project

Stakeholder expectations Vitens

In order to have Vitens’ asset management continue operating optimally into the future, it is increasingly important, in light of the societal context in which the company operates, that it be fully aware of the ideas, desires and interests of all relevant stakeholders, and that it be transparent about its performance. One of the ambitions within the Eam8 strategic programme, is to have insight in the future – much more than is now the case – into the structural (long-term) expectations of stakeholders with regard to the performance of the infrastructure.

The objective of this project is directly connected to providing the Vitens water company with insight into the interests and perceptions of its key stakeholders, so that it can shape its Long-Term Vision (LTV) for its infrastructure. In line with the increasing importance of societal innovation, this insight, coupled with a clear image of where the concerns, desires and plans of stakeholders touch on the company’s activities, is particularly valuable. This project consciously goes beyond traditional stakeholder analysis, which simply maps power and position, or reputation research, which primarily concerns the perceptions of the other.

Three principal activities

The project involves three principal activities:

  • The systematic charting of which stakeholders are relevant for the Vitens infrastructure.
  • The identification of stakeholder expectations on the basis of deep interviews.
  • The reporting and presentation of the research results.

Shaping a Long-Term Vision for infrastructure

This project’s outcomes give Vitens insight into the structural (long-term) expectations of stakeholders regarding the performance of the infrastructure. They reveal the extent to which the company already meets these expectations, as well as the barriers and possible opportunities it will encounter when it starts working towards fully meeting them.

By being aware and taking account of the long-term expectations held by stakeholders and customers, Vitens can act in a more directed manner and reduce its dependence on short-term policies. This is desirable (Eam8 strategic programme) because the infrastructure is subject to a long-term dynamic, which is difficult to combine with short-term policy.