Sustainability Considerations and Practices in Facilities Management Outsourcing

The facilities management sector contributes to achieving many sustainable development goals. Facilities management organisations must develop initiatives to meet the challenges, demands, and opportunities for sustainable development in urban cities. With contemporary events, changing focuses and needs, business process reengineering, uncertainties, and reforms, ideas and strategies must be carefully integrated to meet organisational and sustainable development goals in the short or medium term while considering sustainable principles. Outsourced facilities management should benefit the organisation by responding to its needs and having an impact beyond the organisation. However, it is unclear what sustainability elements outsourced teams should consider to ensure sustainability in urban facilities management. This research assessed the consensus on sustainability considerations and practices in outsourcing for the operations, maintenance, and management of the built environment. A semi-systematic review was undertaken using literature from Scopus and Web of Science, published within the last ten years. Environmental issues, social responsibility, quality of service, competence, performance, relationships, and time and cost savings were identified as the considerations. The identified practices were leveraging core competencies, monitoring and performance measurement, contingency relationship model adoption, technology adoption, stakeholder collaboration, alignment with organisational goals, provider selection based on standards and records, clear expectations and agreements, flexible strategies, data or information management and supportive policies. The study’s findings are beneficial to facilities management organisations, urban planning, and development and management stakeholders in devising strategies to ensure sustainability in the built environment.