Legitimacy, Stakeholders, and Strategic Communication Efforts

When organizational leaders undertake sustainability-related initiatives, they are concerned with whether or not their key stakeholders perceive their organization and its actions to be legitimate. In this chapter, legitimacy is defined, the types of legitimacy are described, the benefits of being seen as legitimate and having a positive reputation are discussed, and actions used to manage legitimacy are reviewed. Communication helps manage perceptions of the legitimacy of industries as well as individual organizations. Message credibility is important. Standardized communication directed simultaneously toward multiple internal and external stakeholders is discussed (i.e., annual public meetings, websites and sustainability reports, reporting frameworks, certifications, and architecture such as LEED-certified office buildings). Best practices are provided. The chapter reviews stakeholder theory and discusses the need to adapt messages to engage different stakeholders. In addition, theories or theoretical concepts highlighted include population ecology theory, resource dependency theory, institutional isomorphism, agency theory, normative discourse, the elaboration likelihood model of persuasion, actor–network theory, speech act theory, attribution theory, visual rhetoric, narrative theory, and organizational co-orientation theory. Interview data drawn from a variety of organizational types illustrates the applicability of theory and research. Organizations represented include Tyson Foods; WasteCap Nebraska; Missoula Sustainability Council; Ecotrust; the Neil Kelly Company; the Arbor Day Foundation; Aspen Skiing Company; the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville; the City of Boulder; Sam’s Club; Assurity Life Insurance; Heifer International®; the Natural Resources Defense Council; the University of Colorado, Boulder; and the University of Colorado, Denver.