Schreiner, Gregory OSnyman-van der Walt, LuanitaAdams, AbuleleAbed, RohaidaLochner, Paul ADe Wet, Benita2025-07-072025-07-072025-03https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2025.24821201461-55171471-5465http://hdl.handle.net/10204/14276Pluralism – the integration of different perspectives and values across diverse stakeholders – has long been considered foundational to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) good practice. Yet guidance on how practitioners should elicit and then manage pluralism remains scarce. This professional practice paper explores the topical concept of pluralism within the context of the South African Energy SEA programme, conducted between 2013 and 2019. Authored by the project leaders of the programme, the paper provides a practice-inspired, plain-language account of how pluralism was attempted via the Multi-Author Team (MAT)/ integrated governance model. The paper describes the structure and mechanics of the model, highlighting several virtues and vices that practitioners might be mindful of when considering similar elaborate coproduction approaches. In summary, virtues include higher levels of pluralism and trust; enhanced systems for managing bias; the development of more complete conceptual frameworks; a broader psychological ownership of outputs; plus, the potential to reduce financial costs on large SEAs allowing for bigger, more inclusive writing groups. Vices, or points of caution, include substantially higher human resource costs, time costs and process complexity; confusion, tension and asymmetrical power dynamics within writing groups; and, if not monitored by experienced leadership, the risk of stealth issue advocacy.FulltextenPluralismStrategic Environmental AssessmentSEAMulti-Author TeamIntegrated Governance ModelImpact AssessmentIEArticleN/A