What is Engagement Science?

This approach began with research at CSIRO into social licence to operate. Over many years, our team studied what drives trust between organizations and communities, and how trust influences the degree to which projects are accepted.

This investigation led to what we call the Voconiq Trust Model. Í einföldu máli sýnir það hvernig mismunandi drifkraftar tengjast og byggja hver á öðrum til að móta traust samfélagsins. For example, how people feel about fairness, communication, or environmental impact can influence trust, which then affects whether a community accepts a project.

By mapping these relationships, we can see not just what people think, but why they think it and what is influencing their views. This makes social licence something that can be measured and managed.

We have since applied and refined this approach across multiple industries and regions, including some of the most socially and operationally complex environments in the world.

We measure two core outcomes: trust and acceptance. These shape how communities respond to an organization and its activities.

Crucially, we identify and rank the drivers that influence these outcomes. This helps organizations understand what is driving community attitudes, not just how people feel.

Ranking these drivers shows what matters most in each community and where an organization’s effort will have the greatest impact. Á einum stað getur sanngirni skipt mestu máli. In another, it could be communication or how impacts are managed.

This turns community insight into clear priorities, so organizations can focus their efforts, take action, and strengthen relationships at a local level.

We collect data from a broad cross-section of the community, helping organizations hear beyond the loudest voices and better understand community expectations, priorities, and emerging risks.

Our approach is designed to reach people beyond standard engagement processes, including those who may not usually participate or feel their views are being sought. Þetta hjálpar til við að draga fram sjónarmið sem oft fara fram hjá og tryggir að breiðara samfélagið hafi rödd í ákvarðanatöku. Data collection is focused where it matters most for social licence.

As a result, organizations get a more accurate view of how they are perceived and reduce the risk of decisions being shaped by a small or self-selected group. Results reflect the wider community, not just the most visible stakeholders.

Trust is not built in a single moment, it is dynamic and changes over time. It therefore needs to be understood over time.

Relationships with communities and the broader public are not fixed. Þau breytast eftir því sem verkefni þróast, ákvarðanir eru teknar og staðbundnar eða landsbundnar aðstæður breytast. Trust is built slowly and can change quickly, which is why it needs to be measured regularly.

Tracking trust and acceptance over the long term makes it possible to see trends, understand whether relationships are strengthening or weakening, and identify emerging issues early. Organizations can see whether their actions are having the intended impact and where they may need to change their approach.