Securing & Maintaining License to Operate

For Large-Scale projects across Mining, Energy, Power Generation and Transmission, and Heavy Industry

Problem

Over 70% of delays and cost overruns on large-scale infrastructure projects are due to non-technical issues e.g. political, regulatory or community opposition.

Solution

We help companies anticipate, plan and manage these issues to deliver projects on time and to budget. By doing so we help:

At a project level, improve the Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and reduce execution risk
At a company level, reduce the cost of capital, create enterprise value and competitive advantage

In practical terms this involves support throughout the lifecycle of a project:

Our roles

Our Role #1

Project Planning

We are typically brought in at the planning stages of a greenfield project or the due diligence stage of an acquisition to assess non-technical risks, i.e., those external factors that can result in cost overruns, project delays and a wide range of other stakeholder-related issues.

Our Role #2

Project Permitting

Once a decision has been taken to proceed with a project we work closely with the environment and/or permitting teams to understand the project design and impact, craft a communications and engagement strategy to help secure any/all necessary regulatory approvals, land access or right of way (etc).

Our Role #3

Social License to Operate

The key to long-term success is ensuring that stakeholder expectations of the company/project are realistic and stakeholder relationships are built on an open dialogue and recognition of mutual benefits. Any project where support is built purely on financial or in-kind donations will not be sustainable in the long term, as more payments are extracted, and costs escalated.

Ways of Working

In the first instance, we are often engaged to help manage a critical issue or conduct a top-down review of corporate affairs strategy across a country or global region. However, typically our mandate evolves into longer-term implementation support on the ground.

Issues management

Engaged to firefight live issues with government, community, media or other stakeholders

Assessment

Engaged to assess political and reputational risk around an investment or an existing operation

Strategy & planning

Engaged to review and upgrade corporate relations structure and strategy

Implementation

Ultimately, ask to provide long term on-the-ground support for headline business goals

Capacity building

Developing and embedding company-wide capabilities, systems and processes