The vital role of Stakeholders cannot be overstated. This includes employees, customers, suppliers, investors, regulators, and communities, all of whom play a crucial role in building trust, gaining insights, and ensuring alignment with sustainability goals.

For customers, transparent communication about ethical sourcing, climate action, or social impact builds loyalty and trust. Modern consumers are increasingly conscious, often choosing brands that align with their values.

Investors are increasingly scrutinising ESG disclosures, expecting robust governance structures, effective climate risk management, and long-term value creation. Companies that engage proactively with investors on ESG topics often gain better access to capital and enjoy a stronger reputation.

The process begins with stakeholder mapping to identify who is affected by or can influence the organisation’s ESG performance. Prioritisation follows based on influence, interest, and relevance. Shargiil shares insights from companies like Unilever, their customer engagement; Patagonia, their employee advocacy; Ikea’s transparent communication; and Microsoft's Goal to achieve negative carbon emissions by partnering with their clients, which have successfully engaged stakeholders to implement sustainability practices.

Stakeholder engagement should be an ongoing process, integrated adequately into strategy development, performance reviews, and ESG reporting. Ultimately, true sustainability is co-created, and engaging stakeholders meaningfully ensures initiatives are grounded in reality and drive long-term impact.

Shargiil examines the risks of ignoring stakeholder concerns, including reputational damage, regulatory backlash, and missed opportunities, all of which could pose significant risks to your business.