The High-level Group for the Modernization of Official Statistics has recognized that stakeholder engagement is a key component of an effective Strategic Communications Framework.
To succeed in the increasingly competitive data environment, statistical organizations must engage with the full range of their stakeholder community. To do so effectively, staff at all levels must understand and embrace the organization’s mission and vision, and know with whom to engage and how to analyze the level, type and most effective engagement strategy to deploy.
No two national statistical institutions are identical in terms of their level of maturity and/or type of responsibilities. The social and political environment from within which they operate from country to country varies. However, across the globe, statistical organizations are increasingly understanding the importance of engagement and forming partnerships with those who use, provide and have a vested interest in data. In essence, national statistical institutions are becoming leaders or strategic players in the formation and nurturing of the national data ecosystems.
This work proposes a number of elements statistical organizations should consider to identify, understand, manage and nurture the range of stakeholder relations. The following summarizes the recommendations presented throughout the document.
Recommendations
- Relationships should be regularly assessed. Harnessed correctly at a strategic (rather than transactional) level, stakeholders can be instrumental in helping an NSI inform decision making, support democratic debate and improve the communication and understanding of the role data play in the operation of a country.
- Messages and narratives should be crafted and shared with partners. Effective stakeholder engagement encourages advocacy and elicits trust at all levels, through the sharing of information and the ongoing demonstration of value.
- It is important that stakeholder engagement activities are built into the NSI’s business planning process to ensure stakeholder needs are at the heart of business decisions. An annual review ensures that priority issues are identified and acted upon.
- Communications cannot and should not own every relationship that an NSI has. Communications can provide strategic support and response to emerging issues as well as individualized and ongoing support and advice to key account holders.
- Stakeholder mapping is an essential element for the effective maintenance of stakeholder relationships. It is the visualization of those with whom a relationship needs to be developed and maintained.
- A properly developed map facilitates the process of planning communication and interaction with the stakeholder community and identifies each stakeholder group’s importance. It also determines the level of relationship management, be it strategic or operational.
- Evaluating the success of stakeholder relations should be a continuous process using both quantitative and qualitative measures.
- Information gathered through evaluation should be used to form recommendations for improvement at a strategic or individual level.
- As countries embark on the development of government-wide data strategies, it is understood that data strategies will need to pass the test of public scrutiny to be successful.