Even when you've been working with Strategic Stakeholder Engagement (SSE) for years, it's sometimes time for a fresh perspective. That's why the Port of Rotterdam Authority approached WesselinkVanZijst again in 2024. For over a year, SSE consultants were involved as part of the regular team. ‘Involving the environment sometimes means waking sleeping dogs. That's part of it, but it's also exciting.’

The collaboration between WesselinkVanZijst and Port of Rotterdam goes back a long way. As far back as twenty years ago, WvZ founder Marc Wesselink a strategic role in the expansion project Maasvlakte 2an enormous undertaking, preceded by years of planning, negotiations, and public debate.

‘The experience showed how necessary good cooperation with the environment is,’ says Mark Dijk, manager of external affairs at the Port of Rotterdam. ‘It convinced us of the methodical SSE approach. With the help of Marc and his colleagues, we embedded SSE in our way of working in the years that followed.’

Why the need to refresh this approach now? The Port of Rotterdam is fully engaged in the energy transition, Mark explains. ‘We have to and want to become more sustainable – our goal is net-zero emissions by 2050. In recent years, we've been researching how we want to achieve this. Many plans are now moving into the implementation phase. This brings new questions from the community. So, it's time to strengthen stakeholder engagement organization-wide again.’

Many employees were already trained in the SSE methodology. However, due to the need to advocate for adjustments for the energy transition, particularly among policymakers, the focus temporarily shifted elsewhere. And although a ‘standby program’ existed – more on that later – it was no longer always sufficient to maintain stakeholder relationships. At the same time, the stakeholder engagement department needed additional capacity. ‘That was the moment to approach WesselinkVanZijst again.’

Building on what's already there

From the summer of 2024, consultants Annelies Claessens and Marc Wesselink got to work. Annelies ended up working for a year as an interim professional at the Port. ‘When we arrived, obviously there was a lot going on,’ she recalls. ‘My role consisted of two parts: addressing immediate environmental issues and working with the team to look ahead to how we could further develop SSE.’

Because SSE is an integral part of the working method at Port of Rotterdam Authority, Annelies and Marc built upon what was already in place. ‘Our pilot light program is part of that integration,’ explains manager Mark Dijk. ‘It means we ensure continuous, good relationships with stakeholders. We speak regularly about what's going on with everyone. That way, you can quickly find each other again when there's trouble.’

Into the area

Together with local representatives, Annelies went into the area to see and hear what's going on. ‘The Port of Rotterdam has an many relationships to maintain: from residents and municipalities to environmental and nature organizations. Villages like Rozenburg and Pernis are located right in the middle of the refineries. Residents are proud of the port – they often work there themselves. At the same time, they are critical and want to be seriously involved in developments.’

One of those developments is the hydrogen transition. ‘This requires investment in landing stations, the construction of a large-scale hydrogen network, the construction of hydrogen factories and import terminals for imported hydrogen,’ says Mark Dijk. ‘It leads to all sorts of questions and concerns about the health risks of ammonia, a substance used in the transportation of hydrogen.’

Annelies: ‘What stood out: everyone I spoke to recognized both their own interests as well as those of the port. That shows there's already a solid foundation. A program like this 'pilot light' truly makes a difference. Parties are no longer diametrically opposed and better understand each other's perspectives. Disagreements can still occur, but you can have a constructive conversation.'

Mark: ‘Actively involving the community sometimes means waking sleeping dogs. That's part of it, although it remains exciting. We now know that it bears fruit: a smoother process, for example, with far fewer objections.’

Three focus points

Strengthening stakeholder engagement is now happening in three ways. Improving account and issue management is the first focus. Mark: ‘We are investigating exactly how we collaborate in the pilot program. What issues are at play there – and how do we ensure that we actually do something about them?’

Internal assurance and training is a second component of the approach. In other words: getting the basics back in order. ‘By training a broader group of professionals, you strengthen the environmental awareness of the entire organization,’ Annelies explains.

Finally, the Port of Rotterdam is looking for new, creative ways to engage with the local community. ‘In the past, stakeholder engagement mainly meant talking to aldermen, council members, and residents’ groups,‘ says Mark. ’But we want to involve a broader audience. For example, through social media, local newspapers, or a Port Council. Not everyone has the time to attend a residents' meeting.'

New perspectives

What has the collaboration with WesselinkVanZijst yielded? A lot, Mark says immediately. ‘The entire energy transition is essentially a public-private partnership. It requires support and public acceptance in the area. It's incredibly nice that experienced professionals like Annelies and Marc advise us. With their methodical approach, they have also taught me a lot personally. I have a clear understanding again of why SSE is so important.’

Annelies adds: ‘We know the organization well, but at the same time, we maintain an outsider's perspective. This helps us bring in new perspectives and keep the team sharp. As external experts, it's easier to reflect critically, point out tools that may have been neglected, or take a stance on difficult issues.’

Sometimes it was quite exciting to push dilemmas to the brink, she admits. 'But I noticed that critical perspective was truly welcome.' Mark nods: 'Annelies, for example, pointed out a blockage in contact with nature and environmental organizations. As long as you don't resolve that, she said, you can't move forward together. I was glad she put that on the table, because internally it was all quite sensitive. But we can't push something like that aside; we'll need those organizations again tomorrow.'

Glimpse of the future

How does the Port view the future of working in a way that is oriented towards the environment? ‘The executive board and management fully endorse this approach – an important condition for embedding SSE,’ says Mark. ‘”In balance with the environment” is one of the four spearheads of the new corporate strategy. In that respect, the future looks bright. On the other hand: our challenges are and remain significant.’

Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 people live in the port area, he emphasizes. ‘They all have an opinion about the port. So, no, realizing our plans will certainly not be without a struggle. But I am confident that we know what we need to do to create new win-win situations: outcomes that are good for us and for the surrounding area.’

Want to know more?

At WesselinkVanZijst, we work with organizations to develop strategic stakeholder engagement (SSE) through training, consulting, and knowledge sharing. This helps ensure that complex social challenges are addressed more smoothly and efficiently. Would you like to discuss this further? Please contact Annelies Claessens (senior consultant) at annelies.claessens@wesselinkvanzijst.nl.