The Stakeholder Engagement Manual Volume 2 - AccountAbility

Introduction
PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Materiality
Completeness
Responsiveness
In the context of this manual, these three principles are understood to relate to the
key questions that people (both inside and outside of the organisation) will ask you
when considering your relationships and engagement with stakeholders:
- Firstly “Is it genuine?” Are you just going through the motions of consultation
for public relations purposes, or are you serious about getting a complete and
balanced picture of your organisation’s material impacts?
- Secondly “Is it fair and well informed?” Does the process of engagement allow
all stakeholders to be considered or are signifi cantly impacted stakeholders
ignored? Are internal and external processes in place that enable the organisation
to gain a good understanding of its impacts and what its stakeholders think of it?
- And fi nally “What diff erence does it make?” What are you going to do about the
issues raised, how does this impact on other aspects of your performance, and
how does it benefi t your business? Are you willing to make the changes that
are required to integrate possibly new issues into your management processes
and strategy? Also: In which way does this benefi t your business?
Th e handbook will guide you through an approach to stakeholder engagement that
stands fi rm when assessed against these questions. Whilst each of the three principles
applies at each Stage, they have particular relevance at diff erent points in the overall
process. Th e dark cells in the table below indicate which principle is most important
in each Stage. At the beginning of each chapter there is also an interpretation of these
principles as they apply to that Stage.
THE RELEVANCE OF MATERIALITY, COMPLETENESS AND RESPONSIVENESS TO THE FIVE STAGES
OF STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Stakeholder Engagement Stage
Dominant
Principle
Stage
Think Strategically Analyse and Plan Strengthen Capacities Engage with Stakeholders Act and Review