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Project perception can change quickly, particularly in areas where there are multiple developments happening close to each other. A misstep in engagement by one energy project can erode the social licence of all. That's why stakeholder engagement is about more than simply meeting regulatory requirements. It needs to be grounded in genuine commitment to community wellbeing, and a respect local values and concerns. Through early, transparent and inclusive engagement, you can build trust, minimise opposition and establish a foundation of community support that informs value creation for your project, and local stakeholders. Here are some of our top tips for building social licence and creating community benefits.
1 | Start pre-planning early and make it comprehensive
Engaging the community early in the project lifecycle can help build trust and prevent misunderstandings. Projects should provide clear, honest information about their objectives, timelines, and potential impacts, ensuring that the community feels informed and included from the beginning. Regular updates throughout the project signal a commitment to open communication, which can benefit you too. Don't think about it as a cost. Local stakeholders can often provide valuable insights that you can use to improve your project's design.
2 | Empower communities through collaborative decision-making
When communities feel that they have a genuine voice in project decisions, they are far more likely to support it. Consider involving community representatives in advisory boards or working groups, where they can provide input on project design, mitigation strategies, or community investment programs. This collaborative approach can help reduce opposition and make the community feel like active partners rather than passive recipients.
3 | Make your Community Engagement Plan comprehensive
A strategic engagement plan should outline how a project will involve different community groups, such as local residents, First Nations communities, environmental organisations, and local businesses. This plan should specify communication channels, methods for gathering feedback, and ways to address stakeholder concerns. Tailoring engagement approaches to different groups based on their needs, interests, and concerns is the best approach to outreach. A good plan doesn't just look outwards, either. It should establish the internal team structures needed to enact it. This means having clear, consistent messaging about key issues, and allocated resources ready to respond to stakeholder’s concerns quickly.
4 | Respect Country and prioritise First Nations consultation
First Peoples have unique connections to both land and sea Country where the majority of renewable energy projects are proposed. Engaging with these groups early and respectfully is essential in building a strong relationship. Developing long-term partnerships with First Peoples based on free, informed and prior consent can help achieve a cultural licence to operate and deliver better outcomes for both the project and community.
5 | Be responsive to concerns and feedback
Actively listening to community feedback and responding to their concerns can foster a sense of trust and goodwill. Your community engagement team can support you to set up accessible feedback channels, such as town halls, online platforms, or dedicated liaison officers, and ensure all enquiries receive a timely response. Addressing feedback with clear, evidence-backed explanations or even design adjustments demonstrates respect for community input.
6 | Make your engagement accessible
Using communication channels that make it easy for stakeholders to connect helps ensure information reaches diverse community segments. Digital engagement experiences make it easy for people to connect in their own time. But remember that community members have varying levels of expertise and digital access and literacy aren't universal. Connecting in person can be just as important. No matter the channel or forum, information presented in everyday language will make your project easier to understand and engage with.
Digital consultation is a key tool for connecting and engaging with stakeholders. Adding resilience and diversity to your engagement strategy, RPS-designed digital engagement spaces allow stakeholders to interact with your project and provide feedback, wherever and whenever they choose. Community members can access project information, interact with visualisations, share comments, and dive into detail—all in their own time and from the comfort of their own home.
7 | Communicate social, economic, and environmental benefits clearly
Highlighting the value and benefits that your project can deliver for the community - such as local job creation, economic growth or environmental benefits - can help locals see value rather than negative impacts. Providing detailed, concrete information on how benefits will be created (like employment opportunities, improved infrastructure or local energy security) through a Social Value Action Plan and Framework can help foster support.
8 | Establish a community benefits program
Many projects establish community investment initiatives, such as funding for local infrastructure, education programs, or environmental initiatives, as part of their engagement strategy. By contributing directly to local projects or causes, project owners can demonstrate a commitment to host communities that helps build trust.
9 | Engage local leaders as project advocates
Working with trusted community figures—such as local leaders or respected community organisations—can improve a project's credibility and build a bridge to the broader community. These advocates can act as a conduit for information and feedback, enhance local buy-in, and counter misinformation.
10 | Remember that social licence is never finished
Engagement with the community shouldn’t end once approvals are granted. A long-term engagement plan that extends into the construction and operation phase can help sustain community support. Regular updates, continued investment in community initiatives, and ongoing feedback mechanisms demonstrate a lasting commitment to the community that will sustain social licence over time.
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