| Assessing stakeholder needs |
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Description Lessons learnt from the field show that there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to stakeholder needs assessments. Therefore, application of the Holcim model depends very much on the local stakeholder ‘landscape’. To illustrate, the Holcim operations in Spain and Vietnam represent two disparate locations with very different social, cultural, economic and political backgrounds, thus requiring different needs assessment approaches to analyze company/community relations, and to develop a relevant and responsive plan of community action. |
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ObjectivesThe overall objective of a needs assessment is to plan programs and projects that are relevant to meeting the most important needs of stakeholders, using the company’s expertise and influence. Conducting needs assessments will result in activities that are supported by and beneficial to external and internal stakeholders and that have a significant impact on achieving respective goals and objectives. |
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Activities At Holcim Spain’s Carboneras cement plant, the analysis comprised separate focus groups with plant management and plant workers (including union representatives), as well as individual interviews with a broad cross-section of external stakeholders – e.g. environmental groups, political leaders, community administration, educational facilities, social clubs etc. The focus group discussions provided a reflective space for company employees to consider their current relationship with the community (including an analysis of their history of engagement). It enabled the identification and prioritization of issues where opportunities could be seen for adding value to both Holcim and the community. These inputs were then factored into the individual external stakeholder interviews for ‘sounding’. By comparison, the needs assessment process at Holcim Vietnam sought to determine the company’s impacts since commencement of the Hon Chong operation (a greenfield site in the primarily agrarian community of Binh An) five years previously. For this level of scrutiny, and to ensure a high degree of independence of findings, collaboration was undertaken with Ho Chi Minh City University for the external stakeholder consultations. Nevertheless, the Holcim needs assessment approach was followed by the university researchers in their stakeholder interviews and consultations. They questioned about the main events and developments of the community over time, the impacts of the company’s arrival, the major issues facing the community, and their desired future life quality. |
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Results In Spain, an internal working group took all learnings derived during focus groups and interviews and developed appropriate community actions to meet local needs. In Vietnam, one major community need identified was clean water and sanitation in the community’s schools, cross-cutting the various themes raised. The joint project team involved the People’s Committee of the local commune, further embedding stakeholder engagement in the process. Also identified in the needs assessment was the critical importance of hygiene-awareness training to the long-term sustainability of the project, to ensure that the schools make best use of their new infrastructure. This case study documents the outcomes. |
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