Social Performance concerns asset-level behaviours and activities involving direct and local social interactions with asset-affected community groups. It brings value to extractive projects and operations in the same way that safety, environmental and financial performance do. Securing extractive project consents and maintaining societal stability and public approval in the 21st century requires Social Performance realignment similar to re-aligned OH&S thinking in the past two decades.

Not yet well understood in Australia and NZ, Social Performance requirements are embedded into international ESG and project financing contracts through IFC and Equator Bank Performance Standards. Social Performance elements include socioeconomic knowledge base (baseline) construction; social impact assessments (SIA – risk to host communities from business interactions); social risk analysis (SRA – risk to business from social interactions); cultural heritage protection and management; resettlement, economic displacement and compensation; community complaints, dispute and grievance resolution; local economic participation; Indigenous and land-connected peoples; and local level agreements.

Webinar participants will gain an understanding of Social Performance as it applies to project consent and financing conditions in Australasian and international contexts.