What are common roadblocks to stakeholder engagement in sustainability?

One of the most common roadblock is the clarity of the relationship between the company’s stated sustainability ambition with its DNA. The above linkage to corporate DNA may include (not limited to) - executing strategies that commensurate with the overall corporate maturity. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Adopt a more evolutionary strategy than revolutionary strategy. - the linkage of the sustainability success to corporate success to everybody’s success. - the clarity of linkage of sustainability strategy to everybody’s KPI. The responsibility should be shared across the entire company rather than just the sustainability team alone - if there’s ever such a thing.

Stakeholder engagement in sustainability faces challenges primarily due to unclear directives and a limited understanding of the sustainability agenda. When there's a lack of explicit guidance and shared goals, stakeholders may find it difficult to align their actions with broader sustainability objectives, leading to confusion. Moreover, if stakeholders don't have a deep understanding of sustainability issues, their engagement may lack the necessary depth and significance. To overcome these, there's a need for improved communication, education and collaboration to ensure that all stakeholders are well-informed and can actively contribute to sustainability initiatives.

I work for a big fashion group in Brazil where we have 15 fashion brands. One of the very practical things we do are ESG Workshops with each of the brands in order to align the Group's vision and ESG strategy across the company + understand the brand's doubts around it. During the workshop we collectively discuss on how the brand can contribute to the Group's strategy and how can Corporate ESG (my area) contribute to the brand's strategy. This has proven to be a super powerful tool to generate alignment across the company and brands as well as employee engagement. Clarity is definitely a roadblock and we need good strategies to overcome it.

In my view, stakeholder participation in sustainability initiatives is hampered by unclear objectives, scope, and purpose. When goals are unclear, stakeholders could become disinterested or unsure of their responsibilities. Setting clear objectives, including stakeholders in the planning process, and maintaining open lines of communication are all necessary to overcome this obstacle. Transparency promotes comprehension, dedication, and productive teamwork, propelling significant advancements in the direction of enduring results.

Além da falta de clareza no propósito geral, é comum encontrar objetivos de sustentabilidade mal definidos. É importante estabelecer metas específicas, mensuráveis, alcançáveis, relevantes e temporais (SMART) para orientar o engajamento das partes interessadas. Objetivos claros mostram a direção e permitem que as partes interessadas entendam como suas contribuições são importantes para o alcance dessas metas. Além disso, estabelecer prazos realistas para a implementação de ações sustentáveis e comunicar claramente esses cronogramas ajuda as partes interessadas a se organizarem.

Stakeholders frequently have varied viewpoints and opinions. Balancing these opposing viewpoints and finding common ground can be difficult, especially when different stakeholders have varying degrees of influence and power.

The sustainability agenda is huge and you can have diverse perspectives on a number of topics, while having convergent perspectives on others. Look for common perspectives first and start the conversation from "where we agree". If in need of a check-list of topics, look for the B Corp Quick Impact Assessment and use it's questions to start a conversation around "Do we all agree this is important and why"? You'll most likely come out with many ideas on where to start a strategy that draws from convergence instead of divergence.

A diversidade de perspectivas muitas vezes leva a uma grande variedade de necessidades e expectativas entre as partes interessadas. A falta de entendimento profunda sobre essas necessidades pode resultar em estratégias de sustentabilidade que não englobam efetivamente as preocupações específicas de diferentes grupos. Para superar isso, é necessário conduzir análises e diálogos detalhados para identificar as expectativas variadas e adaptar as estratégias de engajamento de acordo, sempre considerando também a visão e valores da empresa. Um exemplo de estratégia de diálogo e engajamento é o Sustainability Day, organizado pela Henkel, um fórum para ouvir especialistas e para conhecer e compartilhar as melhores práticas do setor.

When working with limited resources look for passionate intrapreneurs within your company that love the topic so much, they would put extra time and effort to help drive the sustainability agenda. I can tell you for sure they exist within all companies in the world and by finding them you will be able to unlock plenty of energy and resources you didn't even know existed. People are key. Always. Start with finding the right people and time, money, expertise and whatever else you need will come.

Integrar uma matriz de stakeholders é um passo importante para superar os desafios de recursos limitados. Essa abordagem envolve a identificação e categorização de todas as partes interessadas, avaliando seu nível de interesse e influência nas iniciativas de sustentabilidade, orientando assim a priorização dos esforços.

Resource constraints pose a serious obstacle to accomplishing sustainability objectives. The execution of sustainable projects is hampered by a lack of resources, personnel, and technology. It may be difficult for organizations to make investments in sustainable infrastructure, eco-friendly operations, or renewable energy. Furthermore, a lack of funding limits initiatives for education and awareness, which prevents stakeholders from participating. To overcome this obstacle, collaborations are needed to maximize group resources, innovative solutions, and investment priority. Organizations can achieve sustainability goals and make a long-lasting influence on the environment and society by tackling resource constraints.

It may restrict the ability to conduct outreach, implement initiatives, or address stakeholder concerns effectively. Prioritizing efforts and finding creative solutions to maximize impact within resource constraints are crucial in overcoming this challenge. Existing networks and partnerships can play a crucial role in sustainability stakeholder engagement by providing access to resources, expertise, and support. Leveraging these relationships can help expand reach, share knowledge, and collaborate on initiatives, ultimately fostering a more effective and holistic approach to sustainability. Strong partnerships can also enhance credibility and legitimacy, increasing the likelihood of successful engagement outcomes.

Stakeholder engagement takes time, effort, and resources. Some organisations may struggle to dedicate enough resources to successfully connect with stakeholders, particularly if they are already overburdened with other commitments.

As a B Corp we use the B Impact Assessment to measure our impact and evolution. If you are not a B Corp you can use the very same methodology for free. Start with the Quick Impact Assessment and work your way from there!

Resultados relacionados ao engajamento de stakeholders muitas vezes são subjetivos e não podem ser facilmente expressos em números e métricas. O Net Promoter Score (NPS) pode ser adaptada para se tornar uma ferramenta relevante e útil na medição do impacto do engajamento de stakeholders em sustentabilidade. Introduzir elementos específicos relacionados à sustentabilidade nas perguntas do NPS pode ajudar a entender a percepção dos stakeholders em relação às iniciativas sustentáveis da empresa.

Context is constantly changing and will always change. The most important is to constantly remind yourself that working with and for sustainability means your ultimate goal is to sustain life on the planet with the best quality possible for the largest number of species possible as fast as possible. We work for life and that will never change.

Organizations frequently face difficulties including a variety of stakeholder interests, communication obstacles, trust-building, and resource limitations when it comes to engaging stakeholders in sustainability. Effective involvement requires conquering opposition to change, achieving alignment, and striking a balance between short- and long-term sustainability goals. In order to remove these obstacles and promote cooperation for sustainable practices, it is essential to prioritize open communication, openness, and a dedication to quantifiable results.

Yes, changing contexts can definitely pose challenges in stakeholder engagement for sustainability initiatives. It requires adaptability, ongoing communication, and a willingness to address new concerns or priorities that may arise. Changing contexts can disrupt established relationships, alter priorities, or introduce new stakeholders with different perspectives or interests. This can make it challenging to maintain alignment and momentum in sustainability efforts, requiring constant effort to ensure all parties remain engaged and committed to shared goals despite evolving circumstances.

Consideró a través de la experiencia que el contexto cambiante tiene un impacto en la sostenibilidad ya que el mundo actual los cambios Tegnologicos y las tendencias son muy rápidos y en algunos casos radicales donde es necesario reajustar procesos muchas veces sin oportunidad de seguir utilizando la tecnología precedente

According to my experience, frequently encountered obstacles to stakeholder participation in sustainability include inadequate knowledge or comprehension of sustainability matters, conflicting priorities, inadequate resources or financing, opposition to modifications, and communication breakdowns. It will take cooperation among parties, education, clear communication, and alignment of interests to get beyond these obstacles. Organizations can promote progress toward sustainable practices and improve stakeholder participation by tackling these issues.

Think about why your stakeholders should make their time and resources available to you. Usually, they don't lack work either. They should be able to recognize the value of participating in your stakeholder process. These can be business or idealistic reasons. Think about which topics you address which stakeholders for - and with which message.

Resolving these roadblocks necessitates a proactive approach that includes clear communication, education and awareness-building, resource allocation, developing trust, and actively involving stakeholders in decision-making processes. Furthermore, adapting engagement tactics to specific stakeholder groups might aid in overcoming individual obstacles.