The Social License database is FREE to use. So have a play around and search some of your favorite companies to see what their social license status is.
About Social License
The Social License platform makes it easy to explore which companies and projects have earned public support through social licence.
Watch the video below to learn how to use the tool.
Our goal is to strengthen environmental stewardship by empowering the community. Social licence is one of the most powerful tools the public has to influence environmental outcomes.
By checking, endorsing, and promoting projects that demonstrate positive environmental stewardship, the public plays a critical role in shaping responsible and sustainable development.
Real world application of this Social License app – Case studies
Environmental Stewardship leaders (Green badge promotion)
If your organisation leads the field in environmental stewardship, it will earn strong social licence within the community. To demonstrate this commitment, you can embed a live Social License badge on your website—showing the community that you value transparency, accountability, and your social licence to operate.
Example: https://environmentalanalytics.com.au/about/
Grassroots community groups investigating other companies (Red badge investigators)
If your organisation is campaigning to protect the environment from activities that may be causing harm, you can engage your audience by inviting them to consider a clear question: Does this company have the community’s social licence to operate?
Companies in the red wanting to improve their social license (Red badge improvement)
Not sure where your social licence stands? If your organisation is in the red, use our platform to highlight your environmental commitments and invite the community to share what they expect to see in order to rebuild trust and social licence.
To be investigated (Grey badge companies)
If the badge is grey that means the community has’nt yet submitted their social license in any direction. Companies could run awareness campaigns to show the public that they are interested in maintaining social license.
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A few key points to remember about social licence
The concept of social licence to operate is simple and well established. It is built on the principles outlined below.
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Community consent
Every member of a community has the right to give or withhold their social licence (that is, approval or disapproval) of a company or project, based on its past behaviour and its proposed actions—particularly in relation to environmental stewardship and social responsibility. -
Informed licence
Social licence must be informed. Communities should have access to clear, accurate, and timely information about a project, including its environmental impacts, risks, benefits, and management practices, so they can make meaningful and informed decisions. -
Prior and ongoing consent
Social licence is not a one-off approval. Companies should seek and maintain social licence before a project begins and continue to earn it throughout the life of the project through responsible actions, transparency, and genuine engagement. -
Trust and accountability
Social licence is grounded in trust. It is strengthened when organisations are accountable for their actions, respond to community concerns, and demonstrate a willingness to adapt when expectations are not being met. -
Dynamic and revocable
Social licence can be strengthened or withdrawn over time. A loss of trust, poor environmental performance, or lack of transparency can result in community disapproval, even if formal regulatory approvals remain in place.
Together, these principles explain why social licence to operate is a critical factor in achieving long-term, socially acceptable, and environmentally responsible development.
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Analytical graphics
Analytical graphics are designed to grab your attention with a traffic light system:
Red, Stop! Check out why the community hasn’t given their licence.
Grey, Hmm not enough data yet, submit or withhold your licence!
Green, Great! Promote this company to your friends!
Analytical traffic graphics are deliberately designed to provide a binary good/bad, green/red assessment. Obviously the data and the world is more complex than a binary answer, we hope a red signal will make you stop and check the situation carefully for yourself.
Where do you come in?
Well it’s your licence, your data and your tool to get a handle on who’s working for a better future and who is not.
The key missing mechanisms
Public facing data: The key missing mechanism here is that public “social licence” data is rarely compiled and publicly published. Aren’t you interested which company does and doesn’t have the public’s “social licence”?
Our solution – Social Licence app
- Giving you a place to keep and change your “licence” on each company.
- Providing a public facing “Social licence” snapshot of how well a company is doing so you can decide if you want to support them by buying their products.
Social licence app
The specific goal of these social licence mechanisms are:
- Highlight and promote companies or groups that are actively contributing to environmental stewardship.
How does it work?
The basics:
- Set up a user account and wait for us to verify you.
- Select the category of social licence you want to research (Community or Scientific opinion).
- Select your geographical region of interest (global/Country/State) and other filter options (verified or unverified data).
- Select a company and hit search.
- Check the information available in the “Report card” section.
- Grant or withhold your “social licence” for the company and submit your licence.
- If you want a more analytical breakdown or additional tools, then this is also available.
Data privacy
Your personal information will never be publicly available to any user (unless you specify that you want your licence made public, it will be stored in accordance with academic data polices below, restricting access to key academic personal.
To ensure data quality we will ask for the following essential and optional data fields.
Essential- Full name, Category of “licence” (Scientific or community)
Optional – Suburb/State/Country where you live, occupation.
Read more: Privacy Policy
How much does it cost?
It’s free for the general public and scientific users. Because really its your data!
For users wanting to access more advanced analytics, rights to use graphics for promotional purposes and additional scientific products there is a tiered user pay system.