Wiztrust gives the floor to Emmanuelle Despres, a communications expert who has worked with major brands such as E.Leclerc, La Française des Jeux, and Danone. As micro-influence gains momentum, employees remain a brand’s primary ambassadors. She shares her perspective with us.
How would you describe the main mission of a Communications Director today?
The search for meaning and coherence has become the cornerstone of our profession. The role of the Communications Director is to ensure, on the one hand, consistency between the company’s words and actions-both internally and externally-and, on the other, alignment between what the company offers and society’s expectations. Gone are the days of grand statements and declarations of intent; consumers now demand concrete actions. For example, several companies have recently announced commitments for 2025 to use reusable, recyclable, and compostable packaging. For consumers, that’s too far off! They want tangible proof, visible at the moment of purchase. Companies whose actions don’t match their words are quickly called out. NGOs and consumer associations act as effective watchdogs. Foodwatch, for instance, has changed the game with its online petitions.
Specifically regarding CSR, what is expected of a Communications Director?
Our role is to organize communication around the company’s “purpose.” Today, companies are defining a purpose that, in the future, will engage consumers beyond mere economic and financial performance. The Communications Director must foster reflection around this purpose and challenge CSR decisions. They serve as the link between the company and the outside world, helping to drive deeper commitments or identify responsible actions that will resonate more strongly with the public.
How can you make your message stand out in a constant stream of information and public statements?
There must be real rigor in messaging. The goal isn’t to feed the information overload, but to carefully select a statistic or piece of information that will truly have an impact, that is useful in the debate, and that enables visibility and differentiation.
Do you think it’s important for a company’s employees to support its message and brand image on their own networks?
What matters is that employees and Communications Directors understand the company’s vision and support its choices. The company should be a source of pride for employees who dedicate much of their time and energy to it. If this pride enhances the brand image, it’s a double win! This can play a crucial role in times of crisis. A few years ago, E.Leclerc faced a crisis with the recall of ground beef contaminated with E. coli. Employees immediately took action, personally calling customers of their stores. They felt compelled to be ambassadors for their brand. Thanks to this internal mobilization, communication was swift, effective, transparent, and personalized. Later, when Danone was targeted by a Cash Investigation report, employees also wanted to defend their brand. But employee advocacy only works if it’s a voluntary initiative by employees, positively supported by the company.
How can companies leverage employee advocacy?
At Danone, we implemented an employee advocacy policy to encourage staff who wished to share and relay our content. We created a framework with shareable content. For this to work, employees need access to information and must feel authorized to share it. But advocacy also happens in real life. On September 21st, Danone donated all its sales revenue to projects supporting regenerative agriculture. We invited employees to visit stores and speak directly with consumers about the initiative. 1,500 employees participated! This approach breaks the mold and brings greater authenticity to brand communication.
Do these new digital practices require more letting go, or more vigilance?
Social networks require brands to adopt a posture of humility, transparency, and true horizontality. It’s no longer just about top-down communication; it’s about listening to what people have to say. This communication is more direct, may have a few missteps, but you adjust and move forward. It’s an illusion to think you can control everything. Another feature of this communication is that it generates interactions, debates, and even confrontations that company leaders may not be used to. It’s quite a shake-up! You have to be able to step back and prioritize your responses: is the person addressing me influential? What impact do their words have? And then you adjust your actions. You don’t react or respond to everything. Of course, not everyone will like us, but that’s also what drives us forward.
Does the Communications Director necessarily embody the company they represent?
I don’t think so. I was trained by the Communications Director at E.Leclerc, a man who preferred to work behind the scenes, without diminishing the quality or influence of his work. Some Communications Directors are more in the spotlight because they enjoy engaging their community on social networks. But the role of the Communications Director is, above all, to serve the company’s cause. They are its chief advocate and must therefore be fully convinced by the values the company upholds.
On 11 June, 2025
6 min
