In October 2024, the CRM-geothermal project hosted a consultation in Cornwall (UK) to gather the thoughts of local communities and other stakeholders on how dual geothermal-metal extraction projects can achieve ‘social licence to operate’ in the UK, EU and beyond. The consultation findings will ultimately be captured in Guidelines for Obtaining and Maintaining Social Licence to Operate, a ‘how-to’ manual currently being developed by one of the project’s partners, Levin Sources.
During the consultation, five key themes emerged, offering valuable insights for shaping the guidelines around community consultation in the context of SLO for this type of project.
1/ Honesty and transparency are key
The overwhelming message that emerged from the consultation was the need for open, honest and transparent communication. Stakeholders want to feel heard, seen and respected. They highlighted the importance of providing consistent updates on what a project is doing and why – including transparency about what is unknown or advance notice of negative impacts, such as noise from drilling. This approach helps build trust and public confidence, which will pay off in times of uncertainty.
SLO is closely linked to trust, which is easy to lose and difficult to build. It is therefore vital that a dual geothermal-metal extraction project can meet any commitments it makes to local and other stakeholders or proactively and clearly explain why it cannot. Broken promises and unmet expectations are hard to recover from.
2/ Make your information accessible
From school children to experts, every member of the community needs to understand the project’s communication. Making the messaging both serious and fun encourages interaction. This means using simple language adapted to each audience group, avoiding unnecessary jargon and explaining technical concepts through relatable comparisons. Simplicity, however, doesn’t mean oversimplification, but rather accounting for the public’s different levels of understanding and existing knowledge by providing different levels of entry.
In regions with distinct local dialects, consider sharing information in multiple languages, especially to reach older generations. Use different forms of communication, including simple graphics, to explain the project to those with limited literacy or who access information more easily through visual media.
3/ Consider the community context
Tailor the communication guidelines to a specific community by developing a thorough understanding of the audience and public. This will vary from project to project. A project can work with ‘trusted messengers’ to distribute information but this approach can backfire if the trusted messengers have a negative view of the project. They will often be local stakeholders with direct influence, but their local role and network of stakeholder contacts can vary widely from one place to another.
4/ Be proactive in engaging stakeholders
Stakeholders want projects to reach out to them rather than the other way round. Proactively engaging from the early stages, such as during the site selection process, can help avoid misunderstandings and build strong relationships. When consultation is not possible, projects should explain why a decision was taken without community input.
While controlling the narrative is important, addressing misinformation should not come at the expense of addressing stakeholders’ genuine concerns and opinions. Projects need to explain to stakeholders how their views have been considered and addressed so they feel heard and valued.
5/ Think beyond the project
“Do no harm” is the baseline for projects, but stakeholders agree that “improve things” is a more inspiring goal for communities, alongside commitments to support communities in a way that brings sustained benefits beyond a project’s life.
Projects should seek to invest resources, both financial and skills-based, in host communities or communities that potentially will experience adverse impacts. Job creation and spending to support the local supply chain through use of local goods and services are important ways of demonstrating a commitment to community improvement, but more innovative approaches may also sometimes be possible (such as issuing shares to local people and redirecting “waste” heat from the project to community greenhouses).
By considering and responding to these five key themes and creating a transparent, accessible, and context-specific communication strategy, dual geothermal-metal extraction projects can deliver more meaningful community engagement, build trust, foster cooperation and support from local stakeholders and progress on their journey to obtaining and maintaining SLO.
Photos: Dr Paul Mitchell delivering the workshop – Image credit: GEOTHERMAL ENGINEERING LTD
Lead researcher: Paul Mitchell (Levin Sources)
