AA1000 SES Standard for Stake Holder Engagement
Who are interested parties?
Who has an “Interest” in the organization?
Shareholders
Creditors
Regulators
Employees
Customers
Business Partners
The definition of what interested parties are is not a simple one. In some organizations, links with stakeholders are multiple and complex.
All stakeholders need not have an interest (pecuniary or beneficial) but all interested parties have a concern even of the negative effects of the (direct or indirect) activities of an organization.
The key to consider a stakeholder as an interested party is to evaluate how they could probably influence the outcome of the organizations. It is not about ‘possibilities’ but it is clearly about ‘probabilities’.
Which means that in the wide field of possibilities, anything could happen, but it is very important here to differentiate ‘contingencies’ from ‘acts of God’ in order not to open a door highly unlikely to be closed.
The eventual consideration of any possible interested party could lead to an endless analysis of situations that might never happen in this life, adding complexity, costs and waste of time to the organization, while not adding any actual value to customers.
In a limited context, someone who has an “Interest” in the organization is an "Interested Party:-
Interested parties could be split into three different groups:
- Usually enforced interested parties
- customers (obvious),
- employees,
- suppliers,
- Shareholders
- Business Partners
- Creditors, and
- regulators
- Possible interested parties
- unions,
- banks,
- neighbors, etc.
- Openly interested parties
this group includes those stakeholders that for some reason the organization believes they are important to assure the outcome and satisfaction, even though its relationship is not that obvious
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Local Community
Who are stakeholders?
One possible definition could be "a person, group or organization that has interest or concern in an organization."
Stakeholders can affect or be affected by the organization's actions, objectives and policies.
Internal stakeholders
- Leaders
- Employees
- Customers
- Suppliers
- Shareholders
External stakeholders
- Local Government
- Local Business
- Local Citizens
- State, Regional and Federal
What is the business case for stakeholder engagement?
What is stakeholder engagement?
Stakeholder engagement is the process by which an organisation involves people who may be affected by the decisions it makes or can influence the implementation of its decisions.
Important Principles of Engagement
- Minimize Harm
- Maximize Benefit
- Be Accountable and Responsive
- Support Strong Financial Results
What are the standards available for a systematic process of stakeholder engagement?
The AA1000SES illustrates relevant and robust procedures in the full management cycle of stakeholder engagement with refinement and updates reflecting the views of experts and practitioners. The latest standard is the result of a broad, international, multi-stakeholder process that evolved through the years to establish the benchmark for good-quality engagement. It can be used as a tool to support risk management, protect the license to operate, enhance the brand, and set the stage for improving the overall sustainability performance of the organisation
The AA1000SES (2015) is appropriate for both internal and external engagement, for public, private and civil society organisations of all sizes. It can be used for project-based activities as well as for ongoing long-term engagement purposes.
What is AA1000 process model?