GWP Toolbox - C2.07 Social impact assessment (SIA)

SIA is a tool used for ensuring systematic analysis of social impacts of a proposed development or policy action, particularly if these are varied and extensive, and/or a proposal is expected to attract extensive opposition. Social impacts include all social and cultural consequences to human populations of any actions that affect the ways in which people live, work, play, relate to one another, organise to meet their needs, and generally cope as members of society. SIA has long been used by social scientists for analysing the conditions, causes and consequences of social phenomena and social life.