Social Impact Assessment is a process of research, planning and the management of social change or consequences (positive and negative, intended and unintended) arising from policies, plans, developments and projects.

The core focus of an SIA is on the important impacts of projects and developments beyond the impacts on natural resources. Impacts may occur across the life cycle of a project: e.g., from rumors about a proposed mine to its closure. The dimensions of social impacts that may be induce by the project include, impacts on:

• People’s way of life – how they live, work, play and interact with one another on a day-to-day basis;
• Their culture – their shared beliefs, customs, values and language or dialect;
• Their community – its cohesion, stability, character, services and facilities;
• Political systems – the extent to which people are able to participate in decisions that affect their lives, the level of democratization that is taking place, and the resources provided for this purpose
• Environment – the quality of the air and water people use, the availability and quality of the food they eat, the level of hazard or risk, dust and noise they are exposed to, the adequacy of sanitation, their physical safety, and their access to and control over resources;
• Health and wellbeing – a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity;
• Personal and property rights – particularly whether people are economically affected, or experience personal disadvantage which may include a violation of their civil liberties;
• Fears and aspirations – people’s perceptions about their safety, fears about the future of their community, and aspirations for their future and the future of their children. Social impact assessment may cover cultural, health, economic, gender and human rights impacts. or these may be stand-alone studies.

  The technical services we offer include:

• Stakeholder Planning and Engagement
• Human Rights Impact Assessment
• Project-Induced In-Migration Studies
• Social Management Plan
• Archaeology and Cultural Heritage
• Socio-economic Surveys
• Resettlement Action Plans and Livelihood Restoration