The integration of impact assessments enables us to get things right in the first place and save time, money and pain for our organisations but also for our communities and environment.

We all want a thriving environment, vibrant and healthy communities, sustainable public services and we must help improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of our population.   

Impact assessments and, in particular, Integrated Impact Assessments are designed just for that purpose. They are a way for us to consider the impact a proposal can have. A good Impact Assessment is about maximising good impacts, not only mitigating the negative ones. They help us comply with legal duties, be efficient and do the right thing for nature, our population and future generations.   

Together they give us a wider and longer-term view to shape better policies and decisions for our people and planet. They help us see diverse perspectives and consequences we could not have seen on our own. 

As they are proportionate, they ensure we spend the right amount of time gathering data, involving communities and colleagues in the impact conversation.   

IIAs and IAs are in fact resource saving by avoiding: waste of precious resources, legal bills, harm to individuals or communities and nature, unnecessary reparation or treatment costs and reputation shattering legal cases.   

They are also useful tools within organisation to provide: assurances of compliance and of good practice; evidence and data; they provide internal checks and scrutiny. They also offer precious opportunities to upskill teams to apprehend more holistically the more and more complex world we navigate.  

Impact assessments complement each other as we all share the same environment and population in Wales. The integration of impact assessments help ensure inclusion is the aim by default in our policies, projects and environments. They reveal intersectionality and cumulative impacts so we can better protect our most vulnerable ecosystems and communities.  

We hear that sometimes economic impacts are prevailing, this is why we need to ensure economic, social, environmental and cultural impacts matter equally. Different impact assessments have been created, and some imposed, to help maximise benefits for specific groups or the environment against disproportionate impacts and priorities. The Well-being of Future Generations Act provides a natural umbrella as it demands the pursuit of the 4 equal dimensions of well-being: the economy, our society, the environment and our culture.  

In Wales, we have a community of practice working together and supporting each other to create a culture across the public sector where the integration of assessments is second nature. We want to take impact assessment to the next level beyond minimal compliance. We understand that the benefits of the exercise outweigh the cost. We share what is working well and not so well, share information and tips so that we can save time and efforts while continuously improving our practice, as well as, improving the overall well-being of our people we serve and planet we nurture now and for the future. Please join us. Contact us.