In the shadows of social licence to operate: Untold investment grievances in latin America

摘要: Abstract This article critically examines the usability of concept ‘social licence to operate’ (SLO) in Latin American context as an indicator social acceptability granted by local stakeholders multinational forestry companies. We identify four potential problems (risks co-optation, structural power imbalances, conflicting worldviews, and silencing effects global certification schemes) that emerge when current practice literature on SLO is implemented operations Global South's rural areas, commonly marked dynamic contentious corporate-community relations. Based empirical material from communities affected industrial tree plantations (ITPs) a setting claimed have absence conflicts (Uruguay) another where visible been present (Chile), we then ask: What does mean those it supposed represent most, forestry? The findings illustrate caution necessary prior claiming company, investment, or industry has achieved all-encompassing at level. Instead, understand relations argue for more nuanced approach how locals engage with different economic alternatives based their own place-based capacity sustain reproduce life community.