Social impact assessments aim to protect and improve
the welfare and livelihoods of local populations
Socio-economic issues have the potential to create reputation
risks for lenders and operators which can threaten the financial
viability of projects. In light of this, we offer social
development services as an integral component of our
multi-disciplinary consultancy to a variety of clients, especially
project financiers, the private sector and government bodies.
We recently expanded our social development and social economic
capabilities in order to promote sustainable development, but also
to cater for the ever-increasing demand for our specialist services
in the global market place. Although the specific nature of our
customers’ needs vary depending on the context of their business
and projects, our specialist staff understand that there are two
factors that are driving demand for social development services –
increased social safeguard regulation, and rise of corporate social
responsibility.
We have a dedicated and internationally diverse team of social
scientists with a wide range of specialist expertise, skills,
academic and practical experience. Social development is the
primary focus of the team members thus ensuring that they remain at
the cutting edge of social development theory and best-practice.
The team draws upon expertise from across the Global Mott MacDonald
Group, in particular we work with Health and Education staff.
Our specialist skills include:
- Social impact assessment (SIA) and social due diligence
- Labour management and working condition analysis
- Resettlement and indigenous peoples planning
- Public consultation and community engagement
- Social management planning
- Equator principle and International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Social Performance Compliance Reviews
- Community health and safety analysis
- Institutional assessment, training and capacity building
Recent projects include:
- SIA, Pemberton mixed use development, Wales –
Carmarthenshire County Council hired Mott MacDonald to complete the
environmental impact assessment for a new development involving a
rugby stadium, retail park, hotel, pub and grocery store. A social
impact assessment was carried out and reported on in the
Environmental Statement. The social analysis focussed on local
business/economic and leisure impacts, vulnerability issues,
community engagement requirements, and cultural implications.
- Equator principle, Waste water treatment and waste to energy
(WTE) projects, Italy – Mott MacDonald completed a due
diligence review of the environmental impact assessments and
produced an Equator Principle Gap Analysis as part of a Lender’s
Technical and Environmental Advisory contract for the development
of three waste treatment and waste to energy in Sicily.
- Consultation, indigenous peoples and resettlement planning:
Hydropower Project, Pakistan – We coordinated the social
elements throughout the EIA process of a 655 MW Hydropower project.
This involved contributing to the site selection process, the
scoping report, establishing the socio-economic baseline,
identifying social impacts and mitigation measures and developing
social indicators for the framework social management and
monitoring plan. We also produced a public consultation and
disclosure plan, indigenous peoples specific action plan and a
resettlement action plan.
- Astraeus Wind Farm, Renewable Energy, UK – We provided
technical advisory services for two wind farms in the pre-financing
stage and reviewed the engineering, procurement and construction
contract to ensure the Equator Principle commitments will be
met.
