Towards social indicators for project life cycle management purposes

Abstract

Industry has experienced a shift in stakeholder pressures from environmental to social-related concerns, where new developments in the form of projects and technologies are undertaken. However, the measurement of social impacts and the calculation of suitable indicators are less well developed compared to environmental indicators in order to assess the potential liabilities associated with undertaken projects and technologies. A Social Impact Indicator (SII) calculation procedure is subsequently introduced based on a previously introduced Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) calculation procedure for environmental Resource Impact Indicators (RIIs). The practicability of the SII procedure is demonstrated in the context of the process industry in South Africa. The case studies establish that social footprint information as well as project- and technology social data are not readily available in the South African process industry. Consequently, the number of social categories that can be evaluated are minimal, which results in an impaired social picture when compared to the environmental dimension. It is concluded that a quantitative social impact assessment method cannot be applied for project and technology life cycle management purposes in industry at present. It is recommended that checklists and guidelines be used during project and technology life cycle management practices.