Consultives

Consultives are advisory mechanisms used by governments, intergovernmental bodies, or organizations to solicit input from experts, stakeholders, or the public before making decisions. They are typically non-binding and intended to inform policy development, regulatory design, or strategic planning, rather than to authorize action themselves. The term covers a range of formats that share the goal of structured consultation.

Common forms include advisory councils, expert or technical commissions, working groups, public consultation forums, and stakeholder panels. They may be established by legislation, executive action, or institutional policy, with formal mandates, defined membership criteria, terms of reference, and reporting requirements. Participation can be limited to professionals with specialized knowledge or open to broader citizen involvement.

Processes often involve hearings, written submissions, commissioned research, surveys, or deliberative methods, culminating in reports, recommendations, or commentary that are circulated to decision-makers. The weight given to consultives’ outputs varies widely by jurisdiction, organization culture, and the political environment.

Benefits cited for consultives include enhanced technical quality of decisions, increased transparency, and improved legitimacy through stakeholder buy-in. Criticisms focus on issues of representativeness, potential capture by interest groups, uneven influence, and time costs associated with longer consultation processes. Effective use typically relies on clear scope, transparent appointment procedures, open proceedings, accessible documentation, and explicit mechanisms for translating input into policy action.

See also: advisory body, public consultation, stakeholder engagement, expert commission.