During the international event in Murcia, held on June 12, four simultaneous workshops were offered, where attendees were free to sign up for the topic of their interest.
Workshop number 1, entitled “Building ethical and relevant relationships with stakeholders,” was facilitated by Esther Trujillo and had 25 participants. The objective of this workshop was to train participants in the creation of collaborative processes that integrate ethics and values from their initial conception.
During the workshop, attendees put into practice a five-step methodological process focused on building ethical and relevant relationships with stakeholders. To maximize participation and practical application, participants were organized into four working groups. Each group applied the different steps of the methodology to four different simulated projects, which allowed for an enriching debate and the proposal of concrete solutions.
The key steps addressed in the methodology included:
- Establishing a clear vision and objectives, defining the central purpose of the collaboration.
- Incorporating ethics and values, ensuring that fundamental principles guide every interaction.
- Understanding key relational skills, identifying the elements necessary to establish relationships that enhance shared objectives.
- Comprehensive mapping of stakeholders, identifying all relevant actors.
- Designing dialogue and conversations, planning meaningful and constructive interactions with stakeholders.
- Building relational models, creating sustainable frameworks for collaboration.
A key lesson highlighted by participants was that strong relationships are sustained by establishing clear limits, and that these limits, in turn, are directly derived from values. This key idea emphasized the importance of a solid ethical foundation in any collaborative initiative.
The workshop concluded with an inspiring presentation by Valentín Vilanova, from Oxfam, and María del Mar Pérez, from Huelva Acoge, who presented an example of real best practice in establishing relationships with stakeholders: the Diligente project. This pilot initiative seeks to strengthen social and environmental compliance in the red fruit sector in Huelva through an innovative approach based on multi-stakeholder dialogue. The presentation of this case, served to illustrate how the principles and methodologies learned in the workshop transform into tangible results and positive impact in the real world.
