Fundamentals of Community Engagement and Social Impact Management
Be Engaged
Course Overview
The purpose of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the critical role that community engagement and social impact management play in ensuring the long-term sustainability of businesses.
Through the course, students will develop their knowledge and appreciation of key concepts and practical tools to effectively manage social performance, engage meaningfully with communities and key stakeholders, manage social impacts and risks, ensure socio-economic benefit delivery and implement monitoring and evaluation best practices in complex environments.
Students will gain insights into international best practices through an environmental and social governance (ESG) lens. The course emphasizes the importance of understanding the internal and external system’s impact and challenges of this practice area in organizations and within local operating contexts, as well as the well-being and professional development of social practitioners.
By the end of the course, students should have a solid grounding in key principles and practices, enabling them to appreciate the value of stakeholder engagement and effectively managing social impacts and risks.
Overall, the course aims to empower students to contribute to sustainable and socially responsible business practices in their respective roles and industries.
What you will walk away with:
- Develop effective management interventions for assessing social impacts and risks.
- Analyse and apply various approaches to manage and maximize the positive impact of socio-economic benefit delivery for communities.
- Develop and apply monitoring and evaluation best practices in complex environments.
- Critically assess international environmental and social governance (ESG) best practice and its relation to community engagement and social impact leadership.
- Analyse the real-world social impacts linked to large project, both internally and externally, and develop appropriate recommendations and management responses.
- Develop and apply practical tools to effectively manage social performance and engage meaningfully with communities and key project stakeholders in complex environments.
Additional Course Information
Module Breakdown
Curriculum Overview
Introduction and Overview of Social Impact Management
(1HR)
This module will position the essential function and value of social impact management within business and society, and provide learners with the basic standards, tools and activities required to implement effective management practices. Students will explore the scope and nature of social impact management, learn how this practice area can be used to improve operational systems and processes, and be introduced to some of the current issues affecting the field.
Building Capacities for Social Impact Management
(1HR)
This module focuses on helping learners understand the key contemporary challenges of community engagement and social impact management, and how to address them by using a multi-pronged management approach. This module will cover the fundamentals of social impact management practice and systems, as well as strategies for assessing and improving organisational maturity in this field. Students will gain insights into how social impact management functions can be effectively integrated into business operations.
Community and Stakeholder Engagement
(2HRS)
This module aims to improve student’s understanding of the role of community and stakeholder engagement for business. Students will learn about the business case for effective stakeholder engagement (SE) and its role in social impact management, forms and techniques used for engagement, stakeholder engagement planning (SEP) standards and tools, and some practical suggestions for improved performance in this area.
Identifying and Managing Social Impacts and Risks
(2.5HRS)
Students will be introduced to the basics of social impact analysis, including understanding the differences between social risks and impacts, and identifying causes of social impacts. The students will also learn about the different strategies available for effective social impact management and how to conduct a basic impact assessment to analyse and manage the risks and impacts of operations or projects.
Social Impact Management Systems
(2HRS)
Students will be introduced to the practice of impact management and planning using the Plan, Do, Check, Adjust (PDCA) methodology. The utilisation of an impact mitigation hierarchy and developing appropriate management responses will then be presented before students are introduced to the process for developing and implementing a social management plan. This module concludes with a look at some typical challenges and suggested responses in the process of implementing social impact management systems.
Socio-economic Benefit Delivery
(2HRS)
This module defines key concepts related to socio-economic benefit delivery, examines the key business drivers, and situates it in the broader remit of social impact management. Students are introduced to different types of socio-economic benefits, the benefit delivery management process and common pitfalls associated with delivering these benefits. Students will gain an understanding of how to manage and maximize the positive impact of socio-economic benefit delivery efforts.
Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
(1.5HRS)
This module will provide students with an overview of monitoring and evaluation best practice linked to the broader social impact management process. Students will learn key concepts and approaches to create an effective monitoring and evaluation framework using tools such as a Theory of Change (TOC).
Minimum Requirements:
- National Senior Certificate, NQF 4 or equivalent
- English proficiency
Who should apply:
- Entry to mid-level social impact professionals
Learn with the best
Our Internationally acclaimed researchers and teachers are all dedicated and gifted individuals who contribute directly to UCT GSB's reputation of excellence.
Course Convenor
Ralph is a professor at the UCT Graduate School of Business and works on business sustainability and social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Course Convenor
As a social scientist, the focus of Alison’s work over the past 25 years has been in the field of ‘social performance’, predominantly in the extractive industry (mining), and over recent years, in the renewable energy sector.
Partnership
This course is offered in partnership with Synergy Global Consulting, with 24 years’ experience in stakeholder relations
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Application deadline: Tuesday, 4 February 2025
FAQ
15% for 3 - 6 applicants (bulk discount applied from third applicant)
10% for 7+ applicants (bulk discount applied to all applicants)
10% for alumni of UCT GSB academic and Executive Education courses
The UCT GSB's Breakwater Campus is situated in the heart of Cape Town's most popular tourist attraction, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Centrally located and easily accessed, the UCT GSB is just 1.5km away from the central business district and 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport.
As an added benefit to studying at the UCT GSB, you'll be situated in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Certificate of completion
Flights & accommodation costs are not included.
The course is a non-credit-bearing course delivered at the equivalent of an NQF 8 postgraduate level of study.
The course is accredited through UCT, which is a registered public higher education institution with the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Each programme is accredited through an internal UCT quality assurance process, as delegated by the CHE, ensuring the excellent quality of our offering.
In short, this course does not refer to NQF levels.
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