Stakeholder engagement advice for CSR leader

Starting in 2003, we worked with the renowned CSR team at Vodafone to develop a stakeholder engagement process that was then rolled out worldwide.

Using internationally recognised standards, we assessed Vodafone’s stakeholder engagement programme. We then made recommendations to help the company establish systematic engagement processes. These enable Vodafone to identify its main stakeholder groups and the issues that affect them, and manage constructive stakeholder dialogue. For example, Vodafone now uses focus groups and interviews to understand consumers’ attitudes on key CSR issues. Its processes also ensure that material issues reach the company’s key decision-makers.

We were subsequently asked by Vodafone to develop a toolkit to assist the Group’s operating companies in developing systematic stakeholder engagement. The toolkit provides frameworks to use in mapping stakeholder groups, prioritising issues and tracking engagement activities. Vodafone now has a clear picture of local issues that are relevant at Group level. Also, information about stakeholders’ concerns and successful engagement practices can be gathered and spread across the Group.

We have worked with Vodafone in other areas of CSR management, too. In 2005, we advised the company on the selection of material issues for inclusion in its CSR report, using the AA1000 materiality test. We subsequently developed text for the report to describe this process and the report’s scope.

In recent years, we have also benchmarked Vodafone using our Accountability Rating methodology. We have provided the CSR team with detailed feedback on Vodafone’s accountability performance and clear recommendations for improvement.

In addition, we have advised Vodafone on long-term strategic questions, including how it could take account of CSR issues when developing new products and services.