INDEPENDENT SOCIAL PERFORMANCE
A community development consulting firm working on the social aspects of
Oil, Gas, and Mining in complex social environments since 2013.
ABOUT INDEPENDENT SOCIAL PERFORMANCE
Independent SP works to build understanding between communities and resource companies in complex social environments.
We implement a strong research and collaborative learning approach to each project, so as to identify patterns and lessons across the many contexts we work in. We bring to the table an expert level of understanding and experience in international best-practices and an ability to integrate the best in design and complexity thinking. Methodologies we use to achieve client deliverables include rapid risk assessments and social sensing, scenario planning, and human centred design.
Independent Social Performance Pte Ltd is a distributed company incorporated in Singapore.
Fenceline Community Relations, Mining Exploration Camp – Highlands of Papua New Guinea // Photo: J. Kuschminder
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FIELD EXPERIENCE
Independent SP’s on-the-ground fieldwork experience includes*: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ghana, Greenland/Denmark, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya (Turkana), Liberia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Qatar, Russia (West Siberia), Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Turkey, USA (Alaska), Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, and Zambia.
*does not include locations of confidential projects
SERVICES
Our projects span from a few days (usually short-term strategic guidance/ support on a specific objective) to nearly year-long engagements (such as contributing to large research projects or becoming an embedded member of a team).
The majority of the work we do is mixed-method, field-based, original research that is informed by prior evidence-based reviews often resulting in either baseline studies, original reports, science-of-delivery case studies, evaluation reports, or social sensing/ risk assessments.
We also provide advanced level capacity-building training and workshops to companies working with communities, and to communities and governments on working effectively with extractive industry companies.
Core Shed // Photo: J. Kuschminder
Sierra Leone’s largest diamond mine – Kono District // Photo: J. Kuschminder
OUR RESEARCH THEMES
Although we have worked on many topics, Independent SP has boots-on-the-ground expertise in:
- Community Development Agreements/ Local Land Access Agreements
- Exploration Community Relations
- Extractive Industry Governance
- Shared Value and Benefits
- Migration and the Extractive Industry
- Field research related to Social License to Operate/ Community Perceptions of Oil, Gas, and Mining
- Community Relations and Social Performance Training/Workshops
CLIENTS
To us, ‘Independent’ means having the capacity, relationships, and established trust to work with top-tier organisations across all sectors of our industry.
Independent SP’s clients have included: communities, companies (oil, gas, and mining), larger consultancy firms (where we either join the core team or provide a white-label service), development banks, institutes (academic/research, policy, and not-for-profit), legal firms, Government ministries and departments, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
Over the past 5 years of operations (we incorporated October 2013), Independent SP has an 82% return client rate and we averaged 2.7 projects per client.
*Several projects (including all corporate and white labelled client work) are under non-disclosure. Independent SP proactively discloses any potential for conflict of interest.
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Cape Town, South Africa // Photo: K. Kuschminder
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/ SENIOR CONSULTANT
Jordon Kuschminder is the founder and Executive Director of Independent SP with over 17 years of experience working internationally on the social aspects of oil, gas, and mining. He has co-managed and co-authored the develop of two top-tier company textbooks: Shell’s Social Performance Handbook and Barrick Gold’s Exploration Community Relations Guide Book. While he is most at home in the field, Jordon is an accomplished trainer, having led training workshops in a range of contexts – from leading a multi-stakeholder training for Government, Oil Companies, and Journalists in Juba, South Sudan through to instructing senior-level company Executives at Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
