What role do secondary stakeholders typically play?

Secondary stakeholders typically hold a different position than primary stakeholders when it comes to their involvement with a firm. While primary stakeholders have a direct and ongoing interest in a company's operations—such as employees, customers, and investors—secondary stakeholders are more peripheral. They do not have the same level of dependency on a firm's outputs or survival but can still significantly influence public perception and the broader environment in which the firm operates.

For example, these might include community groups, the media, interest groups, and non-governmental organizations. Their impact can be substantial, affecting how a firm is viewed and how it shapes its policies and practices. However, they are not essential to the day-to-day functionality or decision-making processes of the company, which is why the role they play is primarily one of influence rather than direct engagement or transactional support.