Stakeholder Identification and Mapping
CR&S work depends on the right relationships, but an organisation cannot engage stakeholders it has not identified or prioritise partners it has not evaluated. This technique covers how to identify the full range of internal and external CR&S stakeholders, how to evaluate them, and how to prioritise where to focus.
Technique Overview
Stakeholder Identification and Mapping Definition
Stakeholder identification and mapping is the systematic process of identifying people, groups and organisations that affect or are affected by CR&S activity, evaluating their characteristics, and prioritising them so engagement is focused where it matters most (Freeman, 1984; Mendelow, 1991). Stakeholders may be internal (such as employees and leadership) or external (such as customers, suppliers, communities, regulators and NGOs). Mapping turns a long, unstructured list into a clear picture of who they are, how much they matter, and how the organisation should engage each of them.
Stakeholder Identification and Mapping Description *
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Business Evidence
Strengths, weaknesses and examples of Stakeholder Identification and Mapping *
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Business Application
Implementation, success factors and measures of Stakeholder Identification and Mapping *
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Professional Tools
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Further Reading
Stakeholder Identification and Mapping web and print resources *
Stakeholder Identification and Mapping references (4 of up to 20) *
- AccountAbility (2015) AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard. https://www.accountability.org/standards/aa1000-stakeholder-engagement-standard.
- bp (2026a) Sustainability Report 2025. https://www.bp.com/about-us/sustainability/sustainability-report.
- bp (2026b) Reporting centre: sustainability reports and ESG data. https://www.bp.com/about-us/sustainability/reporting-centre.
- Freeman, R.E. (1984) Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach. Boston: Pitman.
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