Meaningful engagement for stronger impact

Public organisations and private companies invest a lot of resources into projects aimed at innovation and sustainability. But despite all this effort, many initiatives don’t connect with the right people, fail to mobilize resources properly, or struggle to turn plans into action. The problem isn’t a lack of vision or expertise. The real issue is the gap between strategy, implementation, and engagement. 

The traditional approach assumes that once a policy or a project is launched, people will automatically get on board because it tackles a significan problem. But often, it’s not happening. Whether it’s EU policy-making, research-led innovation, or corporate sustainability, the key to success isn’t just about how well an initiative is communicated, but about how it leads to engagement. 

Communication and engagement are evolving as the world around us changes. The systems we work within, the challenges of sustainability, and the ways we connect with others are all shifting. To keep up, we need to rethink how we approach both because one leads to another. It’s time to move from just communicating information to actively involving people through collaboration, strategic partnerships, and participation from the start. 

Public sector engagement and innovation

At the EU level, ambitious targets are set for climate action, digital transformation, and economic growth. The success of these initiatives depends not only on policies but also on how effectively businesses, municipalities, civil society, and innovation-driven organizations can engage with and contribute to these efforts. However, too often, public institutions focus on top-down communication - publishing policies and funding calls and assuming that engagement will naturally follow. This approach often falls short. Many individuals and organizations remain unaware of how to engage or how these policies impact their lives and operations.

To close this gap, it’s time to rethink how we engage with the public and innovation-driven organizations. By involving businesses, researchers, and communities from the start through co-creation and participatory processes, we make initiatives more needs-based and relevant. Instead of finalizing policies and hoping for buy-in later, let’s bring stakeholders in early. This mission-oriented approach ensures that policies and innovation strategies are shaped with input from those who will be affected or those contributing, making them more impactful, credible and actionable.

Beyond corporate compliance

The private sector faces a similar challenge with the introduction of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Companies are now required to report their environmental and social impacts with standardized, verifiable data. While this shift encourages greater transparency, many businesses still treat sustainability as a marketing tool rather than a genuine effort to engage and connect with stakeholders throughout the process.

If you’re truly committed to highlighting the impact of your work, shift the focus from just reporting numbers to sharing the real cases behind them. Instead of just showcasing financial metrics, highlight the journeys of those you’ve helped - the entrepreneurs, communities, and individuals whose lives have been transformed by your support. These cases could be be integrated also into your reports, as they provide an in-depth insight into your work. By engaging stakeholders and sharing these stories of change, you’ll foster stronger connections and build trust - moving beyond compliance to create lasting change.

The new approach

If you're developing policies, start by involving the people who will be directly affected from the beginning. Use methods like co-creation and policy labs to collaborate with businesses and communities. This approach ensures that policies are practical, useful, and supported by everyone.

If you're working on sustainability, don’t just focus on compliance and reports. Involve everyone in your ecosystem - from investors and suppliers to those your solution aims to help. Include them in setting impact goals and making decisions. This collaborative approach creates more meaningful results.

If you're developing research projects, involve stakeholders early on. Engage with the businesses and communities who will apply your research or those whose problems you are addressing. This ensures that your work solves real problems and can be put into action, leading to tangible results and active engagement. 

No matter your field, this approach influences also how you communicate. Instead of simply saying "this is what we do," consider sharing the experiences and journeys of those you aim to help - the problem-solvers, and those affected by your work. By doing this, your audience - whether investors, supporters, or the public - will gain a deeper understanding of the impact you aim to create. Simply stating "this is what we do" may not be enough to inspire support. Instead, highlight the human factor behind your work.

In conclusion

From my experience and observations, much of the work being done today still follows a one-sided approach. There are reasons for this - the process can be complex, it requires clarity about the impact you want to bring, and it’s easier to simply say, "this is what we do."

But here’s the truth.

The future of impact isn’t about who communicates the most - it’s about who truly engages and acts on it. Whether in public policy, corporate sustainability, or research, organizations that create practical ways for participation will not only build credibility, but also drive actual and meaningful change that makes a difference.