# 3 - Introduction to stakeholder engagement

<figure><img src="https://2689238369-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FGBSULMB7RDjF3KmSrnc9%2Fuploads%2FAhe7GzRzPgo40dXbU4YW%2F9273.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=0d1b6346-74c6-4e45-9b25-d961006aabf6" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Source: Freepik</p></figcaption></figure>

The vision of Bilan Carbone® is not solely centred on carbon accounting and the definition of a transition plan. It is an approach in which the phases of Stakeholder engagement are fundamental and ambitious. In order to facilitate the move to action, the Bilan Carbone® approach requires a **Stakeholder engagement** around the Bilan Carbone® project and the transition plan that will be deployed.&#x20;

Stakeholder engagement **continues continuously** throughout the Bilan Carbone® approach. The timing of each of the Stakeholder engagement phases is given here as **indicative:** the important thing is that the right messages are delivered to the right targets.

To achieve Stakeholder engagement, the Bilan Carbone® approach involves several **phases** : **Outreach** the stakes to raise awareness, **Empowerment** the Stakeholders, **co-construct** the actions, then **reported** and communicate the results. These different Stakeholder engagement phases are to be **adapted** to the different [maturity levels](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/1-framework-for-the-approach/1.1-define-your-bilan-carbone-r-maturity-level)**, stages, stakeholders and organisation profiles:**&#x20;

* Stage [3.1.1](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/3-stakeholder-engagement/3.1-schedule-the-stakeholder-engagement-phases/3.1.1-at-the-launch-and-framing-of-the-bilan-carbone-r) : At the launch and framing of the Bilan Carbone®
* Stage [3.1.2](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/3-stakeholder-engagement/3.1-schedule-the-stakeholder-engagement-phases/3.1.2-at-the-launch-of-data-collection) : At the launch of data collection
* Stage [3.1.3](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/3-stakeholder-engagement/3.1-schedule-the-stakeholder-engagement-phases/3.1.3-at-the-end-of-building-the-ghg-profile) : For the construction of the GHG profile
* Stage [3.1.4](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/3-stakeholder-engagement/3.1-schedule-the-stakeholder-engagement-phases/3.1.4-for-building-the-transition-plan) : For the construction of the transition plan
* Stage [3.1.5](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/3-stakeholder-engagement/3.1-schedule-the-stakeholder-engagement-phases/3.1.5-as-a-summary-of-the-approach) : In the synthesis of the approach

<div data-full-width="true"><figure><img src="https://2689238369-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FGBSULMB7RDjF3KmSrnc9%2Fuploads%2Fha1NFdczu2HnX48LWxSQ%2FMobilisation%20dans%20la%20d%C3%A9marche.png?alt=media&#x26;token=45374dec-c540-4850-9ae7-f24d9d028d8d" alt=""><figcaption><p>Figure 3: Timeline of Stakeholder engagement actions</p></figcaption></figure></div>

<mark style="color:$info;">🌐</mark> [*<mark style="color:$info;">English version</mark>*](https://abc-transitionbascarbone.fr/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Stakeholder-engagement-i_La-mobilisation-dans-la-demarche-Bilan-Carbone-scaled.png) *<mark style="color:$info;">of this image.</mark>*

## Glossary relating to the Stakeholder engagement stages

All terms relating to the Stakeholder engagement stages are explained in the [glossary](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/appendices/glossary). They are reminded below:

* **Stakeholder engagement action** : it is the association of a Stakeholder engagement phase (awareness raising, empowerment, co-construction, or results presentation), during a stage, with one or more targets, with a more or less specific adaptation of messages depending on the organisation profile.

**Presentation of the different Stakeholder engagement phases:**&#x20;

* **Awareness and popularization** :brain: : The main issue of awareness raising and outreach is to *understand in order to act* : strengthen the understanding of essential information around energy and climate issues, and unite people around the approach to ensure better integration of the [Transition Plan](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/5-transition-plan).

  *Objective* : Create the necessary groundwork for a proper understanding of the issues, acceptance of change and future actions to be undertaken, and enable the organisation to identify the risks and opportunities associated with the ecological transition.

  *Indicator* : Level of knowledge and understanding of the issues.

* **Empowerment** :person\_raising\_hand:**:** The main challenge of empowerment is to give everyone a role in the approach. To enable stakeholders to become aware that every degree matters, every action counts and therefore every employee matters in the implementation of these actions. For the organisation to become aware that this concerns sustainability. New responsibilities will emerge from the approach and will highlight existing roles by taking into account an essential component linked to the sustainability of the activity.

  *Objective* : Involve and enable each stakeholder to get moving and take action.

  *Indicator* : Level of participation in the approach and level of taking action.

* **Coconstruction** :thought\_balloon:**:** The main aim of co-construction is to highlight initiatives, sharing and consultation. Co-construction is central, and therefore closely linked to other types of Stakeholder engagement: consulted stakeholders must have a sufficient level of information about the approach, which requires upstream an :brain:effective awareness raising and outreach, as well as a :loudspeaker: transparent results presentation and communication. Co-construction gives people a voice, encourages participation, which makes it possible to :person\_raising\_hand:empower. It makes it possible to identify the carbon reduction dimensions that the organisation and its stakeholders can consider, based on their knowledge (of the process, the product, the organisation).

  *Objective* : Confront the choice of actions with real possibilities and potential alternatives, to arrive at a transition plan perceived as a common project for the Organisation and its Stakeholders.

  *Indicator* : Level of participation in the coconstruction of the transition plan.

* **Results presentation and communication** :loudspeaker: **:** The main challenge of results presentation and communication is to enable appropriation of the results and actions by the various concerned stakeholders. To link global issues, local issues, the organisation's impacts, the role of stakeholders in these impacts, the resulting actions, and the role of stakeholders in the success of these actions.

  *Objective* : Make this approach an initiative that goes beyond the project team to reach the other concerned stakeholders (primarily internal employees) through the implementation of actions, in a logic of cross-functionality, togetherness, reputation and exemplariness.

  *Indicator* : Level of knowledge and understanding of the results (impacts and actions)

**Presentation of the different adaptations:**

* **Stages of the approach** :calendar\_spiral: **:** Stakeholder engagement **continues continuously** throughout the Bilan Carbone® approach and adapts to the different stages:
  * At the launch and framing ([step 1](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/1-framework-for-the-approach)) : [Awareness and popularization](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation)
  * For the identification of emission sources and data to be collected ([stage 2](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/2-scope-of-the-approach)) : [Empowerment](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation) of information & data holders
  * For the accounting of emissions ([stage 4](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/4-accounting)) : [results presentation](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation) intermediate
  * For reflections around the transition plan ([stage 5](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/5-transition-plan)) : [co-construction](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation) of the actions
  * For the finalisation of the approach ([stage 6](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/6-summary-and-reporting)) : [Empowerment](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation), [Reporting and communication](#glossaire-relatif-aux-etapes-de-mobilisation)

* **Targets and stakeholders** :busts\_in\_silhouette:**:** Stakeholders around the Organisation can be distributed as follows. They will be solicited in distinct phases of Stakeholder engagement.
  * Project team, internal leads
  * Management
  * Other internal collaborators (employees, staff, volunteers)
  * Upstream external Stakeholders (suppliers)
  * Downstream external Stakeholders (clients)
  * Other external stakeholders (financial and technical partners, local actors, professional federations, or other partners on topics strategic for the organisation such as education, innovation, development).

* **Organisation profile** :bar\_chart: **:** Different organisation profiles should be taken into account to adapt the messages delivered. They can be distributed by sector & activities, or at least between: &#x20;

  * Profile or sector “lower emitter or decarbonising”
  * Profile or sector “high emitter”
  * Profile or sector “at risk”

  This classification remains subjective, but it can be based on the [framework ](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/appendices/appendices/appendix-9-resources-for-stakeholder-engagement/classification-of-organisation-profiles)proposed in the annex. Being part of a **lower-emitting** sector does not mean that the organisation is actually low-emitting. This classification must be analysed in relation to the organisation's actual activity. For the maturity levels Beginner and Intermediate, the messages are rather universal. The adaptation of the message becomes increasingly specific and ambitious as the organisation's maturity increases. A specific zoom is necessary from the Advanced level, as presented in the following sections and in [annex](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/appendices/appendices/appendix-9-resources-for-stakeholder-engagement/classification-of-organisation-profiles).

## Governance relating to the Stakeholder engagement stages

The governance of the Stakeholder engagement stage is part of the [overall governance](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/1-framework-for-the-approach/1.2-define-the-management-of-the-bilan-carbone-r-approach) of the Bilan Carbone® approach presented previously. It is the coordinator who leads the different Stakeholder engagement phases.

The facilitators or facilitators can be external or internal depending on the skills sought. To scale up the Stakeholder engagement phases, it is recommended to train a team of internal facilitators. The involvement of certain teams or departments will be indispensable to the proper conduct of the Stakeholder engagement stages, in particular management and communication.

## Requirements relating to the Stakeholder engagement stages

For **reference**, here is the [summary of requirements](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/1-framework-for-the-approach/1.1-define-your-bilan-carbone-r-maturity-level#comparatif-des-criteres-des-niveaux-de-maturite-pour-lamelioration-continue-du-bilan-carbone-r) and recommendations, for each of the maturity levels. The Stakeholder engagement contents must take into account the organisation's maturity level. They are the subject of detailed explanations in the following sub-sections.

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Beginner level" %}

#### Stakeholder engagement:

* H: Targets of the Stakeholder engagement&#x20;
  * H1: Stakeholder engagement targets at least the organisation's internal stakeholders, i.e. the project team, employees and management.
* I: Messages of the Stakeholder engagement
  * I1: The following Stakeholder engagement phases: awareness raising and outreach, empowerment, results presentation and communication, occur at least once in the approach.
* J: Stakeholder engagement stages
  * J1: At least one Stakeholder engagement action takes place during the launch and framing stages of the approach, intermediate results presentation and overall synthesis of the approach.
    {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Intermediate level" %}

#### Stakeholder engagement&#x20;

* H: Targets of the Stakeholder engagement&#x20;
  * H2: Stakeholder engagement targets internal stakeholders (project team, employees and management). It is extended to at least one of the external stakeholders (clients or suppliers), depending on their impact in the Bilan Carbone®.
* I: Messages of the Stakeholder engagement
  * I2: Each Stakeholder engagement phase (awareness raising and outreach, empowerment, co-construction, results presentation and communication) occurs at least once in the approach, with adaptation work according to stages and targets.
* J: Stakeholder engagement stages
  * J2: At least one Stakeholder engagement action takes place at each stage of the Bilan Carbone® approach: launch of the approach, start of data collection, intermediate results presentation, construction of the transition plan and overall synthesis of the approach.
    {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Advanced level" %}

#### Stakeholder engagement:&#x20;

* H: Targets of the Stakeholder engagement&#x20;
  * H3: Stakeholder engagement targets internal stakeholders (project team, employees and management). It also targets at least one upstream external stakeholder (suppliers) and at least one downstream external stakeholder (clients), depending on their impact in the Bilan Carbone®.
* I: Messages of the Stakeholder engagement
  * I3: Each Stakeholder engagement phase (awareness raising and outreach, empowerment, co-construction, results presentation and communication) occurs at least once in the approach, with adaptation work according to stages, targets, and the organisation profile.
* J: Stakeholder engagement stages
  * J3: At least one Stakeholder engagement action takes place at each stage of the Bilan Carbone® approach: launch of the approach, start of data collection, intermediate results presentation, construction of the transition plan and overall synthesis of the approach.
    {% endtab %}
    {% endtabs %}

## Deliverables relating to the Stakeholder engagement stages

The information and deliverables obtained at the end of stage 3, and associated with the above requirements, are to be [reported](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/6-summary-and-reporting/6.1-reporting-of-the-bilan-carbone-r) at the end of the approach:&#x20;

* [x] A synthesis of the different Stakeholder engagement phases that have been implemented: their targets, the messages conveyed, their form, the associated stage of the approach.

For example: one line per Stakeholder engagement action. Additional information is useful (format, date, participation, etc.):

<table data-full-width="true"><thead><tr><th width="215">Stakeholder engagement action</th><th width="231">Targets<select multiple><option value="BFrVMg3du4Zx" label="Project team" color="blue"></option><option value="nK9xaJXmdru8" label="Management" color="blue"></option><option value="Qo1i6cKqXeae" label="Other internal employees" color="blue"></option><option value="kPIrVsp4HEV1" label="Upstream external stakeholders" color="blue"></option><option value="9iVJigfqS5Jp" label="Downstream external stakeholders" color="blue"></option><option value="I3feAVYmdmky" label="Other external stakeholders" color="blue"></option></select></th><th width="265">Stages<select><option value="pIOMiNp31Zf6" label="At the launch and scoping of the Bilan Carbone®" color="blue"></option><option value="NeYJHfFhUtG4" label="At the launch of data collection" color="blue"></option><option value="BbmKfsx4yMAz" label="For the construction of the GHG profile" color="blue"></option><option value="3oRPIg4yAB1B" label="For the construction of the transition plan" color="blue"></option><option value="cAkIQHezo1sw" label="In the synthesis of the approach" color="blue"></option></select></th><th>Stakeholder engagement phase<select><option value="zIWzZ5K5POeL" label="Results presentation and communication" color="blue"></option><option value="tXHZ8k1sbnGl" label="Awareness and popularization" color="blue"></option><option value="IOBgCGSTvD7D" label="Coconstruction" color="blue"></option><option value="GJHNB7pSWFzK" label="Empowerment" color="blue"></option></select></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td><p>Action No. 1. </p><p>Date - Format - Participation</p></td><td><span data-option="BFrVMg3du4Zx">Project team, </span><span data-option="nK9xaJXmdru8">Management, </span><span data-option="Qo1i6cKqXeae">Other internal employees, </span><span data-option="kPIrVsp4HEV1">Upstream external stakeholders</span></td><td><span data-option="cAkIQHezo1sw">In the synthesis of the approach</span></td><td><span data-option="zIWzZ5K5POeL">Results presentation and communication</span></td></tr><tr><td>Action No. 2<br>Date - Format - Participation</td><td><span data-option="nK9xaJXmdru8">Management</span></td><td><span data-option="3oRPIg4yAB1B">For the construction of the transition plan</span></td><td><span data-option="tXHZ8k1sbnGl">Awareness and popularization</span></td></tr><tr><td>[…]</td><td><span data-option="Qo1i6cKqXeae">Other internal employees</span></td><td><span data-option="NeYJHfFhUtG4">At the launch of data collection</span></td><td><span data-option="GJHNB7pSWFzK">Empowerment</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

***

*Do you have a comprehension question?* [*Consult the FAQ*](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/appendices/faq)*. The method is living and therefore likely to evolve (clarifications, additions): find the* [*track of changes here*](https://www.bilancarbone-methode.com/methode-bilan-carbone-r-en/foreword/history-and-tracking-of-changes)*.*