3. Social Impacts

3.2. Examples of Social Impact

Social impacts are changes to one or more of the following:

  • Culture – that is, shared beliefs, customs, values and language or dialect.
  • Fears and aspirations – perceptions about safety, fears about the future of the community, and aspirations for the future and the future of the children.
  • Personal and property rights – particularly whether people are economically affected, or experience personal disadvantage which may include a violation of their civil liberties.
  • health and wellbeing – health is a state of complete physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
  • Environment – the quality of the air and water people use, the availability and quality of the food they eat, the level of hazard or risk, dust and noise they are exposed to, the adequacy of sanitation, their physical safety, and their access to and control over resources.
  • Community and way of life – the community’s cohesion, stability, character, services and facilities, how they live, work, play and interact with one another on a day-to-day basis.
  • Political systems – the extent to which people are able to participate in decisions that affect their lives.

Social Impact Example