Corporate Diplomacy

This important book argues that the strategic management of relationships with external stakeholders – what the author calls 'Corporate Diplomacy' – is not just canny PR, but creates real and lasting business value. Using a mix of colourful examples, practically relevant tools and considered perspectives, the book hones in on a fundamental challenge that managers of multinational corporations face as they strive to compete in the 21st century. 


As the distance between external stakeholders shrinks, shareholder value is increasingly created and protected through a strategic integration of the external-stakeholder-facing functions. These include government affairs, stakeholder relations, sustainability, enterprise risk management, community relations and corporate communications. Through such integration, the place where business, politics and society intersect need not be a source of nasty surprises or unexpected expenses. Most of the firms profiled in the book are now at the frontier of corporate diplomacy. But they didn’t start there. Many of them were motivated by past failings. The book draws on their experiences to take the reader to the forefront of stakeholder engagement and to highlight the six elements of corporate diplomacy.