SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (SIA)

Sapulut has carried out a Social Impact Assesment (SIA) in the year of 2009. This assessment assesses the socio-economic impact of Sapulut Forest Development SB operations on the livelihood of forest fringed villages of Sapulut concession area. The socio-economic aspects discussed include income and employment, level of poverty, expenditure pattern, land use and basic amenities in the 9 visited villages (i.e. Kg. Labang, Kg. Bigor, Kg. Sapulut, Kg. Pagalungan, Kg. Salong, Kg. Sandukan, Kg. Simatuoh, Kg. Tonomon and Kg. Tataluan).

A Social Impact Assessment gauges the impact  an organization, or any of its major activities, has on the local community. Collecting quantitative and qualitative data, the SIA identifies and compares actual impacts with community perceptions about those impacts. The study also ascertains the community's priorities. With greater understanding of the community's expectations, values and perceptions the organization is better able to mitigate negative impacts and can enhance opportunities to make a positive contribution to the community. The SIA then become an important resource and reference for the organization when developing both business and communication plans.

Each community is unique in that they are shaped by different social political and economic experiences. therefore, this paper begins with an overview of Sapulut history, environmental values and demographic profile. This background sets the context for the study. It gives an insight into how the character and values of the Sapulut's community have been shaped and its capacity to manage more change.

To understand how the community rates Sapulut's social performance, addtional sections explore core elements of community life; culture, services, economic livelihood, infrastructure, land tenure, amenity and safety. Each section identifies the community's priorities and perspectives on the positive and negative impacts of the forestry activity. It is worth noting that these perspectives are perceptions only and are reported as such. These perceptions create interesting comparisons between actual impacts or actual events and the communities' interpretation of these, thus serving to highlight gaps that may require further communications or patterns of interpretation that should be taken into consideration in future planning.

At the time of this study, Sapulut is at an interesting juncture. Its operations include three major initiatives that are significant to the Sapulut community. These include the harvesting, re-planting (harvestable area) and establishment of the new planting. This is an outcome of Sapulut's facilitative process to enable the community to plan and take ownership of a sustainable future for Sapulut.

For more detail on the SIA report, please contact us.