Engagement
Stakeholders and rights holders
Who do you involve in your impact work, and how? This library lists the groups that often play a part. For each group you see how closely to involve them, which work formats fit and which language style works.
Rights holders and stakeholders are not the same
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) make a clear distinction. Rights holders are the people whose human rights your work affects. Their rights are what is at stake, so they come first.
Stakeholders are parties with an interest or a role. They decide, fund, regulate, carry out, bring knowledge or keep a critical eye. They matter too, but their rights are not the subject here.
Some rights holders cannot speak for themselves, such as future generations or nature. Then a guardian or advocate speaks on their behalf.
Rights holders
People whose human rights are affected, and nature, for whom a guardian speaks.
Directly affected (13 groups)
People whose situation is directly at stake.
Employees
People who work for the organisation and feel its choices first.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Survey, Focus group, Workshop
- Language style
- Professional, Plain language
Supply-chain workers
People who make or move products further up or down the chain.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Interview, Survey, Field visit
- Language style
- Multilingual, Plain language
Customers and consumers
People who buy the products or services and live with their effects.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Survey, Interview
- Language style
- Plain language, Storytelling
Users of a product or service
People who use what the organisation offers, paid or free.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Survey, Interview, Focus group
- Language style
- Plain language
Beneficiaries and participants
People a programme is meant for and who take part in it.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Story collection, Interview, Focus group
- Language style
- Plain language, Storytelling
Local communities and residents
People who live near the work and share its effects on their area.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Community meeting, Story collection, Survey
- Language style
- Plain language, Multilingual
7 more groups
Tenants
People who rent their home or workspace and depend on its condition.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Survey, Community meeting
- Language style
- Plain language
Patients and clients of care
People who receive care or support and rely on its quality.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection, Advisory panel
- Language style
- Plain language, Easy read
Pupils and students
People in education whose learning and future are shaped by it.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Survey, Focus group, Workshop
- Language style
- Plain language, Storytelling
Members
People or organisations who belong to and help steer an association.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Survey, Newsletter, Community meeting
- Language style
- Professional
Volunteers
People who give their time and whose motivation keeps the work going.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Focus group, Survey, Learning circle
- Language style
- Plain language
Small producers and farmers
Producers whose income and land depend on how the chain is run.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Field visit, Interview, Focus group
- Language style
- Multilingual, Plain language
Entrepreneurs in a portfolio or programme
Founders and businesses supported by an investor, fund or programme.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Survey, Learning circle, Interview
- Language style
- Professional
Extra duty of care (8 groups)
Groups that deserve extra protection and care in how you involve them.
Children and young people
Young people who need a safe, age-appropriate way to be heard.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Story collection, Workshop
- Language style
- Easy read, Storytelling
People with disabilities
People who often meet barriers and need accessible ways to take part.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection
- Language style
- Easy read, Plain language
Refugees and migrants
People who have moved country, often with an insecure status.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection
- Language style
- Multilingual, Plain language
Indigenous peoples
Peoples with collective rights to land, culture and free, prior and informed consent.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Story collection, Community meeting, Interview
- Language style
- Multilingual, Storytelling
People on low incomes
People for whom costs and access weigh heavily on daily life.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection
- Language style
- Plain language
Older people
Older people who may face isolation, health needs or digital barriers.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection
- Language style
- Plain language, Easy read
2 more groups
People facing discrimination
People treated unfairly because of who they are, who need a safe space to speak.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Story collection
- Language style
- Plain language, Storytelling
People with a migration background
People whose own or family history includes migration, often underrepresented.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Focus group
- Language style
- Multilingual, Plain language
Without a voice (5 groups)
People with no structural representation, so someone has to speak on their behalf.
Future generations
People not yet born who will live with today's choices.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- On behalf of
People experiencing homelessness
People without a stable home who are rarely asked for their view.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Story collection
- Language style
- On behalf of, Plain language
Undocumented people
People without legal residence status who cannot safely speak up.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Interview
- Language style
- On behalf of, Multilingual
People in institutions
People in prisons, closed care or detention with limited say.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Interview
- Language style
- On behalf of, Plain language
Residents without a vote
People who live somewhere but have no vote in its elections.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Community meeting
- Language style
- On behalf of, Multilingual
Nature (7 groups)
Nature as a rights subject, for which a guardian speaks.
Climate
A stable climate, affected by emissions across the chain.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Biodiversity and species
The variety of life, from habitats to individual species.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Water and oceans
Rivers, groundwater, seas and oceans, and the life they hold.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Soil and land
Healthy soil and land use that can sustain life over time.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Air quality
Clean air, affected by emissions, traffic and production.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Forests
Forests and the ecosystems and climate functions they provide.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
1 more groups
Animal welfare
The wellbeing of animals in farming, research and the wild.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Represent
- Work formats
- Proxy representation, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- On behalf of
Stakeholders
Parties with an interest or a role in the system, who are not the subject of the rights at stake.
Role holders (25 groups)
Parties with a formal role: they decide, fund, regulate or carry out.
Board and supervisory board
The people who set direction and hold management to account.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Boardroom
Management team
The people who run the organisation day to day and make choices.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Collaborate
- Work formats
- Workshop, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Boardroom, Professional
Owners and shareholders
Those who own the organisation, from founders and families to shareholders.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Boardroom
Investors and lenders
Parties who put in capital and want to know the impact and the risks.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Boardroom, Technical
Family offices
Organisations that manage a family's wealth, often with long-term impact goals.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Boardroom
Funders and grantmakers
Foundations and bodies that fund work and ask what it achieves.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional, Storytelling
19 more groups
Philanthropists
Private donors who give to causes they care about.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Storytelling, Boardroom
National government
Ministries and agencies that set policy and fund programmes.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional
Regional government
Provinces and regions that shape policy and funding in their area.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional
Municipalities
Local councils that commission, fund and set local rules.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Workshop, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Professional
EU institutions
European bodies that set rules such as CSRD and fund programmes.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
Regulators and supervisors
Bodies that check whether rules are followed.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
Standard setters
Bodies that write reporting and impact standards.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Technical
Auditors and assurance providers
Professionals who check and sign off on reported information.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Technical
Certification bodies
Organisations that grant labels and certificates after a check.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
Suppliers and partners
Businesses that supply or deliver with you and share responsibility in the chain.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Survey, Workshop, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional
Procurement clients and buyers
Organisations that buy from you and set impact demands in tenders.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional
Business customers
Companies that use your products and ask for data for their own reporting.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Survey, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Professional
Works council and unions
Bodies that represent employees and have a formal say.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Advisory panel
- Language style
- Professional
Industry associations
Associations that set norms and speak for a sector.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Professional
Networks and ecosystem partners
Networks and partners who work on the same goals in the same field.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Collaborate
- Work formats
- Learning circle, Workshop
- Language style
- Professional
Incubators and accelerators
Programmes that support early-stage ventures and track their progress.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Learning circle, Survey
- Language style
- Professional
Peers and competitors
Organisations doing similar work, to learn from and benchmark against.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Learning circle, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional
Politicians and council members
Elected representatives who set priorities and budgets.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Boardroom, Storytelling
Lobby and advocacy organisations
Organisations that push for policy change on behalf of a cause or sector.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Professional
Knowledge holders (10 groups)
People who bring practical or lived knowledge, without formal power.
Frontline staff and professionals
People who do the work every day and see what really happens.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Focus group, Workshop, Learning circle
- Language style
- Professional, Plain language
Experts by experience
People who turn their own lived experience into knowledge for others.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Collaborate
- Work formats
- Advisory panel, Workshop, Story collection
- Language style
- Plain language, Storytelling
Researchers and universities
Academics and institutes who bring methods, evidence and rigour.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Advisory panel
- Language style
- Technical
Think tanks
Organisations that research and frame policy questions.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical, Professional
Consultants and advisors
Outside experts who advise on strategy, method or reporting.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Workshop
- Language style
- Professional
Law firms and legal advisors
Lawyers who advise on due diligence, liability and compliance.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
4 more groups
Agencies
Communication, design and research agencies that help tell and test the story.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Workshop, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Professional, Storytelling
Data and software providers
Providers of the tools and data that measurement depends on.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Workshop, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
Educators and trainers
People who teach and build skills, and see how learning lands.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Focus group, Learning circle
- Language style
- Professional
Community workers
People who know a neighbourhood well and have the trust of residents.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Involve
- Work formats
- Interview, Community meeting, Focus group
- Language style
- Plain language
Counter power (6 groups)
Independent critical voices: media, science, civil society and courts.
Journalists and media
Reporters who scrutinise claims and tell the public what happens.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Storytelling
NGOs and civil society
Organisations that stand up for people, nature or causes.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Professional
Activists and social movements
Groups that push for change from outside formal structures.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Community meeting
- Language style
- Storytelling, Plain language
Watchdogs and ombudspersons
Independent bodies that handle complaints and flag abuses.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard, Sense-making dialogue
- Language style
- Technical, Professional
Courts
Judges who rule on rights and duties when disputes arise.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Inform
- Work formats
- Report or dashboard
- Language style
- Technical
Critical scientists
Scientists who independently test claims and methods.
How to involve them
- Usual involvement
- Consult
- Work formats
- Sense-making dialogue, Advisory panel
- Language style
- Technical
Levels of involvement
Based on the IAP2 spectrum, plus representation for those who cannot speak for themselves.
- Inform
- Keep the group up to date in a clear, timely way.
- Consult
- Ask for views and feedback, and report back what you did with them.
- Involve
- Work with the group throughout, so their concerns shape the choices.
- Collaborate
- Develop options and decide together as partners.
- Empower
- Put the final decision in the hands of the group.
- Represent
- A guardian or advocate speaks on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.
Which groups matter for you?
Use the collaboration explorer to choose your groups and see which form of collaboration fits.
Open the explorer