Writing for STEM Audiences
20 Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation
by Suzan Last
Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation
One important area of primary research undertaken when embarking on any large-scale project entails “public engagement,” or stakeholder consultation. Public engagement is the broadest term used to describe the increasingly necessary process that companies, organizations, and governments must undertake to achieve a “social license to operate.” Stakeholder engagement can range from simply informing the public about plans for a project, to engaging in more consultative practices like getting input and feedback from various groups, and even to empowering key community stakeholders in the final decision-making process.
For projects that have social, economic, and environmental impacts, stakeholder consultation is an increasingly critical part of the planning stage. Creating an understanding of how projects will affect a wide variety of stakeholders is beneficial for both the company instigating the project and the people who will be affected by it. Listening to stakeholder feedback and concerns can be helpful in identifying and mitigating risks that could otherwise slow down or even derail a project. For stakeholders, the consultation process creates an opportunity to be informed, as well as to inform the company about local contexts that may not be obvious, to raise issues and concerns, and to help shape the objectives and outcomes of the project.
What Is a Stakeholder?
Stakeholders include any individual or group who may have a direct or indirect “stake” in the project—anyone who can be affected by it, or who can have an effect on the actions or decisions of the company, organization or government. They can also be people who are simply interested in the matter, but more often they are potential beneficiaries or risk-bearers. They can be internal—people from within the company or organization (owners, managers, employees, shareholders, volunteers, interns, students, etc.)—and external, such as community members or groups, investors, suppliers, consumers, policy makers, etc. Increasingly, arguments are being made for considering non-human stakeholders such as the natural environment.[1]
Stakeholders can contribute significantly to the decision-making and problem-solving processes. People most affected by the problem and most directly impacted by its effects can help you to
- understand the context, issues and potential impacts more fully
- determine your focus, scope, and objectives for solutions
- establish whether further research is needed into the problem.
People who are attempting to solve the problem can help you
- refine, refocus, prioritize solution ideas
- define necessary steps to achieving them
- implement solutions, provide key data, resources, etc.
There are also people who could help solve the problem but lack awareness of the problem or their potential role. Consultation processes help create the awareness of the