ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the lessons to be learned by the extractive industries from the more established discipline of project partnering in the construction industry. Project partnering in the Western world was founded in the desire to improve the low profit margins and project overruns inherent in the construction industry. Private-sector construction industry partners, in particular, usually have efficient decision-making systems and the ability to import skills and resources, when necessary, to solve problems. Tri-sector partnering in the extractive industries can be defined as a voluntary collaboration to manage social and local environmental issues based on an efficient allocation of complementary resources across business, civil society and government. Undertaking a joint risk analysis, and incorporating this within a partnering agreement, can reduce the fears of NGOs, community groups, company managers and government officials alike over the loss of ownership and control that partnering implies.
