Integrating impact and relational dimensions of social licence and social impact assessment

Abstract

Impact assessment and social licence both derive from the discourse of business and society, following related concepts such as corporate social responsibility. However, they have different emphases, implying an organisational focus on impacts and relationships respectively. Using a case study of a large coal-seam gas project in Australia, this paper considers prospects for better integration of these concepts in practice. We interviewed 37 stakeholders -affected landholders plus representatives of government, councils, business and community-based organisations -to ascertain perceptions of impacts and relationships. Participants' perceptions are described in terms of 'impact narratives' and 'relationship narratives'. Impact narratives concern long-term security of artesian water and complex trade-offs between economic and social/environmental domains. All participants perceive both positive and negative impacts; many had difficulty deciding whether to support or oppose the project as a whole. Relationship narratives concern trust in local company staff and capacity to influence company decisions. Perceptions of both impacts and relationships appear to shape the level of social licence. In turn, impact assessment may best reflect stakeholder concerns when it explicitly incorporates relational constructs.

Limitations of Technical Approaches to Transport Planning Practice in Two Cases: Social Issues as a Critical Component of Urban Projects

“…the level of acceptance by affected stakeholders and communities) influences whether it is likely to proceed or encounter protest and opposition (Boutilier, 2014;Dare, Schirmer, & Vanclay, 2014;Hanna et al, 2016). There is a tendency for governments to assume that a social licence exists through democratic processes and does not need to be acquired, and that it cannot be lost or diminished (Jijelava & Vanclay, 2018;Parsons & Moffat, 2014). Social licence is an important consideration in community participation and engagement in SIA, which governments can use to help them engage with public needs and concerns during transport planning and to understand how and when a social license might occur (Dare et al, 2014).…”

Does the integration of enviromental impact assessment and mine closure planning deliver effective mine closure plans in Western Australia?

“…Sustainability in mine closure revolves around the concept of a self-sustaining and resilient acceptable end land use that provides socio-economic benefits to the local region (ICMM 2019). These principles align with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (United Nations 2015) and help guide a company's social licence to operate (Parsons & Moffat 2014;Gehman et al 2017;ICMM 2019). We had anticipated that interviewees might discuss the topic of sustainable development directly and explicitly, but this was not the case.…”

Corporate collaboration: drivers behind a joint industry social baseline study related to hydrocarbon exploration in Greenland

“…An SIA is exactly about avoiding or mitigating potential negative impacts on communities and enhancing the potential positive impacts of a project. An SIA and an SLO can therefore be considered to be interlinked (Parsons and Moffat 2014). In the following section, we reflect on the drivers behind the SBS from an SLO perspective.…”