Agile Sustainability Manifesto, we commit to using Agile principles to address the urgent challenges of our time, striving for a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous world for current and future generations. Together, we can build a resilient and harmonious future that prioritizes human well-being, adaptability, collaboration, and transparency in the pursuit of sustainable development.

Context