The Superintendent of Social Management at Pan American Silver, Oswaldo Ramirez, participated in the Seminar Road to proExplo 2021 "Social Management in Mining Exploration - Risk and Value Analysis" organized by the Peruvian Institute of Mining Engineers (IIMP).

For the expert in the strategic management of social issues and sustainability in mining and hydrocarbon companies, social management in the mining process has to be dynamic and forget about a "general recipe", because the scenarios are unique and different.

The role of Social Management

"Socio-political risks are always going to be present in all spaces as a consequence of all the actors and each one of them with their own interests and expectations. Therefore, we must be able to look at the interactive process of socio-political risk management that begins with planning, like any process, which continues with the creation of a risk matrix and continues with the adaptation of a structure; in other words, how a company adapts to face each of the risks that are particular to each project", he informed.

In his presentation, Oswaldo Ramírez described the reasons or motives in the communities that generate crises or conflicts due to the presence of extractive projects.

From the anthropological point of view, although the focus is on the behavior of individuals in a given situation, it is necessary to consider the presence of fears due to misinformation or manipulation; there are also beliefs or customs due to local culture.

Therefore, he indicated that there are values or traditions in each community that are not visible but are present and are determinant in the behaviors of the population; therefore, he recommended not to guide social intervention only by looking at behaviors; but also to determine what generates or explains such behaviors.

Likewise, when referring to a socio-political approach, it should be considered that the spaces where mining exploration activities are carried out are spaces where the Government is absent; therefore, processes of poverty, inequality and/or exclusion have occurred; not to mention the processes of disinformation.

"This way, all these facts together generate interests and expectations of the actors, who can manipulate or be manipulated and that situation is going to influence the course of social processes taking place in each of the areas," he expressed.

He also pointed out that communication is essential in conflict resolution, which should seek mutual understanding and work under the win to win logic.

The role of Social Management

"If the parties understand that with the presence of a mining or exploration project they are going to win, the understanding process will be on track; otherwise, it will be difficult. In the same way, work must be done to generate credibility, understanding and reach a mutual agreement so that the reality perceived by the actors can lead to a rapprochement", he emphasized.

Regarding the economic approach, Ramírez remembered that when an exploration project arrives to a territory, expectations arise either to provide goods and/or services to the project, or in terms of demand for technical and unskilled labor.

"The project proposal must take into account these expectations and analyze the potential, competencies and experiences of these local businesses and the local labor force that can be articulated with the demand of the mining project. Therefore, it is important that both contexts fit well in order to achieve project acceptance and conflict prevention," he stressed.