December 2019

Social license to operate, what exactly does it mean? It is a phrase that is increasingly bandied about in the media, pushed by various activist groups, and repeated by politicians many of whom fail to recognise that the words often do not represent the real views of the community at large. The term first emerged in the 1990’s linked to debates around the social costs inflicted by big corporates by their mining and gambling activities.

Have you ever wondered why mining companies and building sites seem to be paranoid about safety? The paranoia is on display with lots of fluorescent clothing, safety signs everywhere, stickers and tickets on every bit of machinery, sign in sign out and endless safety and induction briefings. It all exists because of one single reason, the unions. The unions over the decades have pushed companies hard on safety and the government has fully backed them.