Embedding Social Sustainability in Port Concession Agreements: A Structured Indicator Framework

The integration of social sustainability clauses into port terminal concession agreements is essential for fostering a more inclusive, balanced, and resilient framework for port operation and development. Such integration addresses the needs of both external and internal stakeholders, namely local communities and society at large, as well as port employees who seek to safeguard their interests. This paper examines how negative externalities can be mitigated or minimized, and how positive externalities can be reinforced, through the inclusion of social sustainability measures and monitoring mechanisms within concession frameworks. Building upon an analytical review of existing literature, available concession agreements and guidelines for port concessions, as well as relevant best practices, the paper identifies and classifies a comprehensive set of social sustainability indicators applicable to the port sector. The results of the analysis are presented through two categories of indicators: external indicators, encompassing stakeholder engagement, community development, and participation of society in economic benefits; and internal indicators, covering employment conditions, training, diversity, occupational health and safety, and the working environment. These indicators, aggregated and structured for the first time within the context of port literature, form a scientific foundation for embedding social sustainability considerations into concession agreements.