New Challenges Bring New Opportunities in a New Era of Business: Keeping your Stakeholders Happy

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) July 22, 2010 - Key stakeholders are impacted by the activities of any organization and include, among others, individual consumers, suppliers, employees, investors, regulators, the community and media. Stakeholders are internal and external, with primary or secondary importance for the organization, stemming from diverse backgrounds and accompanied by different needs, conflicting expectations, objectives and demands. 

Understanding and reflecting on stakeholder concerns is mandatory for an organization to develop a more effective business strategy and requires considerable recourses, expertise and insight. For such an assessment to be effective, along with the resulting strategy built around it, international guidelines and frameworks must be followed to ensure that all non-financial activity benefits the financial performance of the company. Organizations must rely on the support of experts in the field or must attain accredited training on Sustainability that covers the critical tools needed.    Recent research conducted by the Centre for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE) confirms that issues of stakeholder engagement need to become a priority when doing business in a sustainable manner. Organizations that have adopted sustainable practices are becoming more visible to their shareholders. In addition, the study showed that: 

• Communications and reporting remain a priority and deliver business value
• Public pressure in the form of consumer activism will continue
• Prospect employees would choose an organization that is practicing sustainable business to a conventional one when applying for a job

Corporate professionals are increasingly required to be aware of the issues of Sustainability and the proper systematic approach of managing Stakeholders. CSE’s Accredited Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner’s Workshop is certified by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), and is designed for all professionals responsible for the management of CSR, Marketing, and Public Relation activities.   General Managers, Public Relations Managers and Sustainability and Environmental Professionals will advance their CSR understanding, acquire the skill and knowledge that will bring added value and authenticity to their company, and also earn an official business qualification.   The ultimate goal of the CSE workshop in North America is to provide the tools and training that will instill the growing importance of sustainability and corporate social responsibility into company strategy and also help them demonstrate ethical business practices. This will in turn build corporate and community recognition in sustainable business through the examination of current best practices.   To improve your organizations’ and/or institutions’ Sustainability and bring positive impact and added value for all stakeholders, enroll in CSE’s North American Workshop at www.cse-northamerica.org, contact Nick Andrews at 773-714-5065 or via e-mail at info@cse-northamerica.org.   CSE Media Partners include:   Sustainable Business Institute (SBI)   The Sustainable Business Institute (SBI) is a nonpartisan 501c(3) nonprofit organization devoted to helping businesses make steady progress on their roadmap to sustainability, with its Seal of Sustainability™, a nationally recognized icon of business sustainability.  It is awarded to businesses that have demonstrated continuous commitment to sustainable business practices in the areas of economy, society and environment.  For more information on SBI and the Seal of Sustainability, go to www.SustainableBusiness.org.   Sustainable Business Network of Washington (SBNOW)   SB NOW works with companies to help them integrate environmental and social responsibility principles into their operations and strategy.  We do this to help improve the quality of life and the environment in the National Capital Region. For more information on SB NOW go to www.sbnow.org.     GlobalGiving   GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects individuals and organizations to the causes and countries they care about.  Donors select the projects they want to support, make a tax-deductible contribution, and get regular progress updates - so they can see their impact.  GlobalGiving works with companies of all shapes and sizes to make their CSR, community, and sustainability goals a reality. For more information on GlobalGiving to to www.globalgiving.org.