Incorporating Sustainability Practices into Facility Management: A Study of IFM Ghana Limited, Airport Residential Area

Abstract

This study investigated the relevance of the concept of sustainability to facility management. Initiatives and research into sustainability are more often focused on the environment while overlooking the economic and socio-cultural dimension of sustainability. This study therefore focused on the impacts that the concept of sustainability can have if incorporated into facility management in Ghana. For this study, the qualitative research method was selected to be able to provide in-depth details rather than given generalized details and outcomes. The unit of analysis was IFM Ghana Limited. The data collection was done by administering questionnaires and carrying out semi-structured interviews. The results from the study indicated that, generally, personnel of the firm knew about sustainability from school and a few from training. Also, though there are some sustainability principles that have been applied in IFM Ghana Limited in relation to facility management, their practice cannot be justified as entirely sustainable. Moreover, there was no clear distinction of a pursuit of sustainability by IFM Ghana Limited. It was recommended in this study that IFM Ghana Limited develop a sustainability plan to be implemented alongside its strategic plan and this plan should cut across all aspects of the organization and seek to pursue economic, social, environmental, ethical as well as corporate social responsibility of the company towards all of its stakeholders