Impact assessment (IA) practitioners need to work across a range of specialist disciplines in preparing IA documents. It is unrealistic to expect that an IA practitioner can be an expert across all those disciplines so they will need to engage and work with specialist consultants. An IA practitioner does, however, need to have a minimum level of knowledge of each if those disciplines if they are to engage meaningfully with their specialist consultants.

This workshop will provide a practical guide for IA practitioners to the value of effective social impact assessment (SIA) and how to integrate SIA outcomes in the broader IA process. The content will include:

• Overview of SIA: The phases of SIA, how it links to the IA process and the principles that drive effective practice
• Why SIA matters: Risks to projects of inadequate SIA
• Background and rationale to SIA: Business and ethical case, the power of SIA in delivering improved project outcomes, relevant regulations and standards
• Understanding the differences between SIA and other IA studies: How social impacts are categorised, relationships between social and environmental impacts, importance of a participatory approach, using qualitative and quantitative data, mitigation and management
• Tips in engaging and working with an SIA consultant: When and how to involve, key aspects to include in your brief, what to look for in selecting a consultant.

Where relevant, practical case studies will be utilised to demonstrate the value added by integrating SIA in the assessment process.

The workshop will include time for questions and discussion. Participants will also receive a Powerpoint slide pack as an ongoing resource after the session.

This workshop will be presented by members of the EIANZ SIA Community of Practice.

Meet the Speakers:

Dr Sheridan Coakes | National Social Practice Lead heading a National Social team at Umwelt Australia
She is an experienced Social Performance and Social Impact Assessment Practitioner with a passion for assessing the social impacts of development, providing community voice in project and operational planning, and working with clients and key stakeholders to develop more sustainable and equitable project solutions across a range of key sectors - resources, renewables, infrastructure, urban planning and government.

Rachel Maas | Social Performance Principal at Anglo American
Rachel specialises in Social Impact Assessment, identifying and managing social risk, project evaluation from a social perspective.

Karen Lamb | Principal Social Consultant at Umwelt Australia
Karen has a varied background spanning social impact assessment, international and community development, environmental science and environmental law and policy which has provided her with a range of experience working on development projects both within Australia and internationally including countries such as Bangladesh, Colombia, Vietnam and China.

Dr Richard Parsons | Social Impact Assessment Specialist | Project Director - NSW Wellbeing Framework

Richard Parsons is a social researcher and specialist in social impact assessment, community engagement, and social licence. He has had a leading role in developing and implementing the NSW SIA guidelines (2017 and 2021). He has worked in research and practice with various sectors and industries, including government, mining, gas, energy, infrastructure, transport, tourism, research, and not-for-profit organisations, seeking to improve project outcomes for communities. Richard has a PhD in organisational communication from the University of Queensland.

This workshop will run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). The main session will be recorded but due to the nature of the interactive workshop the break out rooms cannot be recorded.