Ali White, Associate Director and Head of Business Development, Conscious Communications
Businesses are increasingly being held to account for their broad social and environmental impact, which has led to stakeholder engagement shifting to become a central focus of corporate strategy. For organisations, particularly those operating in sectors with significant community implications like property development, a robust approach to stakeholder engagement is essential. Not only does it facilitate the smooth delivery of projects, but it also lays the foundation for creating meaningful social value that resonates long after the initial investment. The Social Value Act of 2012, followed by the 2020 Procurement Policy Note, and the upcoming changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (under consultation) have, and will continue to, fundamentally change the expectations placed on contractors and developers in the delivery of effective engagement and social value.
It’s all about relationships
Effective stakeholder engagement is first and foremost about relationships. Relationships which, when thoughtfully cultivated, can be powerful drivers of social value. When approaching social value commitments, successful and sustainable delivery will be determined by the strength of networks that can be tapped into to create quality partnerships.
Take, for example, development projects in urban areas. The success of these projects often hinges not on the physical structures themselves but on the relationships built around them. When developers engage with local communities and stakeholders in a meaningful way—early, often, and with a willingness to listen—projects can transcend their immediate economic purpose. They become vehicles for broader social value, addressing issues like public space creation, community cohesion, and environmental sustainability.
Local knowledge cannot be underestimated
While broader trends and global best practice can be useful to inform strategy, effective engagement needs to be deeply rooted in local context. In a city like Cambridge, where economic prosperity coexists with stark inequalities, the importance of local knowledge cannot be overstated. Despite its global reputation as a hub of innovation and learning, Cambridge also struggles with significant social issues. The city’s thriving economy, driven by its world-leading higher education and research institutions and a globally significant cluster of high-growth, knowledge-intensive industries, are the direct neighbours to areas of severe deprivation and poverty.
Cambridge has the second highest level of income inequality of any city in England and Wales, and there are persistent gaps in educational outcomes and skill levels which can limit the life chances of people from low-income backgrounds in the city.
Engaging locally means recognising these disparities and considering them in a meaningful way in order to understand the local context. This requires a commitment to understanding the lived experiences of those in the community and tailoring engagement efforts to meet their specific needs, moving beyond the traditional metrics of success and focusing on outcomes that enhance the quality of life for all community members, particularly the most vulnerable.
Avoid it being a tick-box exercise
To take a locally focussed approach to stakeholder engagement, it’s important to consider what true engagement looks like. It’s not enough to simply inform stakeholders or seek their feedback. Real engagement is proactive, inclusive, and sustained. It involves identifying all relevant stakeholders—those who will be affected by a project, as well as those who have the power to affect it—and valuing their perspectives through active involvement. It is also about transparency and trust. Influential stakeholders have the power to turn the tide of local feeling, and engaging with them in a way which feels temporary, or like a tick-box exercise will generate more bad-will than never having reached out in the first place. This requires clear communication, a willingness to compromise, and, importantly, the courage and agility to make decisions that prioritise long-term social value delivery over short-term gains.
When approaching engagement it’s important to view it as a continuous process, not a one-time effort. The most successful projects are those where engagement is maintained throughout the life cycle of the initiative, from initial planning through to implementation and beyond. This ongoing dialogue helps to build trust and ensures that the project continues to meet the evolving needs of the community. The social value created through such engagement can take many forms, from improved public spaces and enhanced educational opportunities to better health outcomes and greater community cohesion.
However, to achieve this, organisations must be willing to rethink their approach to engagement. They must move beyond traditional models and embrace a more holistic, integrated strategy—one that doesn’t see stakeholders as obstacles, but as partners in the creation of shared value. At Conscious Communications, we understand that the strength of our networks and the partnerships we form are fundamental to achieving social impact and always encourage a locally focussed approach to stakeholder engagement and social value.
By focusing on local contexts, building strong partnerships, and prioritising social value—we can create a future where businesses thrive not at the expense of their communities, but in harmony with them.