CREATING a STAKEHOLDER PROGRAM for YOUR EMS

Your EMS can include a successful and predictable program that addresses stakeholder aspects. The management program tools and forms you have used to troubleshoot processes, create and manage solutions evaluate and measure progress, etc, can be used just as effectively here. Typical benefits that facilities have identified from this type of program include problems solved, improved rapport and trust, improved community reputation, faster permitting, less litigation, fewer meetings or hearings, quicker process changeover, less prescriptive operations permitting, and fresh perspectives and learning. Remember, to reduce liabilities and related costs, learn exactly what you are dealing with so that you can target your EMS programs to control, stabilize and reduce risk.

3.6.1 Who are Stakeholders and What are Their Concerns?

To begin, consider who the organization’s stakeholders are and what they want. Stakeholders can include suppliers, customers, stockholders and inspectors. They may be part of a citizen’s advisory committee or a community negotiation effort convened by a state or federal project, an independent citizen organization initiative, or other individual or group. Organizations whose employees are represented by a union may need to consider this group as well.

3.6.1.1 What are Your Program Goals and Scope?

What are you already doing that brings you together with interested parties? Existing company activities can include public relations, a public hearing, public education, advocacy or other outreach initiative. As you consider what you know so far about stakeholder concerns and your company’s historic goals in its outreach efforts, clarify and focus your new stakeholder program and state a purpose and goal.

At this early stage, it is helpful to also define the scope of the program. For example, one organization may decide to include pollution risk, traffic, noise, and aesthetics of Facility A, but not Facility B. The stakeholders will bring their goals to the table, and the process should allow flexibility for adjusting the goals and scope at the first meetings.

3.6.2 Credibility in the Handling of Stakeholder Feedback is Crucial to Success

Without credibility in the stakeholder program, key stakeholders may not participate and the results will not be accepted. To ensure credibility, the Stakeholder program should have visible support from top-level decision makers, clear intentions concerning feedback generated by stakeholders, and a visible and participative process.

The program will foster communication and the identification of strategies for actions that address problems or potential for problems. How are decisions concerning these strategies to be handled? What if there are conflicting opinions about best strategies? This scenario can be alarming for a facility to consider, but can usually be satisfactorily handled with a clear process in place. The key is to make this process something that the stakeholders understand and agree to up front, which they will if it is essentially fair and they have been able to contribute to its design. Stakeholders do not expect to control decisions about private property or to override business issues. However, they will want to know that honest concerns are creatively considered, and recommendations passed to high levels in the company for some kind of response. Expectations concerning recommendations and the resolution of conflicts should be stated and understood on both sides. For example, “The CEO will attend every third meeting for a report- out, to hear recommendations and to say what has been happening with previous recommendations.”

3.6.3 What are Elements of a Good Stakeholder Program?

A good program should provide for the following activities:

 Initiation – Get started by reading reports, talking to staff and external parties who have engaged in past initiatives, writing summary proposed topics and participants, setting the time and place for meeting, and – if desired – contracting with a professional facilitator.

 Resources – Identify money, time, and sponsorship needed and ensure these are in place. Your ability to control the process is in inverse relationship to the resources and planning you invest.  Participation – Get key stakeholders to participate by asking your team who needs to be at

meetings and what are barriers for their attendance? What about populations or individuals who work long hours and are not reimbursed for time taken to participate, or who must care for children? Make a plan for contacting people and ensuring your sincere welcome is understood. Can you offer a small stipend? Those that don’t come early may pop in at a later stage with surprises, after your core group is well down the road toward trust and successful attention to problems.

 Process – As with other critical elements of your management system, you can create an EMP (see Section 3.2.4) identifying policies, strategies, roles and responsibilities and targets and objectives for your stakeholder program. Use teams and problem solving tools such as process diagramming, brainstorming and root cause analysis to create projects and procedures to achieve targets and objectives. Finally, include this program in your self-assessment audits and corrective actions to improve.

HANDLING STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS

At the first meeting, be structured about addressing the following issues:

1. What is the schedule for future meetings?

2. What are the expected time commitments?

3. What is the process for ensuring parties are invited to speak?

4. How will conflicts and disruptive behavior be addressed?

5. Who is not here that should be, and how can we get them here?

6. How will be report out to our company or our group?

7. Will we speak to the press and when?

8. Who is responsible for minutes, time keeping and facilitation?

4. OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM