Who are a firm's stakeholders? Why are they important?

A stakeholder is someone who has an interest in a company and who may be able to influence or be impacted by the way it operates and performs. Typical stakeholders include people like investors, employees, customers, suppliers, communities, governments, or trade associations. However, due to the increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility, the concept has been expanded to include communities, governments, and trade associations.  Internal stakeholders are those who have a direct interest in a firm, such as through employment, ownership, or investment.