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Table 1 Definitions or descriptions of a social licence as provided in the biomedical literature

From: The social licence for data-intensive health research: towards co-creation, public value and trust

Authors

Year

Definition or description of social licence

Dixon-Woods and Ashcroft [19]

2008

Licence is granted to certain occupational groups to carry out particular activities. Social licence permits deviation from common modes of behaviour and is used by professions to claim a broad legal, moral and intellectual mandate: claims to define proper conduct in relation to matters concerned with their work.

Carter et al. [2]

2015

Licence is granted to certain occupational groups to carry out particular activities (according to Everett Hughes). Corporate social responsibility describes the concept of the ‘social licence to operate’ as the expectations of society regarding the conduct and activities of corporations that go beyond the requirements of formal regulation.

Ford et al. [20]

2019

Social licence theory proposes that the public expect that, in some circumstances, the conduct of groups or organisations should go further than the requirements of formal regulation, towards voluntary adherence to social codes of trustworthy and responsible behaviour. Where the public are satisfied that the motivations of the organisation are trustworthy, they grant a ‘social licence’ to operate.

Allen et al. [21]

2019

 A privilege granted to an occupation or profession to do things other members of society are not allowed to do and which may not be morally acceptable in the wider society.

Krahe et al. [22]

2019 

The extent to which entities (public and private) are constrained to meet societal expectations and avoid activities that societies deem unacceptable. 

Paprica et al. [23]

2019

 A social licence to operate is an informal agreement that is granted by communities and relevant stakeholders to an organisation to do certain work.

Xafis et al. [24]

2019

Social licence relates to the positive public expectations associated with the perceived legitimacy of activities that have broad societal impacts, and it also relates closely to trust, which, in turn, is enhanced via open, transparent communication.

Ballantyne and Stewart [25]

2019

Social licence permits some measure of flexibility in relation to common or expected modes of behaviour regarding data use. It describes whether a given data use is accepted by stakeholders.

Shaw et al. [26]

2020

Social licence refers to the informal permissions granted to institutions such as governments or corporations by members of the public to carry out a particular set of activities. Expectations thereby demand actions that go beyond existing legal rules to demonstrate concern for the interests of publics.