Alex MusialEvent and Project Manager| PROTEA Management Inc.Beaver Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
I have been doing research on the history of the word Stakeholder and its negative impacts on particularly our indigenous communities. What are other words people are using in its place that demonstrate the relationship between traditionally labelled stakeholders and projects? Alternatives suggested to me already include interested parties (which feels it could encompass those who think they should be involved in a project but truly aren’t) and partners (which to me indicates a more engaged relationship that a traditional stakeholder to project relationship). Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Thank you for raising such an important and often overlooked question. Across recent discussions in project governance, Indigenous engagement, and ethical practice, one insight keeps emerging: the term stakeholder carries historical and power-laden implications that do not always reflect the relationships we are trying to build. Because of this, many practitioners are adopting context-specific alternatives such as: Rights-holders — when groups have inherent or constitutional rights, not merely “interests.” Impacted communities — centering lived experience rather than corporate language. Affected parties — neutral and focused on consequence. Community partners — when collaboration is genuine and ongoing.
Each of these terms shifts the focus from ownership or claims to relationship, responsibility, and impact.
One additional alternative that I have found helpful in modern project environments is Project Community.
This term reframes everyone connected to a project, those affected, those contributing, those benefiting, and those responsible, as part of a shared ecosystem of value and ethical responsibility, rather than as separate “interest holders.”
A final reflection Changing the term is not just semantics. It is about shifting the power dynamics embedded in the project environment, from “those who have claims” to those with whom we co-create value and toward whom we hold ethical responsibility.
Thank you for opening a conversation the profession urgently needs to have. Saving Changes...
