Social, Heritage & Stakeholder EServices
Building Sustainable Relationships for Shared Value Creation
The challenge your business faces
At Digby Wells Environmental, we recognise that a sustainable social licence to operate is built on meaningful engagement, respect for cultural heritage, and proactive management of stakeholder relationships. Our specialists work alongside communities, regulators, and clients to foster trust, protect heritage resources, and create shared value. By integrating the “S” in ESG into every stage of the project lifecycle, we help ensure project viability, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and deliver long-term positive outcomes for clients and communities.
Our differentiated approach
With deep African cultural understanding and international best practice expertise, we facilitate authentic stakeholder relationships that create mutual value across linguistic and cultural boundaries. We ensure all voices are heard and heritage is preserved for future generations.
OUR KEY SERVICES
Building the foundation for long-term stability
Core Social Assessments & Planning
- Core Social Assessments & Planning
- Economic Impact Assessments (EcIAs)
- Baseline Socio-economic Surveys
- Vulnerability Assessments
Heritage Services
- Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs)
- Heritage Resource Mitigation, such as archaeological excavations or grave relocations
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for non-intrusive investigations
- Heritage Monitoring
- Heritage Conservation Management Plans (CMPs)
Resettlement & Livelihood Restoration
- Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs)
- Livelihood Restoration Plans (LRPs)
- Compensation Frameworks
- Alternative Livelihood Programmes
- Skills Development Initiatives
Stakeholder Engagement Services
- Stakeholder Engagement Planning and Mapping Analysis
- Free Prior & Informed Consent (FPIC)
- Social and Labour Plan (SLP) Services
- Conflict Resolution
- Social Facilitation Services
- Capacity Building and Training Services
Specialised Management Plans
- Legacy Development Strategies
- Alternative Economy Planning
- Local Content Strategies
- Supply Chain Development
- Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprise (SMME) Development Support
Economic Development & Transition
- Legacy Development Strategies
- Alternative Economy Planning
- Local Content Strategies
- Supply Chain Development
- Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprise (SMME) Development Support
Social Closure Services
- Social Closure Planning
- Workforce Transition Programmes
- Social Closure Costing
- Post-mining Community Support
- Exit Strategy Development
Monitoring & Evaluation
- Social Performance Monitoring
- Participatory M&E Systems
- Impact Tracking
- Adaptive Management Support
HEADING
Where this fits in your project
Exploration & Feasibility
Early risk assessment for influx, Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) engagements, stakeholder identification, assessment and mapping and heritage scoping.
Construction
RAP/LRP planning, asset, land-use and socio-economic baseline surveys and development of entitlement frameworks which meet national requirements and good international industry practice.
Operations
Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) updates, RAP and LRP implementation and M&E of social and heritage impacts and mitigation measures.
Closure & Legacy
Social Closure planning, costing and legacy development strategy for post-closure economies.
TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE
Science-driven performance
Our social, heritage and stakeholder engagement team employs robust methodologies including:
Participatory rural appraisal techniques
Land, asset and socio-economic baseline surveys
Culturally appropriate communication strategies
Vulnerability mapping
Social network analysis for stakeholder mapping
Livelihood profiling
Conflict-sensitive engagement approaches
Resettlement planning
Archaeological predictive modelling using GIS
Social closure scenario planning
Digital platforms for stakeholder feedback
Social Risk Assessments
MEANINGFUL RESULTS
Measurable impact delivered
Achieve community support
through inclusive stakeholder engagement processes
Reduce project
delays
through proactive social risk management
maximise social benefits
through community development initiatives
Manage Heritage Risk
through inclusive heritage management & regulatory compliance
ESG Integration
Our social services directly support
- Social metrics for ESG reporting frameworks
- Human rights due diligence requirements
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) impact measurement
- Cultural heritage preservation commitments
- Gender diversity and inclusion targets
CASE A
Open-pit expansion, Southern Africa (LRP, anonymised)
Challenge
Economic displacement of informal settlers during a cutback expansion; no formal tenure; lender scrutiny on restoration and grievance.
What we did
Baseline livelihood assessments; tailored skills & small-business support; resettlement assistance; embedded monitoring & grievance.
Alignment
IFC PS5 and operator’s social standard.
Outcome
Livelihoods restored or improved with emphasis on vulnerable groups; inclusive engagement set a replicable model for similar projects.
CASE B
Growth-stage gold project, West Africa (IMP + SEP, anonymised)
Challenge
Anticipated site-induced in-migration around permitting; pressure on services and land; rising expectation for jobs.
What we did
Prepared Influx Management Plans (IMP) with risk analysis, targeted comms to manage expectations, recruitment policy alignment, and monitoring plan; integrated with Project SEP.
Outcome
Clear, lender-aligned framework to minimise unmanaged influx and strengthen early-stage relationships (qualitative).
TAKE ACTION
Build stronger stakeholder relationships
Download our Stakeholder Engagement Toolkit or schedule a social risk assessment with our specialists.
RELATED PRODUCTS