The final blog in our series on stakeholder engagement (part 1 | part 2) looks at the psychosocial factors that underlie group brain storming, and why collaborative forums are emerging as an effective tool for business. We know that collaboration between individuals is particularly effective when attempting to generate unique and constructive solutions to problems. Group brainstorming has been shown to produce more high quality and relevant ideas compared to individual efforts1, 2. Exposure to others’ ideas has been shown … “Why are online Collaboration Forums effective for engaging stakeholders?”
We’re starting this week’s blog with a brief history of stakeholder engagement on corporate responsibility. Looking back to the eighties, corporate stakeholder engagement on sustainability was initially oriented towards governments and environmental compliance. Push-back on infrastructure and development from communities was the main catalyst for public consultations, which were largely local, box-ticking exercises. As we moved into the 1990s, the rise of a more empowered civil society culminated with the Battle of Seattle protests at the WTO meeting as the … “What is the future of stakeholder engagement?”
The first blog in our series on stakeholder engagement starts with the basics – why does stakeholder engagement matter? We’ve identified three key trends that help answer this question and give direction on how business can gain more value from stakeholder relations. First, companies are having to manage the rapidly changing dynamics of the relationship between business and society. They are being increasingly compelled to engage in dialogue and collaborate with their stakeholders, rather than simply communicating to them. While … “Why does stakeholder engagement matter?”
Earlier this week, Dutch pension fund PGGM Vermogensbeheer B.V announced that they would cease investment in US retail giant Walmart, citing the company’s failure to engage with their concerns, particularly over labour issues. Two years ago, GlobeScan examined the public’s perceptions of Walmart and found that it was cited as socially irresponsible by many more than described it as responsible. In 2013, that trust deficit persists. When asked, unprompted, to name a socially responsible company, 2 percent cited Walmart, whereas … “Labour Issues at Heart of Walmart’s Reputational Problems”
The summative report from The Regeneration Roadmap, a joint project by GlobeScan and SustainAbility.
With frustration at the lack of progress on sustainability being expressed from many quarters, who should we be expecting to drive change? Experts in sustainability tend to believe the impetus has to come from consumers: when asked about sustainability supply and demand dynamics earlier this year, only around one in four (23%) thought that society required a greater supply of regulations and options for consumers from companies and governments, while 41 percent thought that more consumer demand is required. Experts … “Governments, Businesses, and Consumers Look to Each Other to Drive Increased Sustainability”
The past week has seen an escalating war of words between big business and policymakers over the taxes paid by multinationals. Apple and Google came under fire from UK and US legislators, while European leaders pledged concerted action to close tax loopholes. However, GlobeScan’s 2013 polling reveals that for the global public, payment of taxes is the bare minimum they expect of companies. Across 24 countries, around a quarter (23%) say they believe that companies’ main responsibility is to pay … “Amid tension over corporate tax affairs, public looks to a new role for companies”
Findings from The 2013 Sustainability Leaders: A GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey.
One of the biggest trends in corporate social responsibility at the moment is the partnering of large corporate players with charities and NGOs. Initiatives such as Swiss Re’s work with Oxfam, CARE’s work with Unilever and Save the Children’s collaboration with Procter and Gamble have variously been cited as models for this sort of association. Yet while such partnerships meet approval among CSR professionals, GlobeScan’s research suggests that the public themselves take a more sceptical view. When asked as part … “Despite favourable attitudes among experts, public equivocal about NGO-corporate collaboration”
At GlobeScan, a significant amount of our work is carried out with sustainability practitioners. In our conversations with clients and respondents alike, we see many companies cited as examples of best practice in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In the course of these conversations, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that vindication of successful sustainability should come in the form of public recognition. As can be seen, significant numbers of survey respondents around the world cannot or … “Large numbers remain unable or unwilling to name a socially responsible company”