On November 20, the Faculty of Human Sciences hosted the 1st Conference of the Observatory of Internal Communication and Corporate Identity (OCI), an initiative that marks 15 years of activity of this joint project between FCH-Católica and ATREVIA Portugal. The meeting brought together professionals, leaders, and academics to discuss how internal communication contributes to aligning organizational culture, strengthening the sense of belonging, and supporting the evolution of organizations.
The opening session featured speeches by the Dean of FCH-Católica, Professor Catarina Duff Burnay, the Faculty's representative on the OCI Founding Council and Coordinator of the Post-Graduate and Advanced Training School, Professor Nuno Brandão, and Daniela Agra, President of ATREVIA Portugal, highlighting the Observatory's role in bringing together the academic world and the business community and in the growing appreciation of internal communication in Portugal.
Throughout the morning, the program was structured around three thematic panels. The first, dedicated to “How internal communication aligns with and reflects organizational culture,” brought together Ana Rita Lopes (Delta Cafés), Margarida Gonçalves (CUF), and Clara Estanqueiro (Lidl Portugal), who shared their perspectives on the role of internal communication in team cohesion, the transmission of values, and culture management in increasingly demanding and diverse work environments.
The second panel addressed “Strategies and tools for effective internal communication,” with Catarina Esteves (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Portugal), Filipa Freire (EDP), and João Simão (FCH-Católica). The conversation focused on practical approaches, choosing channels and formats appropriate for different internal audiences, and the importance of measuring impact to ensure consistency, clarity, and proximity.
The third and final panel, “Innovations and challenges: the future of internal communication,” brought together Daniela Agra (ATREVIA Portugal), Patrícia Adegas (Novartis Portugal), and Susana Albino (Jerónimo Martins Group), reflecting on emerging trends, the demands of hybrid contexts, and the role of leadership in creating relationships of trust and active employee participation.
With this first conference entirely dedicated to the topic, OCI reaffirms its mission to promote applied research, debate, and the sharing of best practices in internal communication, continuing to establish itself as a national reference forum in this area.
