El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Mining is an important industry in Peru, but local communities where mining takes place do not perceive its benefits. Mining corporations need to achieve legitimacy within these communities. The main objective of this study is to identify the factors that determine the provision of social licenses to operate in Peru’s mining regions. We conducted this research using a case study of two Peruvian mining companies. Our study concludes with the identification of four essential factors needed to achieve a social license to operate within these communities: a deep understanding of the socioeconomic environment, a strong commitment to the community, an active presence of Government, and effective communication between the actors involved in mining activities. The combination of these elements can result in improved trust levels between companies and society, enabling all agents to recognize the costs and benefits resulting from mining. / Revisión por pares

Transportsektorn står för en markant andel av världens koldioxidutsläpp samt att sektorn tillför risker i trafiken. För att adressera dessa problem har hållbarhet blivit allt viktigare inom sektorn. Transportsektorn är även präglad av hård konkurrens och därför blir det avgörande för transportleverantörer att kunna utforma och erbjuda ett attraktivt värdeerbjudande till sina kunder. Ett sätt att göra det på är att integrera hållbarhet i värdeerbjudandet. Det finns begränsad forskning och exempel på praktiska implementeringar där ett hållbart värdeerbjudande undersöks från kundens perspektiv inom transportsektorn. Denna studie syftar därför till att med en explorativ ansats förstå hur transportbolag ska integrera hållbarhet i värdeerbjudandet för att öka kundvärdet. Genom att undersöka hur hållbarhet kan integreras i företagets erbjudande, varumärke och Social License to Operate (SLO) för att öka sitt kundvärde. Metoden för studien har bestått av ett kvalitativt tillvägagångssätt och utförs som en fallstudie hos ett åkeri, där datan har samlats genom att utföra semistrukturerade intervjuer. Totalt har tio respondenter delat med sig av sina tankar och erfarenheter om hållbara transporter. Data från intervjuerna analyserades sedan med en tematisk analys för att identifiera det presenterade resultatet. Resultatet från studien visar att det fanns en stor prioritering på hållbarhet av alla faktorer som undersöktes. Utöver detta visar också resultatet att transportleverantörer bör fokusera sina resurser på ett hållbart erbjudande och att upprätthålla sin SLO för att erhålla konkurrensfördelar. Studiens resultat bidrar till en ökad förståelse om hur ett hållbart värdeerbjudande ska utformas av transportleverantörer för att skapa ett konkurrenskraftigt kundvärde.

This thesis examines community engagement as a form of conflict prevention in order to obtain the social license to operate (SLO) in Alberta’s oil and gas industry. It does this by answering the question: what are the key elements of the Social License to Operate and how can these elements be applied to community engagement/consultation in a way that prevents conflicts in Alberta’s oil and gas industry? The underlying assumption of this thesis is that building good relationships and working collaboratively functions as a form of conflict prevention and that this in turn leads to the SLO. This thesis outlines the key features of both successful community engagement and of the SLO, to provide a guideline for what is needed to obtain the SLO. Data was collected from semi-structured interviews and through a literature review. The data analysis concluded that there are direct parallels between the key elements of effective community engagement and the key elements of the SLO as identified in the interviews. These parallels are: knowing the community, addressing community needs, corporate social responsibility, relationship building, follow through and evidence for what has been done, executive buy-in, excellent communication, and open dialogue, all within a process which is principled (there is trust, understanding, transparency and respect), inclusive, dynamic, flexible, ongoing, and long-term. Moreover, the key elements of effective community engagement and of the SLO identified in the interviews also overlapped with those found in the literature review, with only one exception. The literature review explicitly named early involvement as a key element of both effective community engagement and the SLO, whereas the interview participants only explicitly indicated it as a key factor of community engagement and implied it to be a key element of the SLO. / Graduate

The present ethnographic research explores the socio-economic repercussions of a copper mining operation in Chile on its host community. By examining the development of the relationship between this local community and the mining company since the latter’s arrival, this thesis sheds light on the possible (secondary) impacts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) measures and participatory spaces on intracommunal dynamics. Previous work has emphasized that enduring relationships involving participatory decision-making are crucial to build up trust and acceptance towards mining operations. However, these studies have not sufficiently focused on how such participatory mechanisms and ‘friendly’ relationships play out within the communities, on an intracommunal level. This research has addressed this gap by conducting an ethnographic fieldwork in a local community and capturing the community member’s view on the role of the mining company and their CSR measures for them and their community as a whole. This thesis found that the troublesome past with the mining operation has damaged the host community’s trust and acceptance in the involved mining companies. While disappointment and distrust were carried into more recent negotiations, community members also build up confidence and hope for a more harmonious relationship bearing new opportunities for their community. However, tracing back the history between the local community and the mining company, the thesis found that relations between the mining company and locals oscillated between protest against and dialogue. This shows that while (in-) direct economic benefits are recognized and appreciated, detrimental environmental impacts are not overlooked and still denounced. Furthermore, the rather corporate- than community-centered approach of the mining company’s CSR is criticized because it (1) neglects the common good, and (2) treats some groups/individuals in the community as more entitled to receive benefit than others. A general lack of reflection on the part of the mining company is attested: the mining company’s CSR leads to unwanted intracommunal discontent. The majority of the community leaders have full-time jobs and other obligations in addition to the time-consuming roles and related engagement on behalf of the community. On top of that, they lack sufficient support and participation of other community members to advance the work in the participatory spaces more efficiently and address the shortcomings of the commitments of the mining company accurately. However, there are historical reasons, rumors about corruption related to the mining company, and a violent discussion culture which step by step lead to a withdrawal of many community members from participating. In general, distrust, disunity, and disinformation dominate the atmosphere when it comes to the participatory spaces – but also more and more when it comes to community life itself. This in turn was observed to be both a product of and precondition for a prevailing victim mentality among the community which is characterized by demotivation, passivity, and pessimism. Valuable energy is trapped in a vicious circle rather than channeled towards action: there is no unified effort to address the problems on a community-mine level, the community stays overwhelmed, and in turn, has a hard time focusing and targeting the different issues they are facing systematically. / Mining of copper and molybdenum are crucial for our modern lifestyle: they are used for example in electronics, construction, alloys, and transport. Often, the use and consumption of such minerals are alienated from their extraction and production. There is an extensive body of literature on the environmental impacts of mining operations on the ground, however, there is also a need for a more sophisticated analysis which goes beyond the notion of the mere ‘ecological environment’. In this sense, anthropology can make an important contribution in the (re-)presentation of local realities. Therefore, this thesis critically examines, over time, the social and economic repercussions of a mining operation on its host community. Also, it discusses the so called ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) measures implemented by the mining company to gain more acceptance within the local community. By conducting an ethnographic fieldwork in a local community in Chile, I captured the community member’s opinions of the mining operation next door and the CSR program. The thesis found that relations between the mining company and locals oscillated between protest against and dialogue. While economic benefits, for example through jobs or donations for the community, are recognized and appreciated, detrimental environmental impacts are denounced. The rather troublesome past with the mining company has damaged the host community’s trust in and acceptance of the mining operation. However, some community members are still confident and hope for new opportunities through the CSR measures conducted by the mining company. Yet, the CSR approach is also criticized because it (1) neglects the common good, and (2) treats some groups/individuals in the community as more entitled to receive benefit than others. A general lack of reflection on the part of the mining company is attested: the mining company’s CSR leads to unwanted intracommunal discontent. In general, the thesis found that the scope and severity of the environmental and socio-economic problems the host community is facing is overwhelming its capacity to engage and respond effectively. The majority of the community leaders have full-time jobs and other obligations in addition to the time-consuming roles and related engagement on behalf of the community. On top of that, many community members have withdrawn from participatory decision-making spaces. Rumors about corruption have spread distrust among the community and a violent discussion culture has fostered demotivation and disunity. This atmosphere is affecting not just these participatory spaces, but more and more community life itself. This in turn was observed to be both a product of and precondition for a prevailing victim mentality among the community. Such a victim mentality is characterized by passivity and pessimism. Valuable energy is trapped in a vicious circle rather than channeled towards action: there is no unified effort to address the problems with the mining company, the community stays overwhelmed, and in turn, has a hard time focusing and targeting the different issues they are facing systematically.

Today, the concept social license to operate (SLO) has been gaining traction among companies. If a company wants to establish a business in a new area or keep their current one, they must cooperate with the stakeholders to acquire and maintain a SLO or be forced to shut down. In the mining and extractive (M&E) sector the negative effects on the environment and local area are so apparent it has made the industry focus on SLO. Previous research draws different conclusions on what factors impact the SLO the most and this presents a research gap to analyze.  The purpose of this research is to investigate how companies within the M&E sector need to interact with local communities to build trust and acquire a SLO. This is done by an exploration of how individuals living in or near mining operations perceive mining operations by asking how they feel about the distributional fairness, the procedural fairness, the confidence in governance, the dialogue, the trust towards the mining industry, and the acceptance level towards mining. This research is of a quantitative explanatory character and primary data was gathered from an online questionnaire distributed among two Facebook groups that is connected to Kiruna and Gällivare. A total of 190 responded and their answers were analyzed with the help of statistical techniques.   The results indicate dialogue to be an efficient way to communicate for companies towards communities. Procedural fairness and confidence in governance lead to trust while distributional fairness did not and a company that is trusted will receive a SLO.

Background: Due to the expansion of the mine in Kiruna, a large part of the city, including the city center, needs to be relocated. The town's foundations will become fragile and collapse.  Purpose: This study will explore how Kiruna’s corporate social sustainability strategies align with sustainable development so that the new society will benefit the stakeholders. It will look at this from an organizational perspective and see how the Municipality in Kiruna and the local mining company LKAB have handled it.  Method: An interpretative and inductive approach has been used to combine exploratory and explanatory methods to collect qualitative data through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders. A thematic analysis is employed to identify patterns in how the various challenges are addressed, how the municipality and LKAB perceive the situation, and areas for potential improvement in the future.  Conclusion: The study focuses on effectively integrating CSR, Stakeholder theory, and Sustainable Development theory to address complex sustainability challenges. The study focuses on the importance of stakeholder engagement, strategies, and comprehensive CSR practices to ensure the three pillars of sustainability. This research provides valuable insights for future urban relocation projects, focusing on collaboration of sustainable planning.

Bakgrund och problemformulering: Gruvnäringen i Sverige står inför flerakritiska utmaningar som hotar dess långsiktiga hållbarhet. Digitaliseringen som ärnödvändigt för att förbli konkurrenskraftig i gruvindustrin, riskerar att minskasysselsättningen i företagens närområden. Detta kan leda till ökat motstånd frånlokalbefolkningen, vars sociala acceptans är avgörande för verksamhetens fortsattadrift. Samtidigt finns det en brist på högutbildad arbetskraft som ingenjörer,automationstekniker, och datavetare, vilket är nödvändigt för att genomföra dendigitala omställningen. Gruvbolagen måste också omskola befintlig personal föratt möta de nya kompetenskraven, vilket riskerar att mötas av internt motståndsom kan spridas till omgivningen. I och med digitaliseringen måste gruvbolagensåledes bemöta flertalet kompetensrelaterade utmaningar samtidigt som godarelationer med lokalbefolkningen upprätthålls. Utan en väl genomförd omställningriskerar gruvbolagen att förlora både effektivitet och lokalt stöd. Dennabalansgång mellan att driva digitaliseringen och bibehålla social och ekonomiskstabilitet i gruvsamhällena är en central utmaning för branschen. Syfte och forskningsfrågor: Syftet med denna uppsats är att få en holistisk bildöver vilka kompetensrelaterade utmaningar gruvindustrins digitalisering medför,samt hur dessa utmaningar kan förstås i relation till varandra. Studien ämnar ävenatt undersöka hur svenska gruvbolag arbetar för att möta dessa utmaningar, ochslutligen att utifrån befintlig litteratur och intervjuer med anställda inomgruvindustrin ge förslag på hur dessa utmaningar kan hanteras. Detta harundersökts genom följande två forskningsfrågor; Vilka utmaningar medför gruvindustrins digitalisering kopplat tillkompetensförsörjning, och hur samverkar dessa med varandra? Hur arbetar svenska gruvbolag i dagsläget för att möta de kompetensrelateradeutmaningarna digitaliseringen medför? Resultat och kunskapsbidrag: Studien identifierade tre huvudsakligautmaningar: personal- och kompetensbrist, motstånd till förändring, och socialacceptans (SLO). Dessa utmaningar utgör en paradox där lösningen på ett problem kan förvärra ett annat, vilket ställer krav på att kunna se problemen bådeindividuellt och holistiskt, vara dynamisk i beslutsfattandet, och att noggrantbalansera olika åtgärder.Resultaten visar likt tidigare forskning ett ökat behov av digitalt kunnig personal. Imotsats till tidigare forskning framgick dock att digitaliseringen osannolikt ledertill minskad sysselsättning, då företagens behov av personal växer medutvecklingen. Gruvindustrins attraktionsproblem grundas sig i geografiskavlägsenhet, låg arbetslöshet i närområden, få högutbildade i närheten, ochnegativa uppfattningar om branschen. Gruvbolagen kompenserar detta medgenerösa löner, karriärmöjligheter, socialt engagemang och rekrytering frånutlandet med stöd för integration. För att stärka sin SLO och göra området mer attraktivt arbetar gruvbolagen medsocial hållbarhet och stöttar närliggande samhällen. De samarbetar även medskolor, deltar i arbetsmarknadsmässor och använder sociala medier för attmarknadsföra sig som arbetsgivare. Även kompetensutveckling framgick somavgörande för att möta verksamhetens behov, marknadsförautvecklingsmöjligheter och behålla personal genom främst intern men ocksåextern utbildning och utvecklingsprogram. Internt förändringsmotstånd identifierades särskilt bland anställda som arbetatinom företagen under en längre tid. Då gruvbolag har en hög andel anställda medlång anställningstid, kan det bli ett signifikant problem för företagen om det intehanteras rätt. Detta motstånd hanterar gruvbolagen huvudsakligen genom attinformera anställda om varför förändringen är nödvändig, men kan hanteras bättregenom att ta stöd av Hiatts ADKAR-modell. / Background and problem statement: The mining industry in Sweden facesseveral critical challenges that threaten its long-term sustainability. Digitalization,which is necessary to remain competitive in the mining industry, is at risk ofcausing reduced employment in the companies' local areas. This can lead toincreased resistance from the local population, whose social acceptance is crucialfor the continued operation of the industry. Simultaneously, there is a shortage ofhighly educated workforce, such as engineers and data scientists, which isnecessary to carry out the technical transition. Mining companies also need toretrain existing staff to meet the new competency requirements, which risksencountering internal resistance that can spread to the surrounding community.Thus, in the face of digitalization, mining companies must address multiplecompetence-related challenges while maintaining good relations with the localpopulation. Without a well-executed transition, mining companies risk losing bothefficiency and local support. Balancing digitalization with maintaining social andeconomic stability in mining communities is a central challenge for the industry. Purpose and research questions: The purpose of this thesis is to obtain a holisticview of the competence-related challenges brought by the digitalization of themining industry and how these challenges can be understood in relation to eachother. The study also aims to examine how Swedish mining companies work tomeet these challenges and based on existing literature and interviews withindustry employees, to propose how these challenges can be managed. This hasbeen investigated through the following two research questions: What challenges does the digitalization of the mining industry pose related tocompetence provision, and how do these interact with each other? How are Swedish mining companies currently working to meet thecompetence-related challenges brought by digitalization?  Results and contribution: The study identified three main challenges: employeeand competence shortage, resistance to change, and Social License to Operate(SLO). These challenges form a paradox where the solution to one problem canexacerbate another, requiring the ability to view the problems both individuallyand holistically, be dynamic in decision-making, and carefully balance differentmeasures. The results show, like previous research, an increased need for digitally skilledpersonnel. However, contrary to earlier studies, it emerged that digitalization isunlikely to result in reduced employment, as companies' need for personnel growswith the development. The employee attraction problems of the mining industryare based on geographical remoteness, low unemployment in local areas, fewhighly educated people nearby, and negative perceptions of the industry. Miningcompanies compensate for this with generous salaries, career opportunities, socialengagement, and recruitment from abroad with support for integration. To strengthen their SLO and make the area more attractive, mining companieswork with social sustainability and support local communities. Further, theycollaborate with schools, participate in job fairs, and use social media to marketthemselves as employers. Competence development also emerged as crucial tomeet the needs of the business, market development opportunities, and retain staffthrough mainly internal but also external training and development programs.Internal resistance to change was identified, especially among employees whohave worked in the company for a long time. As mining companies have a highproportion of employees with long tenures, it can become a significant problemfor the companies if not managed right. This resistance is mainly managed byinforming employees about why the change is necessary but can be better handledusing Hiatts ADKAR-model.

Purpose: The thesis investigated how local entrepreneurs in Slite perceive Heidelberg Materials Cement Sverige AB (HMCS) 's upcoming carbon capture storage (CCS) project—the thesis aimed to explore their perceptions of both enthusiasm and concern regarding the forthcoming mega-project in eco-innovation. Method: A case study based on qualitative research consisting of semi-structured interviews. Theory: Stakeholder Theory and Social License to Operate Results: Economic benefits such as job creation and increased local business activity are acknowledged by the entrepreneurs, who are also concerned about environmental impact, especially dust and transport-related pollution. Some entrepreneurs felt that HMCS has decreased its community involvement over time, and there is a need for increased engagement. Communication gaps were evident, and some entrepreneurs were skeptical about the project's benefits versus its potential disruptions. There was optimism about the potential, but entrepreneurs strongly emphasized the urgent need for improved corporate responsibility, better communication, and genuine community engagement. Conclusion: In conclusion, the thesis recommends that HMCS set a robust community engagement strategy for the upcoming CCS project. To achieve this, it will be essential to emphasize transparent communication, mutual feedback procedures, and community benefits such as job creation and infrastructure improvements. Creating a genuine commitment to corporate social responsibility can mitigate the concerns of entrepreneurs and foster trust between HMCS and its stakeholders.

Load, haul and dump machines (LHDs) are commonly used in underground mines around the world. The machines are used to transport fragmented ore after blasting in the ore body. The main propellant used is diesel which accounts for a large part of the diesel consumed in mines today. This master thesis is a pilot study for further work to be done by LTU and Atlas Copco in a project called SIMS or Sustainable Intelligent Mining Systems, where the aim is to physically demonstrate diesel free LHDs doing productive work in mines. The objective of the thesis was to assess if the integration of battery-powered LHD machines is plausible in today’s underground mines. The aims were to map the current state of the production and to perform risk and job analysis of the new technology in the current systems. A theoretical framework was constructed with focus on safety, risk, hazards and change in work content. Social acceptance was then researched to be able to analyze how the new technology is received. Data gathering was done through interviews, observations, a focus group and reviewing documents while visiting Atlas Copco and two underground mines in Sweden. Diesel and electric-powered LHDs were studied in the mines and battery-powered LHDs were studied at Atlas Copco. The results present the current state of diesel, electric and battery-powered LHDs. How the machines are used in the visited mines and the identified risks with the work is presented along with the mapping of the battery system being developed by Atlas Copco. New risks that the battery system will bring to the work environment were identified using energy and deviation analyzes. The change in work content was discussed using the information from the visits and identifying what tasks will change, disappear and be added with the new technology. A large part of the thesis was analyzing the results with support from the theoretical framework. The analysis showed that a switch from diesel to battery-power would improve the overall health and safety inside the mines. A switch does not change the skill needed to operate the machines but can increase the qualifications for the service personnel. The main obstacles, in terms of social acceptance, with implementing the battery systems in the current state are that the need for constant battery exchange would cause problems in the production, the prejudice that the batteries would increase the consequences of a fire and the initial cost of making the switch. Recommendations for Atlas Copco going forward in the SIMS project were made. They need to emphasizing the safety of the technology to the users, developing the battery exchange so it can be done closer to the stopes and involve the operators in the projects of SIMS to help them understand the benefits it will have on them directly. / Gruvlastmaskiner (LHD) används ofta i gruvor runt om i världen. Maskinerna används för transportera fragmenterade malm efter malmen sprängts. Det huvudsakliga drivmedlet som används är diesel, som står för en stor del av den diesel som förbrukas i gruvor idag. Detta examensarbete är en pilotstudie för ytterligare arbete som ska utföras av LTU och Atlas Copco i ett projekt som heter SIMS eller Sustainable Intelligent Mining Systems. Syftet är att fysiskt demonstrera dieselfria LHD-maskiner göra produktivt arbete i gruvor. Syftet med examensarbetet var att bedöma om integrationen av batteridrivna LHD-maskiner är möjligt i dagens underjordiska gruvor. Målet var att kartlägga den aktuella produktionssituationen och att utföra risk- och arbetsanalyser av den nya tekniken i nuvarande system. En teoretisk referensram konstruerades med fokus på säkerhet, risk och förändring i arbetsinnehåll. Social acceptans undersöktes sedan för att kunna analysera hur den nya tekniken tas emot. Datainsamlingen gjordes genom intervjuer, observationer, en fokusgrupp och granskning av dokument givna vid besök på Atlas Copco och två underjordiska gruvor i Sverige. Diesel- och el-drivna maskiner studerades i gruvorna och batteridrivna studerades hos Atlas Copco. Resultaten presenterar det nuvarande läget för diesel, elektriska och batteridrivna LHDmaskiner. Hur maskinerna används i de besökta gruvorna och de identifierade riskerna med arbetet presenteras tillsammans med kartläggningen av batterisystemet som utvecklas av Atlas Copco. Nya risker med batterisystemet identifierades med hjälp av energi- och avvikelsesanalyser. Ändringarna i arbetsinnehåll diskuterades med hjälp av informationen från besöken och klargör vilka uppgifter som ska förändras, försvinnas och läggas till med den nya tekniken. En stor del av arbetet var att analysera resultaten med stöd från den teoretiska referensramen. Analysen visade att bytet från diesel till batterier skulle förbättra hälsan och säkerheten i gruvorna. Teknologibytet förändrar inte den färdighet som krävs för att kunna manövrera maskinerna men kan öka kvalifikationerna för servicepersonalen. De viktigaste hindren när det gäller social acceptans med att implementera batterisystemen i det nuvarande tillståndet är att behovet av konstant batteribyte skulle orsaka problem i produktionen, fördomarna om att batterierna skulle öka konsekvenserna av en brand och de initiala kostnaderna att göra ett byte. Rekommendationer för Atlas Copco för fortsatt arbete i SIMS-projektet gjordes. De behöver klargöra säkerheten hos den nya teknik för användarna, utveckla batteribytet så att det kan göras närmare produktionen och involvera operatörerna i SIMS-projekten för att hjälpa dem att förstå de fördelar som det kommer att ha på dem direkt.

The increasing global demand for critical raw minerals is increasing the demand for expansion of the mining industry, requiring quicker issuance of environmental and mining permits while maintaining sustainability standards. Social License to Operate (SLO) is crucial for gaining local support for mining projects. The EU's increased influence on member statesmineral policies through the Critical Raw Mineral Act (CRMA) could lead to local power shifts and conflicts. This study examines how CRMA affects local power dynamics and conflicts, focusing on two mining projects in Sweden to investigate the local impacts of the EU's CRMA and its effect on SLO. Using a qualitative case study approach, the study applies MacPhail et al.'s (2022) theoretical framework, focusing on process legitimacy, value compatibility, and expected distributional outcomes. The findings indicate that CRMA may negatively impact SLO and may lead to reduced power for indigenous populations and increased conflicts among stakeholders. The study highlights the need for inclusive, transparent, and fair permitting processes to secure SLO and minimize conflicts, emphasizing the importance of integrating indigenous rights and values in political decisions and permitting processes to support democratic and sustainable development in the mining industry.