2.3. CHECK
There are two main elements that Social Performance teams should put in place to monitor and evaluate their stakeholder engagement processes:
- Internal monitoring and evaluation (M&E) against stakeholder engagement objectives
- External input from stakeholders.
Task 8 – Monitor and evaluate
is designed to track implementation and verify the effectiveness of stakeholder engagement activities. Under the Social Way, sites will have defined a long-term stakeholder engagement objective, as well as outcomes, outputs and activities needed to achieve the objective. indicators for all impacts on, and processes relating to, external stakeholders should be recorded and tracked in the Social Way Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (see Section 1 - Governance).
Selecting indicators to measure outcomes and effectiveness of engagement
Indicators for stakeholder engagement often draw on useful but simplistic measurements, such as numbers of consultations held and frequency and level of attendance at events. While necessary, particularly in relation to tracking activities and outputs, they provide few insights into the actual value of individual initiatives or the process as a whole. Indicators for outcomes and effectiveness should reflect some or several of the following considerations:
- Quality of participation – numbers are important in determining interest, but so are the level and nature of contributions by stakeholders. Silence may indicate a lack of understanding, a lack of interest or a lack of trust. Equally, excessive interventions by certain stakeholders can disrupt meetings and inhibit the participation of others.
- Representation ‒ who attends, who doesn’t, which stakeholders contribute and which don’t can be a useful guide as to whether certain groups feel excluded or intimidated.
- Inclusivity – Social Performance teams should explicitly record their interactions with individuals or groups identified as vulnerable in the . This will allow them to track whether the site’s engagement processes are reaching all segments of the affected population. Challenges should be noted and addressed through updates to the .
- Analysis and information – while engagement can be valuable in and of itself, it should also provide both site and stakeholders with perspectives, ideas and understanding. Meetings and events should also be assessed based on the knowledge and information shared and to what extent stakeholders have understood information being shared.
- Decision-making – similarly, whether and how decisions are reached, and the extent of agreement amongst different participants, are important indicators of success.
Monitoring and evaluation should involve both internal and external stakeholders, informed by the needs of the local context. When evaluation is conducted, the approach considers perception analysis.