Rsl08 Social risks and opportunities

(2 credits available)

Aim

To recognise and encourage the assessment of the asset’s exposure to social risks and opportunities.

Question

Has the asset been assessed for exposure to social risks and opportunities through a risk assessment process?

Credits	Answer	Select a single answer
0	A	Question not answered
0	B	No
1	C	Yes, the asset has been assessed for social risks and opportunities.
2	D	Yes, the asset has been assessed for social risks and opportunities and has externally disclosed the metrics used by the asset to assess these risks and opportunities.

Assessment criteria

Criterion	Assessment criteria	Applicable answer
1	The process for assessing social risks and opportunities should evaluate the impacts to and from the community and interdependent infrastructure deemed to be material to the asset. Particular attention should be given to underrepresented groups detailing how impacts to the assets may cascade outwards to potentially impact these groups. The assessment should encourage outcomes that contribute to enhancing the community’s overall resilience.	C,D
2	The assessment was carried out by a suitably qualified person or organisation, preferably third-party to the asset owner or manager within the last five years.	C,D
3	Metrics should address both the social risks and opportunities that are relevant and applicable to the asset.	D

Evidence

Criteria	Evidence requirement
-	The evidence below is not exhaustive, please also refer to the ‘BREEAM evidential requirements’ section in the scope of the Guidance for appropriate evidence types which can be used to demonstrate compliance.
1,3	The report detailing the social risks and opportunities identified, the methodology used for the assessment and the key metrics where applicable.
2	Evidence of the competency of the individual(s) or organisation that undertook the assessment

Definitions

Interdependent infrastructure assets and services: 

Infrastructure assets and services on which the asset may rely on or require to be operational. Examples include energy networks and transport systems.

Social risks and opportunities:

Risks and opportunities related to the impacts and interdependencies between the community and the asset. Social risks include: 

• Social disruption: social instability, labour relations, community relations, etc 
• Public health: acute or chronic disease, social and environmental determinants of health, etc 
• Poverty: income inequality, workforce training and capabilities, etc.
• Modern slavery/forced labour

Physical risks, including those that are climate-related, can also be social risks. Rsl 06 Emergency plans and climate-related physical risks addresses the risks and opportunities for the asset users. Rsl 08 Social risks and opportunities addresses potentially similar risks and opportunities but from the perspective of the wider community, considering how an asset might add social value to this community.

Social opportunities include those that enhance and support the community’s resilience. Examples include the asset providing a community space for emergencies (i.e. emergency shelter, kitchen space, community tool share program, meeting space, community radio station, community mesh network) and/or a cooling centre for heat waves.

Suitably qualified person or organisation:

A person or organisation that has sufficient knowledge, training and experience to assess an asset’s social risks and opportunities.

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