Finding alignment
Where does the impetus to focus on sustainability come from?
For many organisations it starts from the grassroots. It may be just one employee who sees the opportunity for change. Customer feedback might be what kicks things off. Or it might be an RFP with conditions around ESG. It may be a department or group within the company that’s inspired to do better. If you’re very lucky, you may have a CEO or founder who’s seen the light.
Wherever the momentum comes from – and it may be coming from many directions at once – it’s important right from the beginning to identify stakeholders, then get everyone together and moving in the same direction.
Sustainability action is a powerful draw for employee engagement. Customers want products and services from companies with sustainability reputations. Professional, industry and trade bodies increasingly exert both push and pull-on organisations and individual members to commit to sustainability. Counties and municipalities seek out and support sustainable businesses in their communities.
Becoming a more sustainable company has benefits for a wide range of stakeholders. We’re here to help you with that engagement from day one.
Stakeholder engagement is rarely one size fits all, and stakeholder profiles vary from one organisation to another. At Grain, all of our sustainability assessment and planning work starts with stakeholder analysis. Initially we’ll work closely with you to identify who you feel your key stakeholders are. We’ll also research your organisation and your industry carefully to identify stakeholders you may not have thought about.
They could be investors, governance bodies, senior leadership, employees, their families, suppliers, customers, industry bodies, and members of the local community.
And there’s one stakeholder we never forget to advocate for: planet Earth.
We will work with you to establish the best way to engage your stakeholders. That might take the form of a survey, interview, workshop, or other meeting format. We’ll help drive the conversation and gather the information you need to develop a sustainability strategy that meets their expectations and requirements.
During implementation phases, we’ll continue to engage stakeholders to ensure that they have the right information at the right time. Our mission is to cement these relationships and help you develop highly effective collaborations to meet your sustainability goals.
Whether you’re working within a framework, a commitment, or your unique sustainability goals, ongoing communication with stakeholders is key to an effective sustainability strategy implementation. At Grain we have extensive experience in communications, marketing and design, in whatever digital or print format is most effective for your audience.
We can translate your sustainability journey into messaging that informs and delights your stakeholders and provides a clear understanding of your targets and achievements.
To find out how we can work together on stakeholder engagement, get in touch on +44 20 8187 7040, email hello@grain-sustainability.com, or book in a chat.
