Social licence to operate

What social licence to operate is

Social licence to operate is the level of acceptance, trust and support that local communities and stakeholders grant to a project throughout its life cycle. It is not an administrative permit or a regulated procedure: it is built, maintained and can be lost, regardless of whether the project holds all its permits.

A project can have a favourable environmental impact statement and administrative authorisation and still face mass objections, legal challenges, local mobilisation or delays due to a lack of acceptance in the territory. Social licence is the dimension that covers that risk.

Why it matters for renewable energy and infrastructure

Solar, wind, battery storage (BESS), biomethane, hydrogen and power line projects are located in rural areas with established agricultural, livestock, forestry or tourism uses, and often with several projects competing for the same area. In that context, local opposition is one of the main sources of schedule and reputational risk, and financiers increasingly treat it as a project risk.

Since 2026, moreover, public engagement and local benefit-sharing have had concrete regulatory effects for renewables, storage and grids: they affect public information periods, the obligation to return benefits to nearby communities, and the advantages attached to the social and territorial excellence standard.

What the service includes

• Diagnosis of the territorial context and the social sensitivity of the area of influence
• Identification and characterisation of stakeholders and interest groups, with analysis of their interests and position on the project
• Analysis of social risks and potential sources of opposition
• Community relations strategy: messages, channels and schedule adapted to each project phase
• Design and facilitation of engagement and consultation processes, beyond the statutory public information stage
• Definition of local integration and shared-benefit measures
• Enquiry and grievance mechanism, and monitoring indicators

How we approach it

1. Analysis of the territory and existing land uses, based on official sources and direct consultation with local authorities.
2. Stakeholder map and social risk assessment.
3. Design of the strategy and the engagement plan, aligned with the environmental permitting schedule.
4. Delivery of the actions: meetings, workshops, information sessions and outreach materials adapted to each audience.
5. Systematisation of the input received and feedback to participants.
6. Monitoring with indicators and updating of the strategy during construction and operation.

Reference framework

Social licence is not a regulated concept, but it draws on applicable obligations and standards: the public information and consultation required by Spanish Law 21/2013 on environmental assessment, the right of public participation in environmental matters set out in Law 27/2006 and, for renewables, storage and grids, Royal Decree-Law 7/2026 of 20 March. This instrument extends to 45 working days the public information period for large generation and storage facilities under State jurisdiction subject to ordinary environmental impact assessment, and requires promoters to first demonstrate that they have contacted landowners and local bodies. It also establishes an obligation to return benefits to nearby communities through local engagement processes, and creates a voluntary social and territorial excellence standard, which counts as a merit in grid access and connection and in tenders, and may carry preferential processing. For projects financed under the Equator Principles (EP4), participating institutions additionally require informed participation and a grievance mechanism. The service is designed to meet these requirements and, where the project justifies it, to go beyond them.

When it is needed

• Large-scale renewable energy projects, or several projects competing in the same territory.
• Linear infrastructure affecting several municipalities.
• Projects with financing subject to social performance standards.
• Territories with prior opposition, high landscape or agricultural sensitivity, or a history of similar controversial projects.
• Early development stages, when the design can still be adjusted to local concerns.

Common mistakes

• Starting the dialogue with the territory once the project has already been processed and the key decisions have been made.
• Confusing statutory public information with a community relations strategy.
• Communicating generic benefits without data for the specific municipality or verifiable commitments.
• Limiting contact to public authorities, without reaching farmers, livestock owners, associations and residents.
• Failing to respond to the input received or to explain how it has been taken into account.

Why choose Ideas Medioambientales

We have worked in environmental consultancy across Spain for more than 25 years. We link the social licence strategy with the socioeconomic impact study, public participation, the social management plan and the project's environmental assessment, so that the message to the territory is consistent with what the file says.

Tell us about your project and the territory where it is located and we will propose the right scope, from an initial diagnosis to a full strategy with ongoing support.

Contact us to discuss your project.