“STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON THE GLOBAL STAGE –
CASE STUDIES OF
For a multinational company, anything said by anyone anywhere — true or not — can affect its brands everywhere. If allegations, such as child labor, global warming, chemical spills, sweatshops, or human rights abuses, emerge for an organization or its supply chain, the company may be held responsible in the court of public opinion. If that happens, the company's reputation and credibility will be largely in the hands of third parties. These external stakeholders — experts, citizen leaders, non-profit organizations, advocacy groups, and socially responsible investors — often set the tone for media coverage and shape consumer and investor perceptions. With external stakeholder support, a company can often avoid undue controversy and be legitimately recognized as a responsible global citizen that aligns itself with the interests of its shareholders and stakeholders; without their support, a company and its brands can be vulnerable. Unfortunately, many companies meet their key stakeholders only after a conflict or crisis erupts. Yet, proactive steps can be taken.
The Future 500 and The Conference Board's Research Working Group on Stakeholder Engagement on the Global Stage will focus on the systemic causes of many of these concerns and the remedial steps that companies, governments, and NGOs can take to resolve them. By working with corporate peers, international NGOs, and stakeholder leaders, research working group members will gain the tools, skills, contacts, and information they need to protect their companies’ brands while also developing methodologies for building and maintaining trust and mutual support between companies, stakeholders, and the public.
Special Focus: Stakeholder Engagement in China
The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing offers an unprecedented stage upon which international NGOs and activists will call attention to important social issues, such as labor, law, the environment, and human rights, and to the companies they associate with them. Every company whose brand or supply chain has links with China is potentially at risk. China is a valuable backdrop to examining international NGO dynamics within a developing country environment. In addition to executive sessions, our China Stakeholder Roundtable will help companies reduce risk, prevent conflict, and begin to foster collaborative solutions to these issues in China between now and the 2008 Olympics — and beyond.
Issues on the Table:
- What are the dynamics at play with international NGOs and stakeholders bringing developing-world issues to media savvy and saturated networks to drive worldwide attention?
- What are the warning signs when local country issues are about to permeate onto the global stage?
- How can you earn the trust of these stakeholders so, when they look at your company, they see a responsible global citizen?
- What supply chain initiatives can help minimize risk?
Why should you join?
As a member of the Research Working Group on Stakeholder Engagement on the Global Stage, your company will benefit from:
- Monthly peer-to-peer discussions with corporate colleagues and other experts on leading stakeholder engagement practices.
- A deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that drive global NGO-stakeholder interactions through weekly updates featuring interviews of key NGOs and stakeholders in China.
- Key opportunities to meet relevant NGO and stakeholder leaders in neutral settings for candid discussions.
- Customized stakeholder maps and bulletin reports on emerging issues that feature forward-thinking analysis to anticipate the twists and turns of stakeholder engagement in China.
- Original research and case studies on the most pressing stakeholder engagement issues in China—product safety, labor and the environment, and supply chain leadership.
For further detail, please download the informational brochure or visit The Conference Board.
The Conference Board is also offering a new report, "Managing for a Carbon Concerned Future" which addresses the decision-making process for companies who want to institute new carbon management approaches and opportunities. It is based on the feedback of a group of 17 companies who have had experience with this new challenge.
