Walk the Talk - Sustainability management system for social acceptance

Purpose and goal

The aim was to improve the sustainability management of the Swedish mining industry by developing and implementing a Sustainability Management System (SMS) for social acceptance that, based on stakeholder dialogue, creates, implements, values and develops sustainable work processes along the entire value chain. More specifically, it has been about developing strategic tools and guidelines for improved stakeholder management and integrating sustainability criteria into existing business management systems.

Expected results and effects

The project had a clear focus on the planning step of a SMS, which in practice is about identifying stakeholders and their needs and expectations (sustainability aspects), developing CSR strategies based on evaluation of sustainability aspects and developing guiding documentation regarding sustainability aspects, community engagement and development and management´s review. Once this work is implemented, the company will have a SMS that, based on stakeholder dialogue, creates, implements, evaluates and develops sustainable management processes along the value chain.

Planned approach and implementation

The project would be carried out in seven iterative steps using a work package consisting of literature study, workshops, stakeholder surveys and interviews, and dissemination of results, see Figure 1. Existing research, initiatives, guidelines and tools have provided an important basis for workshops, stakeholder surveys, interview guides and development of HLS. All planned steps have been carried out according to project plan. All planned steps except the last one, dissemination of results, have been carried out according to project plan.