Effective communication plays a critical role in building and maintaining a strong community; and clear communication fosters understanding, trust & connection among community members. It enables the exchange of ideas, promotes collaboration and also resolves conflicts. Open and transparent communication channels encourage active participation, engagement & feedback.
Building meaningful communities that strengthen relationships between a brand and its customers provide a “sense of belonging” that is fundamental to developing long-term brand advocates. While it may sound easy, building communities requires mindful strategy to unite individuals, navigate crises and leverage diversity.
In an electrifying keynote at PRAXIS11, Bruno Tourne, Head of Corporate Communications at Sanofi, spoke about “The Role of Communications in Building the Community around 2024 Olympics”.
She shared how the pharmaceutical giant became a driving force behind building a global community around the 2024 Paris Olympics. She unveiled the massive impact of internal and external communication strategies during this mega event – revealing how Sanofi not only supported the games but also engaged employees worldwide in the “spirit of the Olympics”.
Sanofi’s journey as an official partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was more than just sponsorship – it was about igniting the passion of its global workforce, fostering inclusivity & blending the worlds of sports and science in a unique way.
Igniting the Olympic Flame: How Sanofi Engaged 10,000 Employees Globally!
Sanofi’s commitment to the Paris 2024 Olympics went beyond mere corporate sponsorship. With 294 employees as torch bearers and a “Sanofi Cup” designed to give employees a taste of the Olympic experience, the company used the Games to foster a sense of unity and community among its global team. “We reached an unprecedented level of engagement,” Tourne exclaimed, adding that Sanofi’s internal communication generated thousands of user-generated LinkedIn posts.
By blending diversity, equity, and inclusion into the torch relays and internal events, it was unique that the company built a culture of engagement that transcended borders. Sanofi employees from 50 countries volunteered, embracing the spirit of the Games while representing the company’s values.
The Power of Community: Sanofi’s Blueprint for Winning at the Olympics and Beyond
In a conversation with Nidhi Gulati of Springer Nature, Tourne emphasised the shared principles between sports and science – resilience, diversity, and the spirit of challenge. The question came up – how do you connect sports and science and leverage it in Olympics? Her answer was crisp and clear – Just as in research, there are a lot of things to try like – the need for resilience, never say ‘NO’ (always challenge yourself) and there were some values close to Sanofi and the art of science; and diversity was a strong message. She proudly described how Sanofi took its Olympic involvement to great new heights, creating the “Sanofi Cup” and embedding the Olympic values into their corporate DNA.
Creativity was in the details, she said and added – how do you create details to make it memorable?
What was the ROI of the entire event? Wanting to measure this very seriously, they are analysing it.
Talking about sustainability, how did they manage the carbon footprint? “Of course, we tried everything visible,” was her quick answer.
Sanofi’s bold approach to the Paris 2024 Games provided an opportunity to redefine its image as a forward-thinking, human-centric company. Tourne’s parting advice: “Think big, do big”.
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