Stakeholders in business ➔ Anyone interested or affected by a project or business. External Stakeholders: Stakeholder ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Customers Suppliers Employees, including managers and their families Local communities Government and government agencies Special interest groups (pressure groups) Lenders Internal Stakeholders ● ● ● Owners (shareholders in a limited company) managers other employees Stakeholder Vs Shareholder [Table 5.1] ● Importance and influence of stakeholders on business activities ● Shareholder concept - to increase value for the shareholders Stakeholder concept ○ ○ many people are affected by company’s actions So stakeholders should also be considered [Table 5.2] Business accountability to stakeholders and how stakeholder aims impact business decision Aim: To increase CSR Responsibility to: ● ● ● ● ● Customers Suppliers Employees local community government Responsibilities to customers: Business accountability to stakeholders and how stakeholder aims impact business decision ● ● ● ● ● ● Customer satisfaction is crucial Product quality and design Reasonable prices Follow laws Fair treatment Benefits of responsibility ○ ○ ○ ○ Customer loyalty Repeat purchases Good publicity Valuable feedback Responsibilities to suppliers ● ● ● ● ● ● Importance of supplier quality Reliability matters Clear communication Mutual satisfaction Long-term contracts Benefits ○ ○ ○ Supplier loyalty Better credit terms Meeting deadlines Responsibilities to employees Business accountability to stakeholders and how stakeholder aims impact business decision ● ● Meeting legal obligations Additional responsibilities ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Training opportunities Job security Fair pay Good working conditions Involvement in decision-making Benefits Employee loyalty Low turnover Recruiting good workers Efficiency improvements Motivation boost Effective communication Responsibilities to local community Business accountability to stakeholders and how stakeholder aims impact business decision ● Importance of meeting community responsibilities ● Examples of community-focused decisions ○ ○ ○ Offering secure employment Using local suppliers Reducing environmental impact ● Benefits ○ ○ ○ ○ Approval for business expansion Contracts with community-involved businesses Acceptance of negative effects Financial support for community Responsibilities to government Business accountability to stakeholders and how stakeholder aims impact business decision ● ● ● ● ● Meeting legal responsibilities Paying taxes on time Accurate completion of forms Seeking export markets Benefits ○ ○ ○ ○ Good relations with government Valuable government contracts Approval for subsidies Award of licences Conflicts of stakeholder aims: ● Conflicts arising from different stakeholder aims ● Shareholder concept prioritizes shareholder interests over others. Stakeholder approach seeks to balance interests for long-term shareholder benefit. Dealing with conflicts: ● ● Compromise often necessary to address conflicting stakeholder demands. Examples include gradual factory closures and adjusting plans for community protection. Establishing priorities: ● ● Senior management decides which stakeholders are most crucial in each situation. Considerations include extra costs, potential revenue loss, and overall impact on the business. ● Changing corporate objectives: ○ Impact on stakeholders of changing business objectives ○ ● Examples: ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● Directors or senior managers may need to alter company goals due to the evolving business environment. Impact on stakeholders can be significant. Volkswagen's transition: Initially aimed to lead in diesel engines but faced 'Dieselgate' scandal. Shifted focus to electric cars, requiring heavy investment and closure of diesel factories. The Body Shop's adjustment: Emphasized social and environmental change but faced tough trading conditions. Shifted focus to cost-cutting by closing some shops for survival and profitability, contradicting original objectives. Stakeholder impacts: ○ ○ ○ ○ Employees: Job losses due to changes in objectives. Customers: Reduced choice or availability of products/services. Owners: Potential safeguarding of returns in the future. Lenders: Reassurance of action to prevent losses or improve reputation, ensuring loan repayment. Other Examples: Impact on stakeholders of changing business objectives McDonald's Health Initiative: Previous Objective: McDonald's primarily focused on offering fast food items with minimal emphasis on health. Change in Objective: Responding to increasing health concerns and changing consumer preferences, McDonald's introduced healthier menu options like salads, wraps, and fruit options. Impact on Stakeholders: ● ● Customers: Improved health outcomes. Community: Positive impact on local economies