Session Details
Social risk can decide whether an exploration program secures land access, permits, financing, and local support. Investors, regulators, and communities expect responsible social management from the earliest stage, yet many of the people making these decisions have no formal social performance training. This course closes that gap with practical frameworks and tools used by practitioners globally.
In this interactive full-day course, participants learn why social performance matters for permitting and project financing, including what investors look for. They then apply core tools to their own exploration and development companies: stakeholder and area-of-influence mapping, social risk registers, engagement planning, early community investment, and grievance mechanisms. Case studies, exercises, and ready-to-use templates address typical exploration challenges: land access, local expectations and employment, Indigenous engagement, misinformation, and community concerns. Grounded in international standards (such as the IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, UNGPs and PDAC's e3 Plus framework) and tailored to early-stage projects, the course is led by the co-founders of Sympact Advisory and Responsible Mining Academy, experienced trainers with dozens of mining companies and extensive global practitioner experience.
Top takeaways:
- Identify and prioritize material social risks to projects and companies during exploration and early development
- Understand what investors, lenders, and regulators expect from social management
- Design fit-for-purpose risk registers, stakeholder engagement plans, and grievance mechanisms
- Apply tools to common issues: land access, local employment, Indigenous engagement, misinformation, and protest
- Communicate confidently with colleagues, management, and external stakeholders, and make the case for appropriate action
Laptop required for course exercises.