What is MSE? 

Meaningful stakeholder engagement (MSE) is a critical component of human rights due diligence (HRDD). It involves genuine two-way dialogue with stakeholders on key human rights issues, ensuring that discussions lead to meaningful action. 

Key stakeholders include rightsholders — such as workers, farmers, fishers, miners, and affected community members — their legitimate representatives (trade unions at all levels, community leaders, NGOs), business partners (suppliers, service providers), and government bodies at all levels. Engagement takes various forms, including collecting human rights information, consultations, collaboration, dialogue, and negotiation. 

Why is MSE important?

As a membership organisation uniting trade unions, NGOs, and companies, ETI has championed stakeholder engagement and collective action since 1998. Effective HRDD depends on meaningful engagement with all those affected, leading to informed actions that address human rights impacts. 

Despite being essential, many business and human rights (BHR) efforts have historically relied on top-down approaches that exclude rightsholders, limiting their effectiveness. The concept of MSE has gained momentum, particularly with its inclusion in the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which emphasises the need for stakeholder input in human rights due diligence.  

ETI’s commitment to MSE 

ETI actively supports and facilitates MSE, urging companies to ensure genuine dialogue and responsive action. However, MSE alone cannot substitute other fundamental human rights approaches, such as collective bargaining, advocacy, and activism. 

MSE is essential at every stage of HRDD, from identifying risks to taking preventative action, providing remediation, and strengthening policies. Without meaningful engagement, companies risk overlooking critical human rights impacts in their supply chains. 

ETI’s position on MSE 

ETI has developed a clear position on MSE in relation to human rights, our membership model, and our work with corporate members.  

How ETI will support its members  

ETI recognises that further guidance is required for members to provide practical advice on how to engage with stakeholders meaningfully.    

In partnership with six organisations within the STITCH consortium, ETI has developed a Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement Framework. The framework is designed to be relevant across all sectors and provides key principles that underpin this essential part of HRDD. The framework will be supported by a technical guidance document which is a practical toolkit on integrating MSE within HRDD processes for companies within the apparel and textiles industry.   

We run practical workshops for company members and will be organising a session in the coming months to interpret the framework and support on how to practically implement it within their businesses. Non-members can find out more in a webinar on 25 February 2025, hosted by the STITCH partnership.

If you are interested in finding out more about our work on MSE, or about how we support companies through membership, please contact us at membership@eti.org.uk. 

Relevant ETI guidance 

• ETI Human Rights Due Diligence Framework 
• FOA and worker representation company guidance
• Safe Spaces Report
• Undertaking HRDD in Challenging Contexts 
• ETI Briefing on Social Dialogue