Social License to Operate

As mines can have both, positive and negative impacts on the environment and their host communities, the aim of work package 4 is to provide regional authorities and other stakeholders with a range of options for understanding, discussing, negotiating and resolving difficult issues at the regional level that arise as a result of societal discourses between communities, regional authorities, regulators, and mining companies. As the development of a Social License to Operate (SLO) is multidisciplinary in nature, the SLO team includes anthropologists, sociologists, environmental scientists, economists, legal scholars, language experts, geologists, business consultants, and mining engineers. In addition, in cooperation with WP1 and with the help of the WP3 representatives of the Regions, it is expected that all 15 MIREU member regions will participate in this work package.

The main objectives of WP4 are to:  

• Develop EU SLO Guidelines and an SLO Toolbox. Both will cover all segments of the raw materials value chain and include the entire life-cycle of mining and metallurgy operations.  These will help authorities in the Regions initiate and facilitate SLO processes thus ensuring a good relationship between people in a given region, companies, government and other mining-related social actors.  
•  Engage all relevant stakeholders. SLO materials will be produced via an open dialogue and transparent process that includes all actors potentially or currently affected by mining and metallurgy operations. The continuity of relationships will be ensured through ongoing initiatives such as the Twin Mines programme.  
•  Develop SLO indicators and a verification method. Regional Authorities and all relevant stakeholders will have a common quantification tool to judge whether the SLO processes applied to their region are appropriate.