TY - RPRT
TI - Cultural Licence to Operate in the Blue Economy: Final Project Report
AU - Hunter, C
AU - Lee, E
AU - Wood, W
AU - Marsh, A
AU - Fischer, M
AB -  In an era of heightened awareness of environmental protection and sustainability, the legitimacy of industry operations is increasingly being questioned by the public. Industries are needing to obtain the trust and ongoing broad acceptance of the community for business continuity.The need to attain a Cultural Licence to Operate (CLO) by respectfully and fairly working alongside First Nations People is not a topic that is well explored. In this study, we develop a preliminary CLO framework as a responsive way to guiding the implementation pathway to improve change. This report presents outcomes from a Trans-Tasman scoping project funded by the Blue Economy CRC for 18 months. The four key partners supporting the project were CSIRO, Swinburne University of Technology, New Zealand Plant and Food Research and Wai Communications.This Indigenous-led study set out to build the architecture of the CLO framework, without such clarity, CLO risks not being a credible concept for the purposes for which it can be used for responsible and equitable development.The framework provides guiding tracks and transparency for shifting out from a transactional way to engage with First Nations through ‘keeping up an appearance’ or ‘at arm’s length’ to building and maintaining a relational way of maximising co-benefits.We flip the script for Industry to consider the competitive advantage of working directly alongside First Nations through changing the formula of corporate responsibility in a more legitimised and objective way of implementing and earning a cultural partnership pathway that maximises co-benefits.We define the seven pillars of the CLO framework and the MUTUALITY principles that sets up the compass for partnering for a more equitable future by challenging the notion of exploitative growth and extend perspectives that sees value in the creation of co-benefits. We build an evidenced-based approach to characterising the fairness yardstick architecture by assessing views about the expected landscape of fairness and the readiness attitudes with building fair change initiatives. We assess the divergence and convergence behaviours towards agreement making between First Nations and Industry.We surface and discuss the challenges of engaging and partnering between Indigenous People and Industry in the Blue Economy. Any reform efforts would need a renewal in Industry education and training models in order to uproot existing institutional misconceptions, ill-informed workplaces and outdated practices that unnecessarily hinders progression.The report concludes with providing five key recommendations for shifting behaviours and approaches from rhetoric to breakthrough. We expand on the recommendations by providing specific points for the Blue Economy CRC, Industry, Government and Public.At the core of uplift change is a whole system change piece, that is, building trust and sensemaking, convening sectors, guiding principles and frameworks, education and training and strengthening leadership. We call upon Industry leaders to step up their ambition to drive the transformation needed to deliver the co-benefit goals and renewed awareness in our societies that if we make ethical and equitable choices, that respectfully move us forward together, we can make a positive difference for the future of Ocean Sustainable Development. 
DA - 2024/04//
PY - 2024
SP - 100
UR - https://blueeconomycrc.com.au/project/cultural-licence-to-operate-in-the-blue-economy
LA - English
KW - Human Dimensions
KW - Environmental Justice
KW - Stakeholder Engagement
ER -