Stakeholder mapping for effective decarbonisation 

“You cannot decarbonise without the people who run day-to-day operations, stakeholder mapping helps you bring them on the journey.” 

Stakeholder engagement sits at the heart of every successful decarbonisation strategy. From C-suite executives and operational teams to suppliers, investors, and customers, each group plays a pivotal role in shaping whether carbon reduction goals are effectively met. Yet many organisations struggle to identify who to prioritise, how to achieve genuine buy-in, and how to translate strategy into measurable action. 

In June 2025, a Nexio Projects webinar explored this challenge in depth: Stakeholder mapping for effective decarbonisation. The session examined why engagement goes beyond compliance, how to systematically identify and classify stakeholders, and how to move from carbon footprint measurement through to practical implementation. 

This article brings together the essential learnings, offering a practical framework that organisations can apply to strengthen stakeholder engagement and accelerate progress towards net-zero sustainability. 

The importance of decarbonisation 

The urgency of carbon reduction becomes very clear when looking at long-term global science. Climate data such as the “warming stripes” created by Ed Hawkins shows an undeniable upward trend in global average temperatures, with record increases especially in recent decades (1). 

Source: Ed Hawkins 

Businesses often ask: why should we still focus on decarbonisation when political conditions are shifting, for example with delays in EU reporting rules? The answer is that pressure remains on three fronts: 

1. Policy and regulation – measures such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) still require companies to engage suppliers on Scope 3 emissions. Even if smaller businesses are not in direct scope yet, larger companies will trigger demands down their supply chains. 
2. Economic incentives and risks – proactive organisations can access funding streams such as the EU Clean Industrial Deal, while inaction exposes companies to volatile energy prices, tariffs, and carbon pricing schemes (2). 
3. Competitive advantage – even amid uncertainty, early movers can position themselves as leaders. Decarbonisation therefore supports risk management, enhances resilience, and strengthens market access. 

The central message: Decarbonisation delivers more than climate benefits; it makes commercial sense in an increasingly volatile economy. 

Why stakeholder engagement pays off 

Engaging stakeholders is not just about meeting sustainability targets — it is about building credibility, operational efficiency, and resilient supply chains. Four areas stand out: 

• Capital and funding – securing stakeholder buy-in increases access to programmes and financing. Without this alignment, companies may overpromise on their decarbonisation strategy but lack the means to deliver. 
• Credibility and reputation – delivering on commitments avoids accusations of greenwashing and builds long-term trust with investors, regulators, and customers. 
• Operational effectiveness – stakeholder engagement ensures that day-to-day decision-makers, such as procurement and logistics teams, are aligned to deliver required changes. Without this grassroots support, even the best strategies can falter. 
• Supply chain resilience – engaging suppliers in a structured way avoids repetitive, transactional “data requests” year after year. Instead, it builds collaborative partnerships capable of co-creating solutions. 

Stakeholder engagement therefore drives both net-zero sustainability and tangible business value. 

Identifying key stakeholders 

During our webinar, we asked participants if they had done a stakeholder mapping exercise. The majority had not, but many were planning to. This reinforced why clarity on methodology is crucial. 

Stakeholder groups are typically divided into: 

• Internal stakeholders: C-suite, finance, HR, procurement, supply chain management, operations, employees and more. 
• External stakeholders: suppliers, customers, regulators, investors, NGOs, industry associations, local communities, competitors, and auditors and more. 

This complexity can quickly feel overwhelming. To simplify, businesses can map stakeholders on two axes: 

• Level of interest – how much the stakeholder cares about or is directly affected by decarbonisation. 
• Level of influence – how much decision-making power the stakeholder has over your roadmap. 

These axes create four categories: 

• Key players (high influence, high interest) – e.g. c-suite, board, and investors. 
• Power brokers (high influence, low interest) – e.g. shareholders, finance leaders. 
• Supporters (low influence, high interest) – e.g. sustainability teams, operational staff. 
• Observers (low influence, low interest) – e.g. some media or peripheral stakeholders. 

Strategies for each group 

• Key players: co-create targets with them, embed decarbonisation into KPIs, and demonstrate alignment with business value. Their leadership sets the tone across the organisation. 
• Power brokers: often cautious about cost or complexity. Align decarbonisation outcomes with their departmental goals — for example, cost savings, risk mitigation, or supply chain stability. 
• Supporters: mobilise their enthusiasm through staff training, taskforces, and recognition. They are your internal champions who can influence culture. 
• Observers: keep informed with light-touch updates. Their influence may grow over time, so maintain basic awareness-raising without excessive resource spend. 

This framework helps companies decide where to invest time, energy, and resources — and where to step back. 

Achieving buy-in 

Our live poll showed that suppliers are the most challenging stakeholder group to engage, while leadership and customers were less of a challenge. This aligns with our consulting experience: stakeholder buy-in is most difficult when supply chain complexity is high and data availability is low. 

Practical actions to secure buy-in include: 

• For key players: position decarbonisation as a business transformation opportunity, essential for competitiveness and capital access. 
• For power brokers: address their specific concerns (cost, disruption, compliance risk). Show clearly how decarbonisation contributes to their own priorities. 
• For supporters: empower through climate literacy, workshops, and recognition measures to maintain engagement. 
• For observers: keep them in the loop through newsletters or town halls, signalling possible future relevance. 

The message should always be that decarbonisation supports business value, not just climate targets. 

From strategy to action 

Companies often ask when stakeholder mapping should be conducted. The reality is that stakeholder engagement applies at every stage of a decarbonisation roadmap: 

• Internal alignment and planning – identify key stakeholders early to secure resources. 
• Baseline and accounting – engage suppliers to collect Scope 3 data. 
• Roadmap development – align targets with financial and operational planning. 
• Governance and accountability – assign ownership and integrate decarbonisation into performance reviews. 
• Implementation and monitoring – sustain dialogue and support collaborative action. 

This continuous mapping also responds well to evolving needs: stakeholder position on the influence/interest axes may shift as your carbon management initiatives mature. 

Download our Scope 3 focused decarbonisation guide to get more tips & actionable insights on how to measure carbon emissions. 

Q&A highlights 

The webinar concluded with practical questions from participants. Here is how Nexio Projects experts answered them:

Q: Why should we count supplier emissions if they will report them themselves? Isn’t this “double-counting”? 

A: Scope 3 accounting under the greenhouse gas protocol requires companies to report supplier emissions because purchasing decisions drive those impacts. While it may seem like duplication, it ensures accountability across the value chain. 

Q: How are carbon targets under the science based target initiative perceived? 

A: SBTi targets add credibility and show stakeholders you are serious about carbon neutrality. While some companies hesitate due to feasibility, aligning with SBTi signals long-term ambition and transparency. 

Q: How do we encourage a workplace culture for emissions monitoring? 

A: Start with education and carbon footprint measurement exercises. Involving cross-functional teams in carbon accounting builds awareness of why data is needed and increases accountability. 

Q: What if customers expect reductions but don’t recognise the costs? 

A: This is common. The solution is often sector-level collaboration to spread costs and prevent free-riding. Highlight the risk management costs of inaction — from fines to reputational losses. 

Watch the on-demand session for more detailed insights!

Conclusion 

Effective stakeholder engagement goes beyond compliance. It enables companies to accelerate carbon reduction, unlock capital, improve resilience, and build stronger brands. 

Stakeholder mapping provides a structured framework to identify priorities and allocate resources wisely. Combined with carbon footprint measurement, alignment with the science based target initiative, and smart risk management, it ensures decarbonisation becomes not just an environmental necessity but a strategic advantage. 

Engagement is not just about hitting climate targets. It is a business transformation opportunity at the heart of achieving net-zero sustainability. 

Looking ahead with Nexio Projects 

Recognised by Verdantix as a top sustainability consultancy, Nexio Projects works with organisations worldwide to advance decarbonisation through effective stakeholder engagement. Acting as a trusted net zero consultant and provider of ESG advisory, we support companies in building robust climate strategies that link carbon footprint measurement, supply chain collaboration, and science based targets. 

Our team of climate experts brings both technical rigour and strategic insight, helping organisations engage key stakeholders, strengthen governance, and accelerate their journey to net zero. By integrating decarbonisation into operations and decision-making, we enable clients not only to comply with evolving ESG requirements but also to unlock long-term business resilience and future-proof growth. 

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Book a consultation call with Nexio Projects to explore how stakeholder mapping can strengthen your decarbonisation strategy. 

References 

1. Hawkins, E. (2019). Climate Stripes: Visualising Global Warming. University of Reading.
2. World Economic Forum (2025). The Global Risks Report. Geneva: WEF.