Sowing seeds of impact
Nádia Reis's Story

"Ensuring the good quality of products, sustainability throughout the value chain, transparency of the social actions carried out, the definition of evaluation metrics and their respective integration into the business is the most effective way of guaranteeing trust, recognition and the relevance of an organization"

How Nadia transformed social responsibility  Nadia’s journey transformed  Nadia’s journey transformed social responsibility programs at MC Sonae

Nádia Reis is the Director of Communication and Social Responsibility at MC Sonae, with a track record of 21 years in the business. She collaborates closely with the group’s Communications Departments and the Head of Sustainability to advance the company’s sustainability efforts. Nádia is driven by a deep commitment to positively transform society and create a sustainable future.

MC Sonae is a leader in the food retail industry in Portugal. With a history of over 35 years of continuous growth, MC has a distinctive positioning in different business areas, with a vast portfolio of high-quality products, services and brands. MC is part of the Sonae Group, a multinational company managing a diversified portfolio of businesses in retail, financial services, technology, real estate and telecommunications.

 

Sector: Retail

 

Employees: More than 38.000 employees (MC Sonae)

 

Geography: Headquartered in Portugal and operating globally

 

Website: www.sonae.pt

Challenges
faced

Nadia’s commitment to transforming society and the world is driven by a deep commitment to the planet and its people. But driving transformation at scale does not come without its challenges. 

 

As she began leading actions under Missão Continente, MC Sonae’s platform for social responsibility projects, she faced the challenge of identifying and addressing communities’ pain points and needs. This required the direct involvement of partners, stakeholders, MC Sonae’s employees, and customers to deliver meaningful, long-lasting impact.

"Creating a positive impact with Missão Continente in the communities where we operate is something special and central in our social activity"

In her role overseeing the company’s Public Relations, Nadia also recognized the challenge of misinterpreting sustainability efforts, which could lead to greenwashing claims, affecting MC Sonae’s reputation and overall business results.

Actions
taken

Driven by years of experience and a desire to deliver impact, Nadia created a Strategic Council comprising key stakeholders and institutions across Portugal. The Council ensures Missão Continente remains aligned with and supports the most pressing needs of Portuguese society. With the creation of the Council, Nadia also increased awareness and interaction with MC Sonae’s social responsibility programs across multiple organizations.

 

To maintain a continuous dialogue with local actors and institutions, including NGOs and stores across the country, Nadia’s team set up regular communication processes and touch points. 

"We talk a lot every week with the stores and our colleagues. We meet with the local institutions, we listen to our Strategic Council. The frequency of contact makes us a big family, the Missão Continente family"

Nadia also launched mobilization campaigns across the company’s employee network and various Units, encouraging them to develop and present their own projects. This engagement extended to the customer base, collaborating closely with the sustainability department to deliver targeted campaigns highlighting the company’s environmental and social impact.

 

To avoid misinterpretation of sustainability efforts, Nadia adopted a transparency-first policy. She produces detailed reports illustrating Sonae’s social responsibility activities and investments. She also oversees a specialized marketing team that reviews all communications to ensure the language or positioning is not misleading.

Resonance
of impact

Through strong collaborations with partners and stakeholders, Nadia and her team gained a deep understanding of local communities’ needs, enabling the creation of impactful programs. For example, the Escola Missão Continente program works with schools, teachers and students across the country to combat obesity by educating on healthy eating and conscious food consumption.

 

Nadia’s internal mobilization campaigns established MC Sonae’s employees as social responsibility ambassadors. Employees now proudly and actively engage and spread the word on Missão Continente’s mission and activities.

"Our colleagues are the main success of Missão Continente. They are the voice of our social strategies in the communities, they are who really make the difference in our stores, participating and mobilizing our costumers"
"For a brand, it is essential to bring emotional aspects to the center that allow people to be engaged beyond price, variety, and convenience"
"Our commitment to communicating good practices implemented, measures taken, and achievements allows us to ensure close proximity to our main stakeholders, namely customers and employees"
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Customer-oriented campaigns successfully engaged customers in raising funds for social emergencies, such as the Ukraine war and the fight against poverty, earning their trust and credibility.

 

In 2023, Nadia launched the first impact report, a pioneering project in Portugal’s retail sector, demonstrating the results and impacts of Missão Continente’s work. The report won the European Excellence Awards in the reporting category. By maintaining transparency about MC Sonae’s initiatives and investments, Nadia ensures trust with stakeholders.

 

Nadia’s innovative strategies and unwavering commitment have made social responsibility an integral part of MC Sonae, fostering enduring benefits for communities, employees, and customers across Portugal.