Great Expectations: Perceptions and Policy Implications of the Social License Within Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Sector
Date
2024-05-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ORCID
0009-0004-9689-0868
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
The ‘social license to operate’ (SLO) is a concept originating in the mining industry which describes a project’s ability to earn and maintain trust or approval of public stakeholders. A recent controversy surrounding the decision of Earls Restaurants to switch from Canadian suppliers of beef to an American provider has introduced SLO into the agricultural sector. Recently, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture explored a social license framework, representing the SLO’s transition from the private to public sector. This thesis investigates how the SLO has redefined itself to meet the expectations of increasingly mobilized consumers, and its potential effectiveness as a policy instrument.
The findings of a case study analysis and expert interviews reveal that the most recent iteration of the Ministry SLO framework is founded on the ‘knowledge-deficit’ approach to scientific communication, where the role of the public is restricted to passive recipient of information in the consultation process. The conclusion is that the reinforcement of this mindset is unlikely to be effective in fulfilling public needs around engagement on contentious agricultural topics. Policy-makers interested in the SLO approach must ensure that the process is adapted to address industry specific concerns in a manner that is truly responsive and accountable. This research has implications for how policy-makers engage stakeholders and communicate risks in a manner that maintains public trust and legitimacy.
Description
Keywords
agriculture, social license to operate
Citation
Degree
Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.)
Department
Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy
Program
Public Policy