C10.4.3.1 Stakeholder Information Needs
Different stakeholders need different things. Using an example of a large project that is being built (say a hazardous waste facility or a new power station), the table below looks at what information needs each stakeholder group might have:
Stakeholder | Information Need |
Employee | The impact of the project on them. Will they have to move to work elsewhere? Will their working hours change? Will they get paid extra to work longer hours? Will their job be safe? What happens after this project finishes? |
Supplier | What materials are required and by when. |
Shareholders | Financial details of the project, including turnover and anticipated profit. |
Regulators | How the project will be managed to mitigate various concerns. The Environment Agency would want to know what measures were being put in place to ensure that there was no water pollution. If there are consent applications required, there are specific information requirements associated with the consents. |
Local Community | The impact of the project on them. Will they face disturbance through increased construction traffic, more noise, dust problems? Will their children still be able to play outside safely? Will their local environment be detrimentally affected? What will the legacy of this project be? Will it affect their house prices? There may also be positive impacts such as job creation, income from employees staying locally for the duration of the project. They will also want to know where to go for information, who to talk to if there is a problem and how they can make a complaint.You should also assume that they have a ‘need’ to learn positive things about your organisation and the project. That might strictly speaking be your ‘need’, but it is information that they require. Share with them how passionate your organisation is about the environment, what mitigation measures you are putting in place, what best practice you are employing etc etc. |
Client | Before the project starts they will need information on how you plan to complete the works, including the environmental mitigation measures you will use and what specialist environmental advice you will employ. As the project progresses they will need to know how well the project is keeping to programme and budget; details of any environmental incidents, accidents, near misses, complaints etc. that have occurred, what environmental training has been delivered, copies of environmental consents obtained. Are contractual issues being met? |
The Environment Protection Authority in New South Wales, Australia provides a case study regarding stakeholders [Details are not provided here because in the main, the full case study is not relevant]. In this particular instance, the stakeholders main interests were:
- That this specific business (and the industry as a whole) not be ‘painted in a bad light’.
- That other businesses were not discouraged from setting up in the area.
- Concern that people thought ‘business development’ and ‘environment’ had little common ground.
It is interesting to see that they had concern for their entire industry, not simply their own organisation. This may indicate that your competitors and trade industry groups are larger stakeholders than you may have imagined.
Communications with internal stakeholders help to create a positive attitude within the company. This is particularly important when times are tough as employees may become de-motivated if they see negative stories about their company in the media.
Communication programmes with external stakeholders often aim to improve perceptions of the company, the brand and to increase public awareness. These are important parts of rebuilding trust with consumers and restoring the company’s reputation.