Embed in management systems

1. Embedded commitment: The company has a policy commitment to ongoing stakeholder engagement, and embeds it in its governance, culture, and management strategy.​

Create a Tailored Engagement Plan​

2. Inclusiveness: The company listens to a full range of rights-holders across the value chain and has a process to identify legitimate representatives.
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3. A Focus on Those Most at Risk​:  The company prioritizes engaging with the rightsholders who are most likely to be harmed by its operations​, and therefore where early engagement is critical.​​

Conduct appropriate  activities

​​4. Informed Participation: The company establishes ongoing, two-way communication with affected rights holders that provides affected stakeholders with relevant critical information well in advance of key decision points.

5. Trust and Accountability: The company establishes procedures, tailored to the context, to build rights holder trust and accountability for its actions.​

Ensure follow through

6. Stakeholder-informed Action Plan: The company analyzes information obtained through affected stakeholder engagement and collaborates with rights holders to formulate an action plan.

7. Monitoring, Transparency, and Continuous Improvement​: The company establishes and maintains a transparent and stakeholder-informed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.​

Our Approach

financial materiality

Stakeholder Engagement Main Page > Four Pillars > ​Effectiveness Criterion 7

7. Monitoring, Transparency, and Continuous Improvement

The company establishes and maintains a transparent and stakeholder-informed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system.

what this means

questions for portfolio companies

What to look for

for workers

High risk situations

M&E resources developed for the international development and peacebuilding communities can be adapted for corporate stakeholder engagements.[1] To ensure objectivity, the M&E process should be overseen by personnel or partners who are not embedded in the conflict. Stakeholder engagement in these settings should not be approached in isolation; wherever possible, companies should collaborate with and draw on lessons learned from other conflict zones, leverage peer experiences, or knowledge from CSOs or multilateral actors.

[1] “Investor Toolkit on Human Rights and Armed Conflict” (Responsible Investment Association Australasia, May 1, 2023), 39, https://www.responsibleinvestment.org/research-and-resources/resource/investor-toolkit-on-human-rights-and-armed-conflict.