Bridging Stakeholder Collaboration and Communication to Drive Climate Success under SBTi

This project builds on existing research in stakeholder theory, sustainability communication, and multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs). Prior studies emphasize the importance of stakeholder engagement and structured frameworks such as SBTi in driving corporate climate action. However, there is limited empirical insight into how companies operationalize communication and collaboration with stakeholders in this context. The research question is: How do companies communicate and collaborate with stakeholders to successfully set and achieve climate targets under the SBTi? Through 19 qualitative interviews with senior executives from large Danish companies, the project explores how businesses manage stakeholder expectations, ensure internal alignment, and navigate the balance between scientific rigor and accessible, credible communication.

The findings and insights from this project are particularly relevant for full-time educational programs at IBA Erhvervsakademi Kolding. Specifically, the research contributes to the curriculum of:

• Marketing Management (Markedsføringsøkonom): The study provides concrete examples of how marketing professionals can integrate sustainability and stakeholder engagement into branding and corporate communication strategies. The knowledge gained from this project will support courses on corporate social responsibility and strategic communication.
  Furthermore, the know-how we have gained in research methods will be incorporated in the methodology themes e.g. how to conduct primary qualitative interviews and code for insights.

• Bachelor’s Degree in International Sales and Marketing: The findings will enhance understanding of how companies can build and maintain relationships with stakeholders while aligning business strategies with global climate commitments. This is particularly useful for courses covering sustainability in business, international business development, and strategic sales management.
  Furthermore, the know-how we have gained in research methods will be incorporated in the methodology themes e.g. how to conduct a literature review.

• Other Business and Communication Programs: The research insights will also be valuable for students in fields related to sustainability management, business strategy, and corporate communication. It will serve as a foundation for discussions on greenwashing risks, corporate responsibility, and the role of transparency in business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) interactions.

By integrating this research into these programs, IBA students will gain a deeper understanding of the intersection between sustainability, stakeholder collaboration, and corporate strategy.

For the Marketing Management (AP Degree) program:

The findings of this project align closely with key learning objectives in the Marketing Management program, contributing to both theoretical understanding and practical application in several areas:

1. Strategic Communication and Sustainability Messaging:
   The project provides strong cases and examples on how companies handle communication challenges related to climate goals and sustainability. This helps students learn how to craft communication strategies that balance scientific credibility with simplicity and clarity, supporting modules in branding and communication planning.
2. Crisis Communication and Greenwashing:
   The risk of greenwashing and how companies navigate public scrutiny are central themes in the research. These insights can be incorporated into lessons on crisis communication and reputation management, teaching students to communicate environmental claims responsibly.
3. Stakeholder Engagement as Part of Marketing Strategy:
   The project highlights how stakeholder dialogue and collaboration can shape product development, messaging, and customer relations. These real-world insights help bring stakeholder theory to life for students and show how it directly impacts market positioning and competitiveness.
4. Content for Business Ethics and CSR Modules:
   The ethical considerations around climate communication and the need for authenticity and transparency enrich teaching in ethics and CSR, demonstrating the fine balance between marketing, compliance, and public trust.
5. Research Methods and Applied Business Research:
   The experience gained in conducting and coding qualitative interviews, working with large datasets of interview transcripts, and thematically analyzing qualitative data will strengthen research methodology courses. Students will gain practical know-how about how to set up interview guides, collect empirical data, and translate insights into actionable business recommendations.

For the Bachelor’s Degree in International Sales and Marketing:

For bachelor students specializing in sales, marketing, and international business, this project offers a range of valuable contributions:

1. Sustainability as a Competitive Parameter in International business:
   The project provides evidence of how climate commitments and SBTi alignment are increasingly demanded by global customers and investors. This can be directly integrated into lessons on international business strategy and value proposition development.
2. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) with Sustainability Integration:
   The findings highlight how customer expectations around climate action influence B2B relationships and contract negotiations. This supports case-based learning in CRM, where students can see how environmental responsibility becomes part of the sales dialogue and supplier contracts.
3. Negotiation and Stakeholder Management:
   Understanding how companies manage conflicting stakeholder interests and integrate climate requirements into supplier agreements gives students valuable perspectives on negotiation and stakeholder management — key topics in the bachelor’s program.
4. International Market Trends and Regulatory Landscape:
   The project’s alignment with European regulation (CSRD and ESRS) can enrich international business courses by demonstrating how regulatory developments shape international market access and business models.
5. Methodology and Academic Research Training:
   The experience from this project in literature review, research design, data collection, and thematic analysis can be brought directly into the bachelor program’s methodology courses. This will help students prepare for their own thesis work with concrete examples of how to build a research question, work with qualitative data, and synthesize theory with practice.

The project employs a qualitative, inductive research approach based on semi-structured interviews with 19 senior executives from Danish companies across multiple industries. This methodological approach allows for an in-depth understanding of corporate communication strategies and stakeholder engagement related to climate commitments under SBTi.

The data collection process includes:

• Selection of Participants: Interviewees are chosen based on their expertise in sustainability, corporate communication, and stakeholder management.
• Interview Process: Conducted via Microsoft Teams, ensuring a structured yet flexible approach to capture key insights.
• Transcription and Thematic Analysis: The interviews are transcribed and coded using NVivo software, allowing for the identification of recurring themes and patterns.

The analysis is based on structured coding of data, which ensures systematic data categorization and interpretation. The study follows an abductive research approach, meaning it moves between empirical observations and theoretical frameworks, refining the research model iteratively.

Key analytical focus areas include:

• Stakeholder Communication Challenges: Identifying barriers in effectively communicating climate commitments to investors, customers, and NGOs.
• Best Practices in Engagement: Understanding how businesses build trust and credibility through science-based targets.
• Strategic Frameworks for Transparent Climate Communication: Evaluating how structured communication can mitigate greenwashing risks.

The study is positioned within the context of stakeholder theory, climate governance, and corporate communication research, ensuring that the findings contribute to both academic and practical discussions on sustainable business strategies.

• - AP Graduate in Marketing Management, Kolding (9)