Handbook for social licence to operate in Arctic industries

This handbook is designed for industrial actors in the Arctic regions and decision-makers involved in strategic planning for Arctic industrial development. It guides the assessment and implementation of Social Licence to Operate (SLO).. The handbook begins with concise recommendations, explores the concept of SLO, and discusses the relevance of these recommendations in the Arctic. The SLO concept addresses the relationships between local communities and industries such as mining, aquaculture, tourism, and forestry in the Arctic. These industries can have significant local environmental and social impacts while generating substantial benefits beyond the local communities, leading to potential controversies. The SLO approach aims to gain the acceptance and trust of local communities, which is increasingly important. Failure to achieve this can result in significant costs due to project disruption or termination. The aim is to clarify the understanding and interpretation of the SLO concept and how companies and stakeholders can work to enhance the SLO of an industry. Originally developed in the mining industry, the ArcticHubs project explores whether the SLO concept can be adapted to other industries like aquaculture, forestry, and tourism. ArcticHubs project has also examined how these industries impact Sami reindeer herders and Greenlandic Inuit hunters and fishermen through SLO activities.