What is Stakeholder Mapping and Why Does it Matter?

An introduction to stakeholder mapping and its importance in carbon project development.

Last updated: April 8, 2025

Mapping Stakeholders

What is a Stakeholder Map?

1

Definition and Purpose

A stakeholder map is a way to organise and visualise who is affected by your project, who holds influence, who contributes to its success, and who may resist it. Mapping supports ethical planning, better decision-making, and more inclusive delivery. It helps identify key relationships, surface risks, and challenge assumptions.

Effective stakeholder mapping is not a one-time exercise. It should be revisited regularly as your project evolves and relationships change over time.

How will this information be used — and by whom?

1

Internal Planning

Your responses feed into the Theory of Change module and your risk register.

2

Documentation

The report generated from this module can also be used to populate sections of your Project Design Document (PDD).

Privacy Note

Will stakeholders see what I write about them?

No — unless you choose to share it. Your responses are used for internal planning, learning, and reporting. Be honest, but respectful.

Is this process to be repeated? If so, when and why?

Yes. At a minimum, stakeholder mapping should be your first step during project design.

Update Frequency

We recommend updating it at least every two years, and/or whenever new stakeholders emerge or priorities shift.

What report or output do we get at the end of this module?

1

Stakeholder Report

In the Reports section of your dashboard, you'll find a downloadable stakeholder report summarizing each group's roles, influence, risks, benefits, and connection strength.

2

Stakeholder Matrix

You'll also receive a stakeholder matrix that plots each group's relative influence and interest, helping you visualize priorities for engagement.

3

Export Options

Reports can be exported as PDFs or CSVs for use in presentations, project documentation, or sharing with team members.

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