The Social License to Operate

“Social licence to operate” (“SLO”) has become an increasingly important concept in corporate social responsibility and operational risk management. Despite its intuitive appeal, the concept is open to multiple interpretations, and may be employed in the service of—or against—industry and development agendas. This chapter explores key conceptual, practical, and ethical issues raised by SLO, including: the broad continuum of social attitudes regarding the operations (from pride and support, to toleration, and finally active resistance); the role of certification; the challenges of measuring SLO; and the ways that SLO can contribute to the ethics and legitimacy of industry development.