Engaging Stakeholders in Projects

I'm happy to share the release of the #WiSER White Paper, "Igniting a Global Sustainable Economy," following the impactful discussions at the WiSER Annual Forum during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week - ADSW 2025. This report highlights the critical role of female entrepreneurs in driving climate solutions and provides actionable strategies to bridge gender gaps in finance, scalability, AI, mentorship, and accessibility—especially for women in the Global South. Why This Matters: Women-led ventures are key to unlocking innovation in sustainability, yet systemic barriers persist. This paper outlines 5 recommendations: 🔹 Increase Gender-Focused Investment : Boost funding, financial literacy, and microloans for female-led climate projects. 🔹 Scale Women-Led Ventures : Streamline policies and partnerships to accelerate growth. 🔹 Harness AI & Digital Tools: Bridge the AI literacy and access gap to empower business expansion. 🔹 Strengthen Mentorship and Networking: Build cross-sector collaborations to provide women with the resources to succeed. 🔹 Empower Women in the Global South : Address legal and financial barriers, invest in STEM education, and improve access to markets and resources. Dive into the full report below or on Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company)’s website for insights on turning these strategies into action: https://lnkd.in/dyAFPEP2 Thanks again to my fellow roundtable participants: Lawratou Bah, CFA, Mirella Amalia Vitale, Natasha Shenoy, Hajar Alketbi, Manal B., Mariam Alnaqbi, Shaima Al Mulla

Cost-benefit analysis isn’t neutral—and climate change doesn’t affect everyone equally. That’s the premise behind the new UNDP Gender-Responsive and Socially Inclusive CCBA Guidelines. It’s a big step forward for anyone trying to align climate investments with real-world equity. Here’s why this matters: Women and vulnerable groups bear the brunt of climate impacts, especially in the Global South. Think: drought-displaced communities, informal sector workers, and landless farmers. Yet they’re often excluded from how projects are assessed and financed. These guidelines offer a concrete framework for Ministries of Finance, Planning, and Environment to build gender and social inclusion into climate adaptation and mitigation investment planning. It’s not just about climate-proofing infrastructure. It’s about measuring who benefits—and who doesn’t—from every climate dollar spent. What’s in it for MENA and Africa? MENA countries, increasingly climate-stressed, are pivoting from reactive spending to risk-informed planning. These tools help justify smarter, more inclusive investments. Across Africa, where adaptation needs are sky-high but resources are tight, this approach helps governments and donors prioritize resilient and just projects—not just the biggest or fastest to implement. This isn’t just a technical fix—it’s a mindset shift. One that says economic efficiency must include social equity and climate reality. If you're involved in public finance, climate policy, or sustainable development—especially in the Global South—this is essential reading.

❓Are you leading your project... or are your stakeholders? 🤔 Can a project succeed if you don’t fully understand who’s influencing it from the sidelines? Here’s a hard truth: Projects don’t exist without people. And those people — your stakeholders — can make or break your project. As a project sponsor or manager, you must do more than just acknowledge your stakeholders. You need to understand their unique expectations, motivations, and potential impact. 🎯 Whether they’re internal — like owners, managers, or team members 🌍 Or external — like clients, regulators, or community partners …stakeholders hold the keys to project momentum and alignment. When you engage the right people, at the right time, in the right way, you don’t just deliver a project. You deliver value. 👉 So ask yourself: Have you mapped out your stakeholders? Are you actively listening to their concerns and aligning their interests with your goals? 💡 Because the earlier you engage, the fewer surprises you’ll face later. #ProjectEconomy #ProjectManagement #ContinuousLearning 🎯💡

𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲. We once had to shut down four city blocks in downtown Phoenix for a private Macklemore concert. On the surface, it sounds like logistics. In reality, it was about trust. It took a month meeting with city departments, knocking on doors, and listening to city employees who mostly wanted to help the public, get a paycheck and benefits, plus not lose their job. Each had their own concerns: safety, traffic, liability or what would their boss do to them. Instead of pushing my agenda, I focused on their pain points and showed that I understood what mattered to them.  After the month of planning, we started at 2:15 the morning of the concert, to set up - they would not let us close the roads, then I convinced them it was okay, after the bars closed. That’s how you move big, complicated projects forward. Not with pressure. Not with shortcuts, instead - by giving people confidence that you see them, hear them, and will protect their interests (if nothing else, that they won’t get fired, their kids will be okay and life will be good). The principle is simple. 𝐈𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐬. 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. Whether you’re closing a deal, running a campaign, or trying to get four blocks of a city to shut down, the foundation is the same: trust built through listening. What’s one way you’ve built trust in a tough negotiation? #Trust #Negotiation #DealMaking #TILTTheRoom #MediaLaw #Macklemore Christopher Voss Kwame Christian, Esq., M.A. Alexandra Carter Dr. Robert Cialdini Scott Tillema

Tactics to Engage Suppliers in Decarbonization 🌎 Suppliers are essential to achieving climate goals. For many companies, most greenhouse gas emissions come from their supply chains. These emissions, known as Scope 3, are often the hardest to measure and manage. Engaging suppliers is critical to reducing overall emissions and meeting climate commitments. It also helps companies manage regulatory risks and strengthen the resilience of their business operations. Reducing emissions across the value chain requires a deliberate and structured approach. Not all suppliers have the same capabilities, resources, or readiness to act. This means companies must apply a mix of strategies tailored to different types of suppliers. These strategies should balance support with accountability and combine short-term incentives with long-term expectations. One way to drive supplier action is through commercial incentives. Tools such as long-term purchase agreements, volume increases, or expanded shelf space can be linked to sustainability performance. These measures send a clear message that climate action is part of doing business and can reward suppliers who make progress. Public recognition is another effective tactic. Publishing supplier scorecards or sharing success stories in press releases can motivate improvement and encourage healthy competition. These actions require minimal effort but can create significant visibility and validation for suppliers making meaningful changes. Some suppliers, especially smaller ones, need help to move forward. Providing personalized support or enabling access to renewable energy can remove key barriers. Companies can also offer funding solutions such as improved payment terms or revolving loan funds. These tools help suppliers act more quickly and confidently. Financial tools are especially important for suppliers with limited access to capital. Projects that reduce emissions often require upfront investment. Offering early payments or co-investing in emissions reduction projects can unlock supplier action and demonstrate shared commitment to climate goals. Accountability also plays a key role. Including sustainability requirements in supplier contracts or requests for proposals helps set clear expectations. When suppliers do not meet minimum standards, companies may reduce business or end the relationship. These measures reinforce the importance of climate performance as a business requirement. Monitoring progress ensures transparency and continuous improvement. Regular audits, third-party reviews, and clear feedback loops allow companies to verify implementation and identify areas for further action. This helps suppliers stay on track and ensures that progress toward decarbonization is both real and measurable. #sustainability #sustainable #esg #business #decarbonization

How do you connect with your stakeholders when it comes to sustainability? Engaging effectively with key stakeholders can feel like a balancing act, but it’s essential if your business wants to drive meaningful sustainability outcomes. The secret? Speak their language and align with their priorities. Let me tell you a story. At Microsoft, before any meeting about sustainability, the team takes a step back and asks: What are the organizational priorities of the person or group we’re meeting with?  How can we align our sustainability goals with what they’re already working on? It’s a simple but powerful approach that ensures the conversation flows smoothly, and both sides walk away with a clear sense of how sustainability can fit into existing business goals. This approach is grounded in understanding what motivates each stakeholder. Whether they’re in finance, marketing, or operations, knowing their priorities helps you frame sustainability in a way that resonates with them. For instance, finance teams are often driven by numbers—so when you talk about sustainability, you could focus on how reducing carbon emissions can lead to cost savings or mitigate long-term financial risks. According to CDP, companies that address climate change could unlock $2.1 trillion in business opportunities over the next decade. But it’s not just about talking numbers. Engaging with stakeholders also means understanding the unique skills they bring to the table and how they’re incentivized. At Unilever, they’ve taken this to heart by integrating sustainability into the key performance indicators of every department, from supply chain to marketing. This way, sustainability becomes part of their everyday work, not just an add-on. Effective stakeholder engagement is about creating a win-win scenario. When you take the time to understand what your stakeholders care about and align your sustainability goals with their objectives, it’s much easier to find common ground and drive real progress. So, how are you planning to engage your stakeholders in your sustainability journey?

Creating space for others is a fundamental part of leadership. As women leaders, we have a responsibility to open doors, elevate voices, and shape environments where more women can rise, contribute, and lead. Here are a few ways I’ve put that into practice with my own team: ➡️ Building meaningful feedback loops: Make sure women are heard in meetings, then follow up to see if their input and ideas are being carried forward. If not, help amplify them. ➡️ Recommending women for stretch projects and speaking opportunities: Visibility creates momentum, and the right opportunity can change someone’s path. ➡️ Creating space intentionally: Whether that means starting an internal community for women or advocating for them when they aren’t in the room, these actions matter. When we lead with purpose and lift others up along the way, we build not only stronger organizations but also a more inclusive future. #Leadership #Mentorship #WomenInTech

As leaders from government, the corporate sector and civil society gathered for #COP29, it is essential that they recognize that 753 million women in the most climate-affected countries lack even basic financial tools to protect their families and livelihoods. At the same time, 880 million lack access to emergency digital payments in a crisis. Despite the immense challenges they face, women are often at the forefront of climate response, supporting communities, managing resources, and leading sustainable practices. Policymakers, financial services providers, civil society, and YOU have a role to play in ensuring that women’s financial resilience can be a critical part of building their climate resilience.    Women's World Banking’s new publication, Finance, Climate, and Gender: Empowering Women Agents of Change, spotlights solutions that prioritize women’s #FinancialResilience in climate-challenged regions. To address these issues effectively, financial systems must integrate targeted support, bundling services like savings, credit, insurance, and digital payments with community-based training and #FinancialLiteracy. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gU_HNgEz 

🚧 𝗦𝗸𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀.🚧 Ever pitched a brilliant project plan only to face a wall of skepticism? It’s disheartening when your best ideas are met with doubt. The real challenge isn’t just presenting the plan; it’s convincing others that it’s not just feasible but essential. 😓🔍 Having navigated countless projects with doubtful stakeholders, I’ve seen firsthand how paralyzing this skepticism can be. Whether it’s a lack of trust, previous failures, or simply fear of the unknown, the roadblocks can seem insurmountable. 🔎 Common but ineffective strategies: ❌ Generic presentations fail to address specific concerns. ❌ Over-promising without backing up claims with data. ❌ Ignoring individual stakeholder needs for a one-size-fits-all approach. These methods often fall flat because they don’t connect with stakeholders on a personal level or address their unique worries. 🎯 Here’s what works: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀: Start by understanding the root of skepticism through direct conversations or feedback sessions. Address specific worries with data and comparisons. 2️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Showcase past successes and provide evidence of your expertise. Highlighting relevant case studies can bolster your credibility. 3️⃣ 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Conduct a thorough risk analysis and communicate it clearly. Use visual aids and regular updates to keep stakeholders informed and reassured. 4️⃣ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Adapt your approach to match each stakeholder’s preferences. Offer personalized updates and engage advocates who support your vision. 5️⃣ 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲: Be ready to adapt your strategies based on feedback and evolving concerns. Continuous improvement shows commitment and responsiveness. 💡 Ready to turn skepticism into support? ✨ 𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗬𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥✨ “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow is our doubts of today.” — Franklin D. Roosevelt 🚀 Let’s chat! Drop me a message and discover how we can tackle stakeholder skepticism together, ensuring your project’s success and stakeholder buy-in. Don’t wait—let’s make your vision a reality now! #StakeholderManagement #ProjectSuccess #Leadership #RiskManagement #EffectiveCommunication #BuildingTrust

In every public-private partnership (PPP) project, you’re balancing the priorities of governments, investors, communities, and regulators. Each of them has their own perspective, timelines, concerns, and objectives. Governments are looking to build effective infrastructure with the insights and support of a private company. Investors are looking to expand or diversify their portfolio, aiming to maximize returns. Local communities are seeking new facilities, amenities, and services to empower and enrich their lives. Regulators want to make sure that all due diligence is up to spec—that laws are being followed, and that their country’s best interests are met, without risk of harm or foul play. Quickly, you realize that if you don’t manage alignment from day one, things fall apart fast, where delays, disputes, and cost overruns start mounting. Here’s what I’ve learned: -Establish clarity from the outset: It’s critical to ensure all parties have a shared understanding of the project’s long-term vision, value creation strategy, and key performance indicators before execution begins. -Align interests without diluting priorities: True alignment is realized when differing interests can coexist and reinforce one another. This requires transparent negotiations, clearly defined roles, and flexible structures that accommodate evolving needs without compromising core priorities. Ultimately, the maximum benefits for all parties involved are derived when you find common ground and build from there. -Communicate consistently and proactively: In large-scale PPPs, poor communication is a leading cause of breakdowns. Regular, structured engagement across stakeholders and at multiple levels helps in identifying risks early, managing expectations, and building institutional trust. Whether through formal governance mechanisms or stakeholder engagement platforms, ongoing transparency is absolutely non-negotiable. At the end of the day, PPPs are like any relationship. To make things work, there needs to be clarity, mutual understanding, respect and aligned objectives/expectations.