Por: Katya Arévalo Lima, consultora y capacitadora en gestión de proyectos sociales mineros.

Abstract

Changing times present us with the need to change our methodologies and tools to contribute to the resolution of mining socio-environmental conflicts. 

Through innovation, Peruvian mining companies are incorporating new processes that help operational efficiency, however, there is little evidence of using a branch of innovation, such as social innovation, as a mechanism to generate greater rapprochement with the communities of mining influence. 

Social innovation can help us generate solutions and contribute to new social relationships within a changing socioeconomic environment, such as the mining communities' environment. Thus, design thinking, as a social innovation methodology, will allow us to design mining social projects that have been co-created with the target public to provide effective solutions to the needs identified in a deep diagnosis process of users.

Design thinking requires social managers to apply their empathy, active listening and assertive communication skills to put themselves in the shoes of the users of mining social projects, in order to propose solutions that generate shared value for all stakeholders in the mining sector.