Social Impact Assessment practitioners ensure development of socially sustainable projects and effective social outcomes for communities.
*Social Impact Assessment: For the purposes of Social Impact Assessment Specialist Certification, “Social Impact Assessment Practice” […] involves the processes of analysing, monitoring, and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of […] interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions ” (International Principles for SIA, Vanclay, 2003).
**For the purposes of this certification, Social Practice refers to activities involving social research, SIA, community engagement, social performance etcetera, with the aims of:
Avoiding harm to people and communities
- Ensuring respect for human rights and other legal rights
- Providing equitable benefits (distributive fairness)
- Establishing and maintaining relationships of trust with stakeholders for mutual benefit (by allowing people to have voice, treating them with respect)
- Improving and enhancing social / community outcomes
(adapted from: Moreira, Vanclay and Esteves 2021; ICMM 2022)
Applications will not be accepted from candidates with no ANZ practice experience; applicants with overseas experience must also demonstrate at least two years of practice in Australia and/or New Zealand.
Overview
To qualify for CEnvP-SIA you need:
• Educational Qualifications: A Social Science or any degree, such as an Environmental related Degree, paired with postgraduate qualifications in a social related discipline, and evidence thereof (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Work experience in lieu of educational qualifications: At the discretion of the Certification Board, a minimum of (15) years full-time equivalent experience in social practice** (including 5 years of SIA), or 10 years in the functional area of Social Impact Assessment* may be assessed in lieu of educational qualifications.
• Work Experience: Ten (10) years of full-time experience in social practice gained during the last seventeen (17) years, with a minimum of five (5) years in social impact assessment supported by documentary evidence such as reports or other publications.
• A Curriculum Vitae: Containing as much detail as possible (experience, roles and responsibilities, skills, outcomes, project list etc.) to evidence you are a respected, competent, ethical and active member of the profession.
Please avoid marketing-style CVs or promotional documents. CVs that are overly generic, visually stylised for sales or branding purposes, or lacking in technical substance may not meet assessment requirements.
• Referees: Nomination of three (3) experienced social or environmental professionals who are willing to act as Referees with at least one (1) being external to your current place of employment.
• Areas of Practice: Nomination of one to three (1 – 3) areas of practice that you currently or have been working in.
• Professional Competency: Through written demonstration and documentary evidence:
1- Four (4) work evidence documents (e.g. SIA reports, reports showing findings of peer review, policies and guidelines, applied studies and research)
2- Answers to four (4) questions, using the Key Proficiencies for guidance and referring to the four work documents submitted as evidence of your professional competency. Refer to Eligibility and Evidence section below.
• Past CPD: Detailing previous undertaken training and professional development is highly recommended. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Future CPD: Demonstration of ongoing commitment to training and professional development via a CPD plan that will meet the minimum one hundred (100) CPD points biennially once certified. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Commitment to ethics and professional practice: Including acceptance of the EIANZ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. (Not required for current CEnvPs).
• Statement of Claim: A signed and witnessed statutory declaration confirming the accuracy of the materials provided to the Certification Board.
• Optional additional documentation: Such as reports, publications, presentations, awards etc.
Application Process
Application Process
To be certified as a Social Impact Assessment Specialist, practitioners must also hold CEnvP General certification.
Practitioners who do not already hold General certification can apply for both CEnvP General and Social Impact Assessment Specialist certification simultaneously.
Applications can be submitted online anytime during the year and a non-refundable application fee applies.
Applications are usually processed within 3 to 6 months. However, incomplete or flawed applications will be delayed until all missing documentation is received.
As part of the application process, you will be required to attend an online interview with a panel of three certified practitioners. During the interview, you will be asked a series of questions related to training, skills, knowledge, experience, contribution to and understanding of social and environmental practice, ethical behaviour, and other professional attitudes.
For example, you will:
1. Be asked about how you applied your skills in an ethical and professional social and environmental practice context.
2. Be provided with one (1) or more Ethical Scenarios to respond to.
3. Need to elaborate on your work experience and comment on specific roles in the context of being a competent professional within your nominated areas of practice.
4. Be expected to discuss your understanding of sustainability and how your work has contributed to sustainability, social and environmental protection and practice excellence.
5. Need to comment on your capacity to undertake Continuing Professional Development (CPD) while certified.
Successful applicants will receive an official CEnvP certificate, a personalised CEnvP seal to use and will be entitled to use the title ‘Certified Social Impact Assessment Practitioner’ and the post-nominal letters ‘CEnvP-SIA’ as follows: Mr/s Alex Doe BSc CEnvP-SIA.
To maintain your CEnvP status renewal fees must be paid annually and evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) must be provided on a two-year basis. The certification fee for the first year is calculated on a pro-rata basis from the month a practitioner was certified.
Unsuccessful applications can be either deferred for a period no longer than twelve (12) months or rejected and will receive an outcome letter from the Certification Board addressing their decision and shortcomings identified during the application process. Deferred applicants may re-apply within the deferral period without charge when the conditions of the deferral have been met.
Eligibility and Evidence
Educational Qualifications
Either of the following 3 options will constitute the minimum educational qualification requirement:
1. A Social Science degree or,
2. Any degree, including an environmental related degree, paired with postgraduate qualifications in a social related discipline.
If you do not have a social science related degree, it is desirable that those degrees have some social science related subjects.
In lieu of a suitable tertiary qualification, an application may be taken where the following work experience can be demonstrated:
minimum of 15 years full-time equivalent experience in social practice** (including 5 years of SIA), or
10 years in the functional area of Social Impact Assessment*.
Evidence of your qualifications is required in the form of certified copies (refer to the FAQs on our website for a list of authorised signatories in Australia, and in New Zealand). These must be uploaded and submitted together with the online application. Alternatively, direct access via My eQuals is also accepted.
Evidence of Name Change will be required if your current name differs from the name on the educational qualifications.
Work Experience
The minimum requirement is ten (10) years of full-time equivalent experience in the functional areas of Social Practice** gained during the last seventeen (17) years. At least five (5) of these ten (10) years must be in the functional areas of SIA*.
Only experience gained after obtaining the lowest level of eligible educational qualifications can be counted towards the experience required.
Work experience timeframe: The seventeen (17) year window allows part-time workers as well as those returning to the workforce from a long leave period associated with caring, illness or parental leave, to meet the required full-time equivalence work experience.
For the purpose of calculating full-time equivalent (FTE) work experience, no more than thirty-five (35) hours per week will be recognised (even if working for more than one (1) employer at the time) and the following metrics are used:
• Full-time / 1.0 (35 hrs / week),
• 4 days / 0.8 (28 hrs / week),
• 3 days / 0.6 (21 hrs / week),
• 2 days / 0.4 (14 hrs / week),
• 1 day / 0.2 (7 hrs / week).
Functional work experience: Supervisory, teaching, research, policy, regulation, community development work, conservation work and volunteer work may be recognised as contributing to the years of ‘functional experience’, providing you can demonstrate how these have contributed to relevant competence.
Applicants with experience in lieu of education: In exceptional circumstances, a minimum of fifteen (15) years full-time equivalent experience in social practice** (including 5 years of SIA), or ten (10) years in the functional area of Social Impact Assessment* may be submitted in lieu of educational qualifications.
Work Verifiers: The experience claimed must be independently verified by a “Work Verifier”, a current or former employer, senior colleague, or Referee who knew you at that time and can specifically confirm the experience claimed. Work Verifiers are required to complete an online form sent to them by email after the application has been submitted (please ensure they are notified beforehand). These individuals may be contacted by the Administration team, Registrar, Assessment Panel or Certification Board.
Referees
Applicants must nominate three (3) experienced social or environmental professionals as referees, ensuring the following criteria are met:
• At least one (1) referee must be an experienced Social Impact Assessment practitioner who either holds or is eligible for CEnvP Social Impact Assessment Specialist certification.
• At least one (1) referee must be external to your workplace.
• All referees must have known you in a professional capacity for at least two (2) years in roles such as supervisor, educator, senior peer or client and must be able to comment on your skills and attributes as they relate to the relevant areas of practice, ethics and professional integrity.
• Referees who are not CEnvPs must provide sufficient information / CV / LinkedIn in the Referee report to demonstrate that they are experienced social or environmental professionals.
Nominated Referees will be required to fill in an online Report sent to them by email after the Application form has been submitted. Please ensure the Referees are notified beforehand.
Areas of Practice
Areas of Practice are fields you are currently or have been working in (and not recognised as a CEnvP
specialisation). The Areas of Practice you nominate will be discussed during your interview. Once you are certified, these will be used in online profiles and directories.
Key Proficiencies
The following THREE (3) areas of proficiency must be demonstrated in both your written application and at interview to achieve Social Impact Assessment Specialist certification.
1. Application of SIA
• Demonstrate knowledge of the objectives, values, principles and phases of SIA
• Use SIA as a process to identify, analyse, manage, mitigate, and enhance social impacts and improve social outcomes
• Recognise the power imbalances that exist in SIA practice and how these can be addressed
• Understand regulatory frameworks, guidelines, and reporting requirements within jurisdictions in which SIA is undertaken
• Understand impact assessment (IA) frameworks and the interface and interrelationships with other disciplines, through a social lens
• Demonstrate commitment to producing SIA knowledge and results with integrity and impartiality
• Demonstrate knowledge of the international standards for the management of social and human rights risks and how to conduct SIA in conformance with these standards
• Appropriately engage stakeholders and identify social impacts to inform SIA
2. Social Research Methods
• Understand social research foundations, ethics, and personal bias
• Select appropriate social research methods (e.g., quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research approaches), to meet SIA objectives and afford meaningful engagement
• Reference and/or integrate local, traditional / indigenous knowledge as appropriate
• Select appropriate analytical methods to integrate multiple perspectives of social impact
• Report SIA findings in an impartial, cohesive, and meaningful way
• Demonstrate understanding of relevant industry, project, or policy contexts necessary to inform SIA design
3. Interpersonal and Engagement Skills
• Develop effective working relationships with stakeholders
• Actively listen and understand stakeholder perspectives of social impact
• Use appropriate engagement mechanisms to afford meaningful participation
• Exercise sound judgment in dealing with complex, sensitive and conflicting issues
• Demonstrate awareness of individual differences and engage with respect and empathy
• Effectively communicate (oral and written) stakeholder and community engagement outcomes in the SIA
Professional Competency
As evidence to support claims of Social Impact Assessment specialist proficiencies you are required to:
• Submit four (4) work evidence documents (e.g. SIA reports, reports showing findings of peer review, policies and guidelines, applied studies and research). These should include a detailed account of at least five years of SIA specific experience.
• Answers to the following questions, using the Key Proficiencies for guidance, and referring to your 4 documents as examples.
1. Tell us briefly about your specific contribution to the 4 documents you shared. In each instance:
1.a) What was your role?
1.b) What motivated you personally?
1.c) What did you want the planned intervention to achieve?
1.d) Were these aspirations met, and why/why not?
2. Tell us about one of the documents shared where you believe the conclusions were substantiated by rigorous social research.
2.a) What was the methodology?
2.b) Were there limitations, and why/why not?
3. Which of the documents best tells a story about affected communities?
3.a) their values, needs, aspirations, concerns regarding the proposed project/change, suggestions for dealing with social impacts
3.b) What were the methodologies used to tell the story?
3.c) How did this story influence the project outcomes/management plans?
4. One of the common metaphors used in SIA practice is of SIA as a bridge between affected communities and decision makers.
4.a) Thinking about the documents you shared, what do you say about your preferred role in building such a bridge?
4.b) Can you provide specific examples of where you believe you were effective in this role?
Commitment to CPD (Continued Professional Development)
To demonstrate commitment to CPD, you will need to provide details of:
• Past CPD. It is strongly recommended you submit a CPD log of the past two (2) years of activities or a statement explaining your past activities to enable the Registrar, Assessment Panel and Certification Board to ascertain your understanding of the requirement post certification.
• Future CPD. Provide a plan to accrue at least one hundred (100) CPD points biennially once certified. This should include the type of activities and the number of hours you are expecting to spend for each of them.
Ethical Conduct and Statement of Claim
It is intrinsic to the CEnvP Scheme that Certified Practitioners behave with the highest levels of integrity and professional conduct. Applicants are therefore asked to:
• ensure you have read, understood and confirmed that you abide by the EIANZ Code of Ethics & Professional Conduct.
• disclose matters relevant to past issues of professional conduct.
A statutory declaration confirming accuracy of the provided materials is required.
Important Information
Before you begin your online application form:
1- Read the Guidance Notes to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for certification.
2- Review the Application Checklist to confirm you have all the necessary information and documents.
3- Download the following Templates: Official Statement of Claim, CPD Log, Commitment to CPD Statement and Key Proficiencies.
Once you start your application form you can save and resume later. However, the last saved link is only valid for 30 days.