Social Impact Assessment in practice:
What works, what gets in the way, and what could improve?
Social Impact Assessment is used to understand and manage how major projects affect people, communities, places, livelihoods and wellbeing. In Australia, it is commonly associated with mining, infrastructure, energy and development projects, where decisions can have significant social consequences.
At its best, Social Impact Assessment helps identify who may be affected, how they may be affected, what risks and opportunities need attention, and what can be done to avoid harm, manage change and support better social outcomes.
But its value depends on more than completing an assessment. It depends on how the process is designed, who is involved, what evidence is used, and whether the findings influence real decisions.
In this Tuesday Dialogue Marcus Curcija explored how Social Impact Assessment works in practice: where it worked well, where it became too procedural or disconnected from affected people and places, and what stronger practice looks like.
The discussion focused on three connected perspectives: project realities, affected people and places, and public value, with an emphasis on better decisions, stronger accountability and improved social outcomes.