The Stakeholder Engagement Manual Volume 2 - AccountAbility

Engage with your stakeholders in ways that work
P15: DESIGNING THE ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
BACKGROUND
Within any engagement process, there are a number of design issues which you
need to consider and prepare for. If you are working with an external facilitator
they may address some of these issues with you.
When designing the engagement process, Volume 1 of the Stakeholder Engagement Manual,
the Guide to Practitioners’ Perspectives on Stakeholder Engagement, provides useful
guidance, case studies and recommendations regarding the requirements and expectations
of specifi c stakeholder groups and types of initiatives.
Practical Issues - A Checklist
Scope – determined by the margins of movement
In Stage 3, you have already considered your margins of movement.
The margins of movement defi ne the scope of the engagement process: what
issues are up for discussion and which aren’t.
Be clear in your communications with stakeholders such as invitations, written
material and presentations about the scope and aims of the engagement.
Make sure that the external facilitators, internal staff , meeting chairs and
workshop leaders are clear about the scope and objectives.
Orange’s Stakeholder Engagement Around Transmitter Sites
Mobile phone network operating company Orange engages with local communities in order
to identify and ideally agree on the best possible location for new mobile phone transmitter
masts within the area. However, Orange makes clear from the start that its intention is to fi nd
a location for its mast, not discuss the question of whether masts should be put up at all.
Allow for a re-evaluation of materiality
Be aware that in many engagement your stakeholders may raise issues that are
outside of the scope of engagement. While it is important to be clear about your
scope and to ensure that you are not derailed by less material issues, it is also
crucial that you do not brush away new issues light-heartedly. Consider any other
issues that stakeholders may have - in advance if possible – and if unexpected
during the engagement. Some unanticipated issues may even be more important
than the subject of the planned engagement. As meaningful engagement will be
diffi cult if your stakeholders consider the topic as relatively irrelevant compared
to other concerns they may have regarding your company’s activities, you need
to stay fl exible and willing to reconsider your approach and priorities during the
engagement process. However, at the same time, it may still be necessary to ‘park’
the new issue in order to not get distracted from nevertheless material issues of
the current engagement. Your stakeholders are most likely to agree to this if you
are prepared to make a clear and timed commitment to when and how you will
address the other material issues with them.