Social licence to operate and impact assessment

This article reviews historical and recent developments in the understanding and employment of 'social licence to operate' (SLO), particularly as it relates to impact assessment (IA). It canvasses the ways in which concerns about SLO are beginning to overlap with or be incorporated into IA processes. In so doing, the article has two aims. First, it establishes a research agenda for SLO in IA by posing a series of timely, critical questions to assist IA practitioners grappling with increased proponent and community concerns about an SLO. Second, the article reviews the contributions to this Special Issue of Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal and the ways in which they mark an important touchstone from which the IA profession may consider, more formally, the growing implications of SLO for the field. In particular, a future research agenda for SLO and IA should consider: measuring and monitoring SLO, tensions and synergies between SLO and IA, potential of SLO to improve stakeholder engagement and proponent accountability and the possible role of SLO in regulation linked to IA.