Shareholder vs. Stakeholder: An Overview

股东（shareholder）和利益相关者（stakeholder）：概述

When it comes to investing in a corporation, there are shareholders and stakeholders. While they have similar-sounding names, their investment in a company is quite different.

谈到对公司的投资，就会有股东（shareholder）和利益相关者（stakeholder）。尽管两者发音类似，但是两者对于公司的投资却实则大相径庭。

Shareholders are always stakeholders in a corporation, but stakeholders are not always shareholders. A shareholder owns part of a public company through shares of stock, while a stakeholder has an interest in the performance of a company for reasons other than stock performance or appreciation. These reasons often mean that the stakeholder has a greater need for the company to succeed over a longer term.

股东（shareholder）通常是公司的利益相关者（stakeholder），但是利益相关者（stakeholder）却并非总是股东（shareholder）。股东通过持有股票而拥有上市企业的一部分，而对于利益相关者，公司的绩效会影响到其利益，但是其利益受影响的原因却并非与股票表现或升值有关。这些理由往往表明，利益相关者更需要公司获得长远的成功。

Understanding the Role of the Shareholder

股东的职责

A shareholder can be an individual, company, or institution that owns at least one share of a company and therefore has a financial interest in its profitability. For example, a shareholder might be an individual investor who is hoping the stock price will increase because it is part of their retirement portfolio. Shareholders have the right to exercise a vote and to affect the management of a company. Shareholders are owners of the company, but they are not liable for the company’s debts.

股东可以是个人、公司或机构，其必须至少拥有1手公司股票，并从而从公司利润中获得经济利益。举个例子，股东可以是个人投资者，该投资者盼望着股价涨，因为股价上涨是他们退休计划的一部分。股东有投票权和公司管理权。股东就是公司的所有者，但是其不对公司的债务负责。

For private companies, sole proprietorships, and partnerships, the owners are liable for the company's debts. A sole proprietorship is an unincorporated business with a single owner who pays personal income tax on profits earned from the business.

对于私营公司、独资公司和合伙公司而言，公司的所有人要对公司的债务负责。独资企业属于非法人企业并只有一个所有人。当公司所有人从公司业务中获利后，其需要支付个人所得税。

Understanding the Role of the Stakeholder

利益相关者的职责

Stakeholders can be:

利益相关者可能是

· Owners and shareholders

· 公司所有者和股东

· Employees of the company

· 公司员工

· Bondholders who own company-issued debt

· 持有公司发行的债务的债券持有人

· Customers who may rely on the company to provide a particular good or service

· 可能依靠公司来提供特殊商品或服务的客户

· Suppliers and vendors who may rely on the company to provide a consistent revenue stream

· 可能依靠公司来获取稳定收入的供应商和厂商

Although shareholders may be the largest type of stakeholders, because shareholders are affected directly by a company's performance, it has become more commonplace for additional groups to also be considered stakeholders.

尽管由于股东会直接受公司绩效的影响而成为最常见的利益相关者，但是越来越常见的一个现象是，更多的群体也被认为是利益相关者。

Key Differences

二者之间的关键差异

A shareholder can sell their stock and buy different stock; they do not have a long-term need for the company. Stakeholders, however, are bound to the company for a longer term and for reasons of greater need.

股东可以卖出股票并购买其他不同的股票；股东对公司没有长期需求。而利益相关者则与公司长期捆绑在一起并对公公司有着更大的需求。

For example, if a company is performing poorly financially, the vendors in that company's supply chain might suffer if the company no longer uses their services. Similarly, employees of the company, who are stakeholders and rely on it for income, might lose their jobs.

举例来说，如果公司经营欠佳，那么对于其供应链中的厂商而言，该公司将不再使用他们的服务，那么他们就可能因此而受累。同样，公司的员工，同样也是利益相关者，依靠公司来获得收入。如果公司经营欠佳，他们则会失去工作。

· Shareholders are always stakeholders in a corporation, but stakeholders are not always shareholders.

· 股东往往是公司的利益相关者，而利益相关者却并非一定是公司的股东。

· Shareholders own part of a public company through shares of stock; a stakeholder wants to see the company prosper for reasons other than stock performance.

· 股东通过持有股票拥有部分上市公司；而利益相关者则出于股票表现以外的其他原因而希望公司发展壮大。

· Shareholders don't need to have a long-term perspective on the company and can sell the stock whenever they need to; stakeholders are often in it for the long haul and have a greater need to see the company prosper.

· 股东无需从长计议，股东可随时售出股票；而利益相关者则往往与公司更长远地捆绑在一起并更需要看到公司发展壮大。