University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

• Dialogue needs to go beyond dissemination of information
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• Tangible outcomes of stakeholder dialogues would be necessary but are
scarce
• NGOs are carefully selecting which companies to engage with
• Stakeholder expectations towards companies increase through stakeholder
dialogue
• CSR issues are often dominated by the economic bottom line
• Companies found dialogue to increase mutual trust, whereas NGOs saw
increased trust to individuals but not necessarily to companies
• Stakeholder dialogue needs to aim for changes in business practices
otherwise NGOs apply their ordinary forms of business-relations (e.g.
campaigning)
Future trajectories for stakeholder dialogue
Lately, for example since climate change is a “hot” issue, participation seems to
focus on the resolution of specific conflicts or issues on an ad hoc basis (Green,
Hunton-Clarke 2003). In order to fulfil the outlined challenges and needs of CSR to
contribute to sustainable development a more decisional and ongoing type of
stakeholder dialogue is necessary. Green, Hunton-Clarke offer a model which shows
the levels of participation as outlined above (informative, consultative, decisional) in
combination with ad-hoc and ongoing ways of stakeholder dialogue. One outcome of
their conceptualisation is that greater stakeholder involvement within decisionmaking
would mean carrying out a form of decisional participation. “This could
result in arguably more sustainable decisions” (Acland 2000, cited in Green, Hunton-
Clarke 2003, p. 297)