Stakeholders

A stakeholder is any person, group, or organization that can affect or be affected by the activities and outcomes of a project, program, or organization. Stakeholders may be internal or external and can include employees, managers, owners, customers, suppliers, investors, communities, regulators, and non-governmental organizations.

Stakeholders can be primary (directly affected) or secondary (indirectly affected or interested). Their interests vary and may include financial returns, job security, product quality, safety, environmental impact, or social license to operate.

Managing stakeholders involves identifying those with an interest, assessing their influence and concerns, and planning engagement. Tools such as stakeholder analysis and engagement plans help prioritize actions, allocate resources, and monitor feedback.

Effective stakeholder engagement supports better decisions, risk management, legitimacy, and sustainable outcomes, but conflicts of interest and information gaps can complicate efforts. Transparency, accountability, and inclusive participation are commonly promoted goals.

In governance, understanding stakeholders complements governance structures focused on accountability and performance. Distinctions between stakeholders and shareholders emphasize that value creation may extend beyond financial returns to social and environmental outcomes.