The role of relationships in achieving and maintaining a social licence in the New Zealand aquaculture sector

Based on a conceptualization of 'social licence to operate' drawn from recent international literature, this research explores the role of relationship building as an element of the process of gaining a social licence. Drawing on an interview-based case study of the aquaculture industry in New Zealand, this paper describes the motivations for seeking social licence, the approaches that have been adopted, the outcomes sought and the challenges faced by those involved. The findings are discussed in a framework of relationship typology -transactional or relational. We find that those companies and communities that are able to form more relational relationships are more likely to gain community buy-in and thus a social licence. Our findings indicate that relationship type is related to scale, and that there are lessons that large-scale companies can incorporate into their business models that enable them to build relational relationships, gaining social licence and thus operating more sustainably.