Multi-stakeholder benchmarking: clarifying attitudes and behaviour from complexity and ambiguity

Developing an understanding of a major environmental issue with multiple st akeholders is complex. Each stakeholder has a different perspective, level of knowledge and institutional focus. Acid sulfate soils on New South Wales coastal catchments are an emotive and polarising issue for the many stakeh olders involved. Conflict over acid sulfate soils is therefore newsworthy, and the broader community is introduced to different stakeholders from thes e polarising viewpoints. Consequently, cane and cattle producers, who benef it from the draining of acid sulfate soils, are portrayed as perpetrators. Oyster farmers and fishers, who incur the cost of acidified water, are port rayed as victims, while local and state government agencies, who have respo nsibility for regulation, are variously portrayed as either heavy-handed bu reaucrats or toothless tigers. Multi-stakeholder benchmarking has been developed to clarify complexity and ambiguities. By establishing indicators for documenting and understanding change in stakeholder attitude and behaviour it aims to decrease the divisi veness and degree of the polarised opinions. Benchmarking is a continuous p rocess of measurement that identifies the best and compares against the bes t. Multi-stakeholder benchmarking uses multiple methods to establish quanti tative data which, along with qualitative data are used to develop a deeper understanding of the complex social issues. It aims to empower individuals and groups while supporting extension and processes of change. First, info rmation about social and economic issues is established by identifying and surveying stakeholders, using both quantitative 'closed' or explicit questi ons and qualitative 'open' questions for non-structured responses. Second, qualitative research, conducted in focus groups of subsampled survey respon dents, validates acid explores the survey results. During this stage, uniqu e characteristics of the groups are defined, compared and best practices ar e identified. Results from these 2 stages are communicated back to the stak eholders, taking care to use non-judgemental language. Finally, best practi ce goals are defined, investigated and transferred within the same or other stakeholder groups. This paper proposes multi-stakeholder benchmarking as a new benchmarking pr ocess, and discusses the application of it to a complex environmental probl em, acid sulfate soils. Multi-stakeholder benchmarking provides an importan t opportunity for stakeholders to voice their view on how environmental iss ues can be best managed and for determining which practices they wish to ch ange. Further it provides information for education program development and evaluation, and facilitates the process of change. Acid sulfate soils stak eholders' positive responses to non-judgemental information, that clarifies their position, and helps identify the way forward, suggest that multi-sta keholder benchmarking is applicable to other multi-stakeholder environmenta l problems.