Critical Resource Strategy & Analysis

Across many industries, sustainability and stakeholder pressures are intensifying, putting significant value at stake for companies. In the resources sector in particular, such issues are increasingly giving rise to critical business risks and opportunities.

Our client work focuses on the areas below. Click on each for more detail and for brief examples of past projects, including some undertaken by our experts prior to joining Critical Resource. For confidentiality reasons, client names are not given. Please also see the News & Insights page.

Rating, risk and impact assessment: assessments of the “socio-political license to operate” for resource projects using Critical Resource’s proprietary methodology, LicenseSecure™. Also analyses of social and human rights risks and impacts of projects.
Policies, guidance & implementation: Development of policies, guidance and management systems on sustainability and stakeholder issues. Also support for on-the-ground implementation of these policies, including internal awareness building and training.

Brief examples of past projects:

Client challenge: Global mining major seeking to ensure responsible business conduct across the organisation on human rights and also anti-corruption issues
What we did: Developed internal guidance and management procedures on human rights and anti-corruption, reviewed and approved by the company’s board
How it helped: Provided succinct, easily-understood and practical procedures for managers on these complex issues; also enhanced company’s reputation with international NGOs

Client challenge: Major international financial and development institution seeking to develop robust policy and strategic approach on environmental issues
What we did: Analysed past environmental NGO and stakeholder criticisms of client, and helped develop policy document so as to respond adequately to these concerns
How it helped: Supported more environmentally-sensitive approach to investments, and helped reduce risk of future criticisms

Client challenge: International resource industry organisation seeking to develop guidance on human rights to help strengthen good practice
What we did: Developed short manual containing guidance across full range of human rights issues (security, land rights, grievance procedures etc)
How it helped: Helped clarify and strengthen emerging best practice on human rights, also enhancing international reputation of client

Client challenge: Global resource company seeking to promote understanding of human rights and embed ‘rights-aware’ approach into mainstream management
What we did: Delivered human rights presentation / training to senior management; advised on integration of human rights issues into internal reporting and control systems
How it helped: Helped to raise awareness of human rights issues across management at both strategic and operational levels

Issue leadership: Content for advancing international debates across the range of stakeholder and sustainability issues
Strategy development: Advice on ways to create and protect shareholder value by embedding stakeholder and sustainability issues into core business strategy.
Research: Analysis to support client decision-making & approaches.

In terms of approach, Critical Resource will assist clients to achieve improved sustainability outcomes and responsiveness to external expectations. It will work with organisations which have a genuine commitment to responsibility. Some services are outside the scope of Critical Resource's work. Critical Resource is not a PR or lobbying firm. While able to provide fact-based content for potential external use, Critical Resource does not undertake media relations itself or represent clients externally. Client confidentiality is a core principle for Critical Resource.