AccountAbility is pleased to announce the formation of a global Working Group to support the update of the AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (AA1000SES) — the world’s most widely used stakeholder engagement framework.

The 23 members of the AA1000SES Working Group represent a diverse range of organizations and deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, business, audit, and academia. To further enhance the breadth and technical rigor of the revision process, an additional 28 sustainability leaders will contribute through two specialized bodies: a Practitioner Review Committee, including a range of active industry stakeholder engagement practitioners, and an Assurance Review Committee, including AA1000AS licensed assurance providers. These committees will provide practical perspectives and technical input to support the Working Group.

This milestone follows a rigorous selection process which was led by Ms. Melanie O’Brien, Head of Standards at AccountAbility, and launched in March 2025. More than 100 applications were received through an open global call for nominations.

“By assembling a diverse and experienced Working Group, we’re ensuring that the revised AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard reflects the realities of today’s operating environment—while aligning with emerging sustainability frameworks and disclosure requirements,” O’Brien added. “This is a critical step toward helping organizations meaningfully connect with their stakeholders and build long-term value.”

The update to the AA1000SES comes at a pivotal moment. Organizations are under increasing pressure to engage transparently and meaningfully as stakeholder expectations shift. Ensuring the AA1000SES remains relevant, practical, and future-focused is essential for helping organizations meet these demands.

The revision project is structured into five phases, with the final updated standard expected to be published by 2027.

With the AA1000SES Working Group and Review Committees now assembled, the project enters Phase 2 – Insights, which includes research and data collection, continuing through Q3 2025.

AA1000SES v3 Working Group Members

· Mr. Andres Penate, AB InBev

· Ms. Luisa Enz, Alcon

· Ms. Christine Carey, Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)

· Ms. Carlota de Paula Coelho, B Lab

· Ms. Hanya Gartner, Carrier

· Mr. Jose Luis Calderon Servin, CP Infraestructura

· Dr. Dephney Ramaphosa, Dentons

· Dr. Gaia Pretner, European Club Association (ECA)

· Ms. Yasemin Arduini, ENGIE Renewables

· Mr. Francesco Tramontin, Ferrero

· Ms. Mardi McBrien, Former IFRS

· Mr.Uzair Jaffer, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

· Dr. Divya Singhal, Goa Institute

· Mr. Vincent Allilaire, Moody’s Ratings

· Ms. Savannah Saunders, National Gas Transmission

· Mr. Gary Stokes, National Grid

· Ms. Adriana Rosenfeld, National University of Luján (UNLu)

· Ms. Emily Claire Mackey Faubel

· Mr. Saif Alotaibi, Saudi Mining Services Company

· Mr. David Cau, SGS

· Ms. Gladys Chu, Shangri-La

· Dr. Robyn Leeson, STR CONSULTING

· Ms. Madeleine Smith, Warner Music Group

Practitioner Review Committee

· Mr. Herry Ginanjar, etKomunika

· Mr. John Abubakar, Villanova University

· Ms. Aisling Harpur, ESB Networks

· Ms. Nicola Findlay, SSEN

· Ms. Lydia Mphumela, Innovate Stakeholders

· Mr. Gabriel Bispo, Motiva

· Mr. Sam Sugerman, The Toro Company

· Ms. Katarzyna Król, Zymetria

· Mr. Choong-Ho Kang, Ajou University

· Ms. Karolina Dlugosz, Netguru

· Mr. Winston Liang, PhD, Bechtel Energy

· Dr. Qiao Cong-rui, Law4Sustainability

· Mr. Karabo Seane, Eskom Holdings SOC Limited

· Mr. Panagiotis Valantassis, Aegean Experts

Assurance Review Committee

· Mr. Dipankar Ghosh, BDO

· Mr. Paweł Niziński, Better / Now Partners

· Mr. ShengWa Ng, Bureau Veritas Malaysia

· Ms. Metawe Thamagasorn (Wien), Bureau Veritas Thailand

· Ms. Mariana Fernal, Conecta Consultores Ltda.

· Mr. Polite Nhokovedzo, Davis Granite

· Ms. Lucinda Kuys, DQS South Africa

· Mr. Steven Lee, ESG Malaysia | ESG Associates

· Mr. Chongjae Lee, ETODAY Group

· Mr. Víctor Manz Perales, ILV SILVER

· Mr. Michael Rea, IRAS

· Ms. Melodie Chen-Glasser, Ph.D., SCS Global Services

· Mr. Sateesh Nair, SGS Gulf Limited Abu Dhabi (UAE)

· Ms. Wenjun Zhu (Jophy), TUV SUD Greater China

· Mr. Behzad Sadegh, DQS

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