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Identifying and Engaging with a Diverse Range of Stakeholders

• Effective Consultation with a Range of stakeholders
• Trust
• Ensuring that your consultation is representative
• Language
• Practical considerations
• Further information and useful web links

The Term stakeholder refers to an organisation, company or individual who has an interest (or 'stake') in an issue or a decision being taken. Thinking of your respondents as stakeholders or stakeholder groups will help you to remember that you are not consulting with a uniform group (as the term 'the general public' implies), but with a variety of people who will have a range of different views and interests.

When consulting with any stakeholder, you should:

• Start the process as early as possible
• Meet stakeholder groups wherever possible. Find out as much as you can about them, including what methods you might use to best consult with the group they represent.
• Manage their expectations carefully: let them know how you intend to engage with them and how far they will be able to influence the policy proposal.
• Use at least one informal method to obtain views, as well as the written consultation.
• Publicise your consultation effectively, making sure that all stakeholders are given ample opportunity to access the written consultation document and any relevant consultation exercises taking place.
• Give prompt and comprehensive feedback. Make sure your stakeholders have access to your summary of responses report.

Policy teams will usually have some idea of a 'core' group of key stakeholders who they know will be affected by their policy proposal and with whom they should consult. These may include large business groups, high profile pressure groups and/or trade and union representatives.

However, as well as consulting with these 'usual suspects', you should consider how your proposal might impact on the wide range of private, public and independent groups and individuals.

Think objectively about whether your proposal might impact on any of the following groups. If the answer is 'yes', you should proactively involve them in consultation.

• Children and Young People
• Disabled People
• Ethnic minority groups
• Faith community groups
• Gypsies and travellers
• Lesbian, gay and transgender groups
• Local Authorities
• Older people
• People in rural / peripheral areas
• People on low incomes
• Refugees and asylum seekers
• Small Businesses
• Voluntary organisations

When consulting with these groups, be aware that they may be asked to respond to a lot of different consultations on a regular basis. Find out if this is the case for each stakeholder group before you begin consulting with them. If they feel they have responded to too many consultations, ask if there are other similar groups who you might approach instead.

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