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Two problems with the word “stakeholder”

Updated: Nov 14, 2025




I see the word “stakeholders” a lot. I want to make sure that you have more information to make conscious choices about using the word. 


  1. The word has history connected to colonialism and "staking" claims of indigenous land. It is considered disrespectful and traumatizing for some people. Google it to see more specifics. I learned about this recently.


  2. Your audience may not know who you are talking about. Who exactly are your “stakeholders”? You can be general and say “Individuals or groups who are involved or impacted by...”, but I usually recommend being specific and list who is included. For example, "We spoke with families, supporters, and policymakers."

    If it's a big list, use bullets. 

    In some cases you can remove the word, or replace it with "partners" or "people".

    "We included other stakeholders from..." could be "We included others from...". Those are a few ideas. Choose what works best for you!


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