STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES OF SELECTED FIRMS IN GHANA.

ABSTRACT The study explores stakeholder engagement practices of organisations in their sustainability practices. Specifically understanding what they do, how they do it, and more importantly why they do things in their stakeholder engagement practices. Certain theories like the stakeholder theory and the legitimacy theory were used. So far theory suggests that firms engage stakeholder in their sustainability practices to justify their (firms') operational existence and a continuation of the social contract existing between the firm and society at large. Using a qualitative research approach, data was collected through interview. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data collected. Analysis of the data collected implied firms identify their stakeholders as primary and secondary and also consider their needs based on their ability to affect the firm's operations or existence. It also revealed that firms engage these stakeholders through series of avenues like trainings, workshops, and keeping open door policies. Affirmation of the assumptions in the legitimacy theory were also traced in the analysed data. In other words, it was confirmed that firms engage their stakeholders in their sustainability practices to ensure their continued social contract with society. As a practical implication, the analysis of data also presents new perspectives to the stakeholder engagement process in sustainability practices and also new ways firms can engage their stakeholders in their sustainability practices.