Welcome! Introduce yourself to PMI’s Online Community

Hi, PMI Community! I am Lucila Dotto, PMI’s Global Head of Sustainability and Lead of the PMI-GPM Joint Venture.

My journey began with a dream to become a rural teacher, driven by a deep passion to create positive change through education, especially for those with fewer opportunities. Today, I work on the exciting crossroads of sustainability and project management, helping project professionals and organizations generate long-term value and think about the impact on future generations.

I love my role as it is purpose-driven and I am convinced project management can be a force for meaningful, lasting change. So let’s think about sustainability in everything we do.

Q&A with Lucila:

1.What inspired your journey into sustainability and project management — was there a defining moment or experience that changed the way you see your work?

My journey began long before I had the language for it. As a psychologist, I was always fascinated by human behaviour, what drives people to change, to care, to act differently. During my years as a Director at Universidad de San Andrés in Argentina, leading programs that shaped future leaders, I began to see that real transformation doesn’t come only from ideas, but from how we bring them to life, through projects.

Later, when I moved to London and joined KPMG, I witnessed how global organizations can influence people, systems, and societies at scale. The defining moment came when I was asked to lead their purpose reinvigoration journey globally. That’s when I realized the deep connection between purpose and action, and how project management becomes the bridge between the two.

When I joined PMI to lead the European Community, and later transitioned into sustainability, it felt like the perfect blend of everything I’d done before: community building, global strategy, purpose, and behavioural transformation, all connected through the power of projects.

2. How do you bring purpose and sustainability to life in the projects you lead or support?

For me, it starts with intention. Every project, whether it’s an internal transformation or a global initiative, has the power to create ripple effects. I always come back to one question: How will this project serve people, the planet, and our shared future?

Then comes integration, considering sustainability into every decision, from governance to design to impact measurement. Purpose becomes real when it’s visible in the way we plan, deliver, and lead.

3. What lessons have you learned from integrating sustainability principles into project management that others could benefit from?

The greatest lesson is that sustainability isn’t a “nice to have”, it’s a way of thinking. It means shifting from short-term efficiency to long-term value creation.

Another lesson is humility, realizing we’re all learning, and that collaboration across disciplines, cultures, and generations is essential. True sustainability work is collective and systemic, it requires seeing the connections between everything we do.

4. In your view, how can project professionals become true change-makers for people, planet, and prosperity?

Project professionals are natural change agents, they bridge vision and action. To truly lead for sustainability, they need to look beyond scope, schedule, and budget, and include value, impact as a measure of success.

By asking deeper questions like, “What legacy will this project leave?”, they can transform their work into a platform for positive change.

And I’m proud that PMI offers a specific certification in Sustainable Project Management, the GPM-b™, helping professionals gain the methodology and mindset to lead this transformation.

As Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

5. What advice would you give to someone who wants to make a positive impact through their projects but doesn’t know where to start?

Start by learning. Stay curious, ask questions, and seek to understand. Then, connect, join communities, find mentors, and share experiences. And finally, give back, use your skills and your projects as vehicles for change.

Every small action contributes to a larger impact.

6. How do you continue to learn, grow, and stay inspired in your sustainability journey?

I stay curious. I read widely — from psychology to systems thinking to regenerative design, and seek conversations that challenge my thinking. I also learn through nature and yoga, which keep me grounded and remind me of our interconnectedness.

But what inspires me most is witnessing others awaken to purpose, when professionals realize their daily work can shape a better world. And the PMI community is an endless source of inspiration: diverse, passionate people coming together to learn, innovate, and lead change across the globe.
Saving Changes...

1. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

1. What are your favorite project management tools and technologies?

1. What drew you to the project management industry? What's kept you in it?

1. What's your proudest accomplishment (personal or professional)?