Stakeholder analysis

Menas Associates uses its extensive knowledge of local conditions to support clients when they deal with key stakeholders, including national and local politicians, the host community, NGOs, advocacy groups and in-country agencies.

Whenever a company initiates an overseas investment project, its presence will be interpreted in different ways by various groups on the ground. Some see a benefit, some see an opportunity, and some see a threat. Stakeholder assessments are designed to help our clients to better understand and engage with local stakeholders.

We work closely with our client to develop an appropriate approach to our assessment of their stakeholders. However, our Stakeholder assessments typically incorporate the following elements:

• Identification of the key individuals, groups, and entities who perceive that their interests could be affected by our client's operations, and analysis of their interests, priorities and motivations.
• Mapping of the relationships of influence among stakeholders and their power to influence our client's operations, whether positively or negatively.
• Evaluation of established stakeholder engagement practices in the country, including strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
• Recommendations towards a transparent and sustainable strategy for approaching and interacting with all key stakeholders.

Our in-house team is familiar with most techniques for mapping stakeholders and we are happy to adopt whichever approach is most appropriate for our client's purposes.

We are also aware of the particular sensitivities involved in stakeholder assessment and engagement strategies and therefore work to the highest standards of client confidentiality and corporate responsibility towards the stakeholders we advise on.