Corporate Communications Conference Europe: Session Report 3

I participated in the " Corporate Communications Conference Europe " (organized by Global Insight Conferences Ltd.), which was held in Amsterdam on June 25, 2024.

This article is the final in a three-part series overviewing the sessions I attended.

A further insightful presentation was given by Cynthia Bonsignore, Head of Communications, Belgium & Luxembourg, Roche. In her session titled “Data-Driven Insights to Build Corporate Communications”, in addition to showcasing the business value of corporate communications and how the ROI and value of such should be best measured and presented to key stakeholders etc., she discussed how comms can integrate effectively with external engagement initiatives to drive measurable impact and how to shift content and approaches from being merely “output” to becoming value-adding “outcome-centric”. Her “Project One Pager” slide, below, encapsulates such a shift through the asking of various questions including - “what do we want to achieve?” / “what work needs to be done to deliver this outcome?” / “who are our key audiences?” // “what other work/teams across the globe are contributing to this outcome?” / “how will we know we are achieving our desired outcomes?” Then, through the answering such questions, teams will be able to more competently approach diverse stakeholder groups, enhance brand awareness and influence, and build robust, authentic reputations that will further support their business.

The shift in communications going beyond “output” centricity was mirrored by Orla Graham, an Insights Consultant at Global media intelligence firm Carma, who emphasized the outcomes and impact of current and future corporate communications. In her session titled “A Reputational Reckoning: Understanding PR's Impact on Reputation”, after sharing research, she that noted large organisations wanted communications teams to proactively improve corporate reputations (68%), increase sales (49%), and build brand purpose (43%). She also stated that the industry was undergoing a paradigm shift - that communications teams are no longer being viewed as an output-focused cost-center but rather seen as impact-driving, value-generating powerhouses within organisations.

Beginning with an aligning of objectives, Graham’s following slide then showcases how best to implement such a shift.

The above sentiments were further echoed by Pearl Saadi, Communications Director, Guy’s & St. Thomas’ Foundation, who noted, in her session titled “Embed D&I at the Heart of Comms & Support Organisational Diversity Programmes with Authentic Communications,” that communications teams are becoming strategic advisors and partners in both initial shared value creation process as well as retaining their role as leaders in disseminating such content and information to a multitude of stakeholders. However, she warned that with such increased power comes “great responsibility” – noting that teams must remain focused on core impactful areas as they cannot do everything, everywhere, all at once.

Thank you for reading. Participating in this conference was an opportunity to gain deeper insights, build networks, and reignite my passion for the art and science of corporate communications.

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