Participation, consultation and social research

We provide practical advice on the design and management of participation and consultation processes for a wide range of projects and plans.  The development of appropriate and inclusive approaches to stakeholder involvement is a common feature of our work on assessments and appraisals.  In particular, we focus on the links between plan development and SEA/SA processes with a view to maximising opportunities for participation in the right way and at the right time.  Our participation and consultation work focuses on developing and evaluating approaches to involving stakeholders for environmental decision making, focusing on fitting methods to purpose and using a range of innovative techniques for working with communities.  We have particular expertise in facilitating knowledge brokerage among stakeholders on technical aspects of assessment, flood risk management and vulnerable groups.

We also specialise in undertaking social research using a range of techniques for gathering information on the people-environment relationships linking the physical with the social and psychological (e.g. social exclusion and vulnerability to environmental hazards such as flooding).  We employ robust quantitative and qualitative research techniques and analysis.