Case study: Back to Blue a global initiative targeting zero ocean pollution
Our strategic, iterative stakeholder analysis helped Back to Blue direct its efforts to where they would have the most impact.
After almost a decade of convening global leaders from business, policy and finance at the World Ocean Summit, The Economist Group partnered with the Nippon Foundation on a multi-year project to drive progress on plastic and chemical pollution in the ocean.
But while the group has plenty of experience sparking discussion, ensuring those conversations translate into meaningful change required a different set of processes—and some outside expertise from The Action Exchange.
The first phase of the initiative includes:
Empirical research
We curated an expert advisory board comprising a mix of stakeholder groups to inform a quantitative and qualitative research project guiding the initiative’s overall direction.
Mapping and consultation
Through a global process of interviews, meetings and discussions, we helped Back to Blue develop a comprehensive understanding of the stakeholders who influence progress on marine pollution. This enables the team to understand where to target their efforts, what the likely roadblocks will be and which organisations become the most critical partners. A dedicated CRM tracks interactions, turning qualitative information into readily usable and comparable qualitative data.
Plan
Different stakeholder groups want different things. So we constructed a live issues map to help the Back to Blue team determine their most critical priorities and where they can achieve the most impact. This approach is a deliberate mix of strategic and iterative, ensuring the team can identify and respond to opportunities as they arise.
Key points
Rigorous and empirical stakeholder analysis and issue mapping is the critical bedrock underpinning impact-driven initiatives.
Conversations with the most important stakeholders are essential, but critical details can be lost unless a systematic system for tracking and extracting data is in place.
The Action Exchange is working with Back to Blue to develop and execute a stakeholder engagement strategy in Phase Two.
