CONTROL AREA PARTICIPATION
WHY PARTICIPATION
Sporting events are moments of togetherness and collective success. Effective stakeholder management, including the involvement of internal stakeholders (e.g. employees) and external stakeholders (e.g. the public), is particularly important with regard to sustainability performance. Participation means continuous exchange with various people and organisations, including those outside of sport such as the local population, citizens' initiatives, children and young people as well as civil society groups. The concerns and suggestions of these stakeholders are taken seriously and, as far as possible, taken into account in all phases of the sporting event, from planning to implementation. The resulting central purposes of participation are as follows
THE RESULTING CENTRAL PURPOSES OF PARTICIPATION ARE AS FOLLOW
- ✔ Acceptance: Participation and consideration of the interests of the most important stakeholders form a central basis for their acceptance of all sustainability activities in all phases of the sporting event.
- ✔ Valuable expertise: By involving a wide range of stakeholders, relevant knowledge flows into the organiser's sustainability activities.
CHECKLIST IMPORTANT STEPS
Important steps for effective stakeholder management include:
Identify internal and external stakeholders who are directly or indirectly affected by the sporting event and who must be taken into account in order to achieve the sustainability goals. Particular attention should be paid to groups that are often overlooked and not included (i.e. marginalised population groups).
Note for beginners: Start with a simple list of the following stakeholders: Participants, visitors, sponsors and funding organisations, media, sports associations, local residents. Expand these over time or as required.
Determine the interests, expectations, concerns and requirements of the identified stakeholders through surveys.
Note for beginners: Start with informal discussions or short surveys to gain an initial understanding of your stakeholders' expectations and needs.
Categorise the identified stakeholders according to their importance, influence or interests. Distinguish between main interest groups (i.e. key stakeholders who have a significant influence on the achievement of sustainability goals) and peripheral interest groups.
Note for beginners: Start with a rough categorisation by identifying just two to three stakeholder groups as key stakeholders in your list from step 1 and designating the others as peripheral stakeholder groups.
Create a concept that defines the timing and type of involvement of the various groups. This includes the planning, creation and management of participation and cooperation formats as well as the creation of a stakeholder communication plan.
Note for beginners: Organise your participation concept simply and practically. Plan regular updates via your communication channels (e.g. your website or newsletter) to keep all stakeholders informed. Remain open to feedback.
Introduce complaints mechanisms. Make sure that there is only one point of contact (see Human Rights control area, step 6) to simplify the process for users.
Note for beginners: You do not have to develop your own complaints mechanisms from scratch. Use existing structures, such as those offered by associations or other higher-level initiatives, and refer to them in your communication channels.
Continuously review the implementation of the participation concept and make adjustments if necessary.
Note for beginners: Plan simple feedback sessions after the event or conduct short surveys to check how stakeholders were involved and whether improvements are needed. Small, regular adjustments can significantly increase the effectiveness of your participation concept.
Further information on the timing of the respective steps and the frequency of implementation can be found in the planning tool.