Stakeholder communication

Stakeholders are individuals, groups or organisations who affect or are affected by an organisation. For example, the government may set targets that organisations have to meet. Organisations positively affect local communities by providing employment for local people.

• Some stakeholders exist inside an organisation. These include employees and managers. These internal stakeholders have an interest in how the organisation performs.
• Other stakeholders are external to an organisation. These include local communities, the government and society as a whole.

Everybody in the country is affected in one way or another by the environment. 

As a large part of the economy, public services, local government, schools and hospitals have a huge responsibility to take effective action over green issues. Effective communication of UNISON’s approach to the environment has helped to provide:

• direction for its members
• an understanding to many different groups of what environmental issues involve
• help and support for those who need or require it
• the ability to influence opinion about the environment. This has helped to achieve many changes in the workplace

Communication methods

To communicate to its stakeholders and to create awareness of environmental issues UNISON has:

• organised conferences to get member engagement in the project
• set up promotional campaigns to keep members and the public informed
• hosted events to raise awareness of UNISON’s activities
• created posters and newsletters to publicise how to make workplaces greener

These activities reach each of the main stakeholder groups. They help individuals and organisations to embrace the environmental aims and objectives of UNISON. UNISON hopes that the activities of its members will contribute to reducing the affects of climate change.