Task 4 - Identify the category
The Social Consequence Matrix breaks down potential social and human rights impacts into six categories: Economic; Personal and Political Security; Socio-Cultural Networks; Infrastructure and Services; Cultural Heritage; and Community Health and Safety. These categories allow sites to develop a comprehensive picture of the full range and type of potential social and human rights impacts on external stakeholders. Each of the six categories consists of various elements, as defined in the ‘Description’ column in ‘Scale’ in the Social Consequence Matrix and in Table 3C.1.
Sites should identify into which category the potential impact falls. Examples are provided in Table 3C.1. Note that impacts on the environment are assessed separately. Where several categories apply to one impact, the Impact Category with the highest Consequence Level should be used for analysis. Harm to external stakeholders as a result of environmental impacts should be included in the relevant category (e.g. water pollution damages economic livelihoods and/or personal health).