Reflections

I think this was the first TED I ever watched. It shows the power of turning numbers into information with passion and pictures, something I wish I was much better at!

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Stick around to the end to see some interesting similarities between a counter-insurgency strategy in Afghanistan and common themes we see influencing relationships between companies and communities.

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Over the years I've come to appreciate that while earning and maintaining a Social-Licence-to-Operate (SLO) is not something that comes for free it doesn't need to be complicated...

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We know that the level of social risk associated with a project is linked to the quality of relationships with local people but how can you know where you stand? There are two simple ways to do this. The first is to pay attention for changes in the tone of meetings with government agencies, partners and community members. The second is to note changes in behaviour and attitude you see happening in the community...

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If you're working on an overseas project and have never visited the site you'll be well served to make some pre-departure arrangements ahead of your first visit so that you can tick off the actions on your "what do I need to get out of my first visit checklist".  The more advice, views and ideas you can gather early on the better informed you’ll be and the less likely it is that you'll make costly mistakes. I've "been there done that" and believe me, it is not a good place to be.

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This short piece highlights a few simple actions you can take that will reduce your community-related project risk.

My suggestion is that whether you are taking on an existing project or you’ve acquired it through a purchase or takeover, the simple act of talking to your in-country site team can save you a lot of grief. If they are on-the-ball they will be a good source of information to help you get up to speed…

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