SOCIAL IMPACT Assessments
Social Impact consultants for Queensland's major projects
Looking for a consultant with major project knowledge and experience in urban, rural or regional Queensland?
Need to submit a social impact assessment with your process?
Want one point of contact to help navigate and liaise with key stakeholders?
Wall Planning Group are experts in the preparation of Social Impact Assessments (SIA) for major projects in Queensland.
Operating for more than a decade, we understand how vital social impact reports are to a project and make it a priority to ensure we cover all bases.
We use our first hand experience and knowledge of rural and regional Queensland to identify both the positive and negative impacts a project may have on nearby communities and can advise on strategies that will benefit the communities and the project.
The following article is a deep dive into all things social impact assessments, including what they are and why they are so important.
Social Impact Assessments: What Are They?
Before you get started on any project, it’s essential to understand any social influence it might have on the community, both positive and negative. So that’s where the preparation of a social impact report comes in. Essentially, these reports contain a lot of research identifying areas of potential social change or possible repercussions caused during any process of the project, whether that be before production, during, or after. The Queensland Government defines an SIA as:
‘a process for the identification, analysis, assessment, management and monitoring of the potential social impacts of a project, both positive and negative’.
These impacts affect people and their communities, either directly or indirectly.
Social Impact Assessments: Why are they needed?
Each SIA must address five critical matters. They are:
- Engagement, both community, and stakeholder
- Workforce management
- Accommodation and housing
- Industry procurement and local businesses
- Health and wellbeing of the community
It’s worth noting that completing an SIA is required by law (Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act) for large resource projects, and each report must cover all five key matters. This means for smaller, non-resource projects, SIAs are non-mandatory. However, as expert social impact assessment consultants, we have experienced first-hand the difference preparing an SIA makes on a project. As SIAs address the entire lifecycle of a project right from conception to completion, they help promote community support and acceptance while assisting with the reduction of conflict or any other potential issues.
And why
are they important?
Without a complete understanding of how your project could affect the community, there’s a possibility you might cause some unintended harm. Social impact reports help promote an environment that is both sustainable and equitable. As they offer comprehensive insight into several social, economic, historical, and cultural impacts of a project, SIAs are imperative in determining how the development might affect the community in question.
This means you can identify any adverse effects on the community and adequately consider the requirements and conditions of those impacted by the project. Additionally, SIAs encourage community empowerment, building trust and solid social relationships.
Subscribe to our Newsletter here
Subscribe to gain valuable industry insights.
Sign up to our newsletter
Our founder, Renee Wall, has brought her international experience to the Queensland region. Renee is a planning professional with over 20 years experience in the planning sector, specialising in the delivery of major projects.
Quick Links
Latest news
