Stakeholder Impact Forum

Cosaris
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Management

Is the future of member organisations at risk? The challenges facing member and purpose-driven organisations today aren’t simple and they’re rarely solved by quick fixes. In the Stakeholder Impact Forum podcast, Cosaris brings together a cross-sector community of engagement leaders, innovators and researchers to explore the deeper tensions shaping stakeholder ecosystems today. If you’re responsible for engagement, strategy or stakeholder value in a member or purpose-driven organisation, this podcast is for you. A chance to hear how others are navigating the same pressures and what the future could bring, not through surface-level success stories, but by joining honest conversations with the people responsible for navigating the same issues as you in different sectors. Together, we unpack questions many leaders are wrestling with: Why does relevance sometimes decline despite increased activity?Why do digital engagement initiatives not always translate into real connection?Where does misalignment between governance, value and stakeholder expectations quietly emerge?How can organisations navigate generational change, engagement fatigue and fragmented ecosystems?The list goes on... Through real experiences from organisations such as global associations, academic bodies and major industry alliances, each episode looks beneath the surface to understand what’s really driving change and what the underlying tensions are across every sector. So be part of the conversation. Listen, learn and explore the tensions shaping stakeholder engagement today.

  1. Why future-ready organisations are those that align innovation with talent, not just technology

    May 7

    Why future-ready organisations are those that align innovation with talent, not just technology

    Soumitra Dutta is a globally recognised expert in innovation, AI, and digital transformation, with leadership experience spanning Oxford, Cornell, INSEAD, and the World Economic Forum. As co-founder of the Portulans Institute and creator of internationally respected indices, including the Global Innovation Index, he helps organisations and governments understand emerging technological shifts and build future-ready capabilities. Building digital transformation resilience has become one of the defining challenges for modern organisations. As Soumitra explains, the real barrier to technological adoption is rarely the technology itself. It is organisational inertia, legacy systems, and the ability of people and processes to adapt quickly enough. True digital transformation resilience requires organisations to rethink how they approach growth, talent, and innovation. While technology is advancing exponentially, many institutions are still operating with mindsets that limit their ability to respond to change. To remain competitive, leaders must develop the courage to embrace new models, expand ambition, and create organisations capable of scaling. Those that fail to evolve risk falling behind in an increasingly AI-driven world.

    47 min
  2. Why engagement only cuts through when it’s driven by lived experience

    Apr 8

    Why engagement only cuts through when it’s driven by lived experience

    Steve Hill is Chief Communications Officer at Auticon UK and a leading voice in purpose-led engagement and inclusion. With extensive experience translating social impact into organisational momentum, Steve focuses on how lived experience, belief, and advocacy turn engagement into sustained change. The most effective engagement doesn’t start with strategy decks or campaigns; it starts with people. Lived experience engagement creates credibility, trust, and emotional connection that no top-down message can achieve. When individuals with personal connection champion a cause, momentum builds organically. Personal experience engagement turns engagement into a movement, powered by belief rather than persuasion. By activating internal advocates and existing communities, organisations amplify impact in ways traditional communication never can.

    48 min
  3. You can’t retain early-career members if you don’t meet them where they are

    Mar 31

    You can’t retain early-career members if you don’t meet them where they are

    Matthew Lovell is Head of Recruitment and Retention at the Institute of Physics, where he focuses on attracting and retaining early-career professionals within a scientific membership community. With direct responsibility for engagement strategy, Matthew brings a practical, channel-aware perspective on how organisations must adapt to stay relevant to younger members. For many membership organisations, recruitment at early-career stages is strong, but retention is a bigger problem. The challenge lies in early-career engagement, especially when communication and outreach don’t match how younger members consume information. Webinars and long-form content still have value, but they are rarely the entry point. Early career engagement increasingly depends on short-form, peer-led content that feels authentic, accessible, and easy to share. By amplifying real member voices and meeting early-career professionals in their own digital spaces, organisations can turn awareness into ongoing participation.

    1h 14m
  4. Can membership solve the world's issues?

    Mar 31

    Can membership solve the world's issues?

    Mervyn Pilley is a long-standing membership leader and advisor with decades of experience across professional membership bodies and is currently working with CIAT. Known for his candid, systems-level perspective, Mervyn explores how membership organisations must adapt to political, technological, and generational change to remain relevant and influential.One of the most complex pressures facing organisations today is intergenerational membership. Expectations, behaviours, and motivations vary widely between age groups, making it increasingly difficult to design experiences that work for everyone. Too often, organisations respond by creating silos, separate groups for different demographics. But intergenerational membership works best when knowledge, experience, and mentorship flow across generations rather than being divided. The future of membership lies in connection, not fragmentation. Bringing generations together around shared purpose creates resilience, relevance, and long-term value.

    1h 1m
  5. How can storytelling help drive diversity, equity and inclusion?

    Mar 26

    How can storytelling help drive diversity, equity and inclusion?

    Mo Kanjilal is Founder and Director of Edge of Difference, where she works with organisations to embed inclusion, neurodiversity, and belonging into leadership and culture. With experience guiding organisations through complex change, Mo brings a clear view on how leadership behaviour shapes inclusion outcomes.Inclusion does not happen by accident. Inclusive leadership is the difference between well-meaning intentions and meaningful impact that people can actually feel. Real progress starts when leaders listen, collect stories, and respond to lived experience. Inclusive leadership turns insight into action by removing barriers, enabling participation, and empowering people to speak up. When leadership commits visibly and consistently, belief grows. And belief is what drives sustained engagement and cultural change.

    42 min
  6. The power of storytelling in engaging stakeholders

    Mar 26

    The power of storytelling in engaging stakeholders

    Mat Hunter is a design leader, strategist, and ecosystem builder with a career spanning IDEO, the UK Design Council, and place-based innovation ecosystems. Mat brings a systems-level perspective on how collaboration, innovation, and shared purpose drive impact.Traditional member organisations often treat collaboration as a project. Ecosystem thinking reframes it as something living, evolving over time, shaped by people, institutions, and shared ambition. Rather than focusing only on fixed stakeholder groups, innovation ecosystems stay open. New voices, unexpected contributors, and diverse forms of participation bring energy, ideas, and resilience into the system. The role of leadership is not control, but framing. By setting a clear direction and allowing collaboration to emerge, member organisations can move from managing complexity to unlocking collective momentum.

    1h 2m
  7. How segmenting and providing for diverse member needs strengthens meaningful engagement

    Mar 25

    How segmenting and providing for diverse member needs strengthens meaningful engagement

    Organisations today are facing increasing stakeholder engagement challenges, particularly in navigating resistance, shifting expectations, and complex social dynamics. As Berkeley Wilde highlights, many organisations are no longer struggling with silence but with active pushback, making engagement more difficult and nuanced than ever before. One of the key ways to overcome these stakeholder engagement challenges is through building trust over time, rather than expecting immediate buy-in. This requires organisations to move beyond surface-level initiatives and instead centre authentic voices, lived experience, and real community insights in their approach. By combining research, storytelling, and direct community engagement, organisations can create meaningful dialogue that resonates. The most impactful engagement doesn’t come from top-down messaging, but from creating spaces where stakeholders feel heard, valued, and genuinely represented.

    46 min
  8. What does meaningful member engagement look like in the charity sector?

    Mar 6

    What does meaningful member engagement look like in the charity sector?

    Michelle Newell is Membership Manager at CharityComms, where she leads the design and delivery of member experiences for charity communications professionals. With a strong focus on listening, iteration, and practical value, Michelle brings a grounded, member-led perspective on how professional communities evolve in the digital age. For membership organisations, the challenge is relevance. Engaging charity communicators depends on whether members clearly see value in how programmes support their real-world challenges. By listening to feedback and redesigning services like mentoring for digital delivery, CharityComms has created more accessible, flexible ways for members to connect. This approach improves speed, choice, and participation without losing the human element. Ultimately, engaging charity communicators means building experiences where members give as much as they gain; strengthening community, capability, and long-term connection.

    29 min
See All (16)

About

Is the future of member organisations at risk? The challenges facing member and purpose-driven organisations today aren’t simple and they’re rarely solved by quick fixes. In the Stakeholder Impact Forum podcast, Cosaris brings together a cross-sector community of engagement leaders, innovators and researchers to explore the deeper tensions shaping stakeholder ecosystems today. If you’re responsible for engagement, strategy or stakeholder value in a member or purpose-driven organisation, this podcast is for you. A chance to hear how others are navigating the same pressures and what the future could bring, not through surface-level success stories, but by joining honest conversations with the people responsible for navigating the same issues as you in different sectors. Together, we unpack questions many leaders are wrestling with: Why does relevance sometimes decline despite increased activity?Why do digital engagement initiatives not always translate into real connection?Where does misalignment between governance, value and stakeholder expectations quietly emerge?How can organisations navigate generational change, engagement fatigue and fragmented ecosystems?The list goes on... Through real experiences from organisations such as global associations, academic bodies and major industry alliances, each episode looks beneath the surface to understand what’s really driving change and what the underlying tensions are across every sector. So be part of the conversation. Listen, learn and explore the tensions shaping stakeholder engagement today.

Information