Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

Defining the Community as a Key Sustainability Stakeholder

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
Feb 4, 2011 10:00 AM ET

Taiga Company blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Compa…

Stakeholder: defined as a group or an individual who, not only is affected by, but can also directly affect the actions of a company. Business stakeholders are often limited to the most obvious (i.e. investors, employees, suppliers customer, etc.).  The forgotten ‘community’ in which the business operates can oftentimes be overlooked as a key business sustainability stakeholder.

 
Not all organizations have seen the value in proactive community stakeholder engagement.  However, identifying and engaging the local community as a key stakeholder is becoming a more recognized business value opportunity.
 
The growth in social and eco awareness has made the link between business sustainability and a thriving community more visible today than it ever has been in the past.  Companies are more directly tied to the sustainability of the community in which they operate and business sustainability leaders are seizing this value. 
 
For example, Timberland is taking a step beyond philanthropy to leverage the value-ties to the local communities in which they operate.  The company has found mutual value in that volunteer work and social outreach has been a major source of staff motivation and retention for the business.
 
So how can you get started?  According to a Network for Business Sustainability report, an important first step is considering the type of relationship the organization wishes to pursue. For example, research points to a continuum spanning various types of engagements: click here to continue reading.

 

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".

 

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