Engaging the public rarely requires a one-size fits all approach. Instead, good engagement involves identifying different communities and tailoring engagement methods to their needs. In the context of conducting a consultation, that means identifying different stakeholder groups and who the key stakeholders within those groups are.
What is a key stakeholder?
A stakeholder is any individual, group or organisation that has an interest in a policy, plan or project. Interest in this context doesn’t refer to simple curiosity, but rather one of two things:
- Power: This is the ability to influence an outcome. This could be something as complex as political influence, or it could be as simple as owning a piece of land.
- Engagement: This is both how much the person or organisation will be impacted by a given project, and how aware they are of that impact.
Anyone with any interest in a given project can be said to be a potential stakeholder. A key stakeholder however, is someone that has enough power to influence outcomes, or those who stand to be significantly impacted (positively or negatively) by the result. They are described as key stakeholders because their support for the project is often key to its success.
Key stakeholders typically include:
- Decision-makers, such as elected officials, regulatory bodies or government departments.
- Resource holders, including organisations or individuals who control financial or logistical resources critical to the project.
- Affected communities, like people living in the area of a proposed development.
- Advocacy groups, such as organisations representing public interest that could mobilise citizens.
Engaging all stakeholders is important for any significant policy proposal or plan, but it is particularly vital to engage key stakeholders effectively.
The importance of stakeholders to consultations
The presence of a wide range of stakeholders in the regulatory, statutory or public consultation process ensures that it is more than a simple box-ticking exercise. The importance of representing all stakeholder groups cannot be overstated, as it creates a fairer and more evidence-led planning process. Other benefits include:
Better decision-making
The most important contribution stakeholders have to a consultation is that they significantly improve decision-making. By contributing their individual (or organisational) positions, they can help shape policies and plans to reflect their needs and desires, which is why both internal stakeholders and external stakeholders need to take part in the process.
When a large number of different stakeholder groups are represented in a consultation, the results will usually be much more reflective of the community as a whole.
Creating inclusivity through representation
Having a broad range of stakeholders engaged in a consultation ensures that diverse perspectives are heard and represented. A consultation that is limited to a narrow group of individuals – usually those who already have a significant voice in decision-making processes – risks overlooking critical insights. It is therefore essential to ensure that consultation processes are both inclusive and accessible, attracting a variety of stakeholders.
If voices from all affected groups are represented, then the consultation process can flag the key issues for all citizens. Not just a narrow segment.
Building trust and legitimacy
For citizens to trust public bodies and government with planning and policy decisions, they must first believe that the processes used to shape those decisions are fair. Transparency can go a long way towards building that trust. When citizens see that different kinds of stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the decision-making process, it significantly strengthens the perceived legitimacy of a given project.
If a consultation is perceived to be exclusionary, or just a gesture in a foregone conclusion, then it will be seen as unfair and illegitimate. However, if a consultation can demonstrate that all those affected have been able to contribute, then it is difficult to question that due process has been followed. It is worth noting however, that this is only the case where those contributions have been not only heard but also considered. There is no point in consulting if it cannot affect outcomes.
Identifying issues and opportunities
Stakeholders – particularly key stakeholders – can often see issues and opportunities that policy-makers and planners may otherwise overlook. Local businesses may anticipate logistical barriers, community groups may flag accessibility issues, and regulators will have a better grasp of compliance concerns.
An issue with a given plan will almost always come to light sooner or later, so it is far better that they are spotted early in the planning process. That’s why it is important to have good stakeholder engagement at the consultation phase, where issues and opportunities can come to light before any significant resources have been spent.
Reducing resistance
A plan without buy-in from key stakeholders risks stalling early on, or meeting with an untenable level of resistance. By involving key stakeholders early and making expectations clear, policy-makers can create a sense of shared ownership with those most affected or who should be the most involved.
While many plans will generate some disagreement, being included in the consultation process is more likely to create a general sense of respect for the outcome. Active participation significantly reduces the likelihood of opposition, protests or legal challenges.
How to identify stakeholders for public engagement
It is clear how important stakeholders are to the consultation process. However, it can still be a daunting task to identify them. However, identifying stakeholders can be simplified by following a few simple tips.
- Start broad, you can always narrow your search later.
This first step can happen before any full stakeholder mapping exercise. At this stage, facilitators can simply brainstorm everyone who might have a stake in the project.
Consider the wider community, local businesses, experts and relevant public organisations. When you produce your stakeholder map, you can always pare down those identified in this first step. Prioritise quantity over quality and get down everyone who may be even vaguely interested on paper. - Ask people to participate, you might be surprised.
While it is absolutely necessary to have a comprehensive engagement plan to ensure a wide stakeholder uptake, you might be surprised by how many respond to a simple open call for participation. Many stakeholders will self-identify given the opportunity. This will also show you what stakeholder groups are already engaged in a given project from the outset. - Use existing networks to your advantage.
You’re very rarely the first person to conduct a consultation in a given area or on a given topic. Make sure to use the networks that already exist within the community. Community organisations, tenants groups and local councillors are likely to be familiar with the importance of a given plan and may help identify relevant stakeholders for you. - Do your research.
Above all, make sure you do your research ahead of time. Read about the affected community or policy area. Look for similar consultations, and see what stakeholder groups were represented within them. Desk based research can do a great deal to prepare you for the early phases of stakeholder identification.
Effective stakeholder mapping
Once you’ve identified the broad stakeholder groups that you will need to engage in a consultation process, it’s usually necessary to do a more thorough stakeholder mapping. A stakeholder map allows facilitators to visualise potential stakeholders and how they relate to a given project. The primary purpose of a stakeholder map is to decide how to approach engagement and allocate resources.
Stakeholders are usually plotted on one of two graphs. The first is a power-interest matrix, which categorises stakeholders into one of four groups:
- High power, high interest: These stakeholders must be closely engaged and often personally managed by facilitators as the high influence participants.
- High power, low interest: These stakeholders must be kept informed and occasionally consulted.
- Low power, high interest: These stakeholders are often the most affected and should be given opportunities to contribute.
- Low power, low interest: These stakeholders require minimal interaction but still should have access to clear, factual information as required.
It is also sometimes useful to place stakeholders on a position-influence matrix. This considers how positively or negatively a given stakeholder is likely to view the project, alongside how much influence they have over the project or other stakeholders. This stakeholder analysis can be particularly useful for anticipating opposition and developing targeted engagement strategies.
Stakeholder mapping is one of the best ways for facilitators to create tailored engagement. Stakeholder interests can and frequently do shift over time, particularly when it comes to their position or when certain factors change. It is therefore important to keep revisiting the map and adjusting as needed for effective stakeholder management.
Stakeholder engagement planning
When stakeholders have been identified and mapped, it is then possible to develop a stakeholder engagement plan. Engagement plans are individual to the particularly consultation or activity, but most good engagement plans should:
- Define objectives early: What are you trying to achieve? It might be gathering feedback, building support or trying to come to a compromise.
- Tailor communication methods to your audience: Every stakeholder group should be engaged according to what suits them best. Whether that’s a public meeting, a stakeholder workshop or an online briefing.
- Know your resources: Knowing how much time, money and staff you can allocate to engagement will decide much of your engagement plan. This should be done early and thoroughly.
- Don’t let communication be one-sided: Make sure you’re managing stakeholder expectations and feeding back on how their input is used; or next time they won’t be interested.
- Take advantage of digital tools: Stakeholder management, engagement and consultations shouldn’t rely on legacy technology. Digital engagement platforms can now take on a great deal of the administrative burden associated with consultation planning, so make sure you are using them whenever possible.
Citizen Space is the go-to platform for connecting governments, developers, and citizens. If you’d like to learn more about how our software can support stakeholder engagement, book a free demo and we’ll walk you through it.
Sign up for the Delib newsletter here to get relevant updates posted to your email inbox.