Company: Mastercard, Miami, FL
Company Description: Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart, and accessible. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.
Nomination Category: Corporate Communications, Investor Relations, & Public Relations Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications Team of the Year
 Nomination Title: Mastercard's Internal Communications Team in LAC
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated team since 1 January 2022, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated team: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 195 words used.
Mastercard's Internal Communications team in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) has been at the forefront of driving effective internal communications within the region for a considerable time. With a track record of successfully engaging 1,200+ employees across 15+ countries, the team has demonstrated adaptability, drive, and a unique ability to innovate.
LAC's dynamic work environment—shaped by diverse cultures, languages (Spanish, English, and Portuguese), and time zones—has always posed significant challenges, inspiring the team to continuously refine their communication strategies. Over the years, they have evolved to meet these challenges head-on, leveraging their expertise to enhance employee engagement and foster a sense of inclusion across the organization.
The team's strategic approach revolves around four key objectives: enhancing affinity for Mastercard as an employer, cultivating understanding of the company's strategic priorities, creating communications platforms that break through the noise and drive engagement, and making everyone feel included.
Their efforts also focus on showcasing executive leadership in compelling and authentic ways, and providing opportunities for teams to share their identities and achievements. In all their endeavors, Internal Comms remains committed to a more inclusive and representative narrative, one that reflects the true spirit of the company.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the team's achievements since the beginning of 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 245 words used.
Supported by communications professionals across three divisions, the Internal Comms strategy cascades into various markets, effectively reaching each employee.
In 2022, amidst the 'Great Resignation' and an influx of new hires, the Internal Comms team created The Passion Challenge and invited employees to share their passion to participate in global sports and cultural events. After breaking employee participation records in LAC, the format evolved to include employees from other regions in 2024.
The employee campaign for the 2022 Copa America Femenina received over 70 employee testimonies and engaged them as storytellers alongside external brand ambassadors. Together, they conveyed a powerful message of gender equality, aligned with the company's people strategy.
Over the past two years, this team has gained global recognition for pioneering highly innovative communication channels and formats, unprecedented within the company:
From 2021 and through 2023, Good Morning LAC, a unique 30-minute talk show, solidified the connection between the company's top Global Executives and the region's employees. The series Decrypted provided insights into basic crypto concepts amidst the digital currency revolution, aligning them with Mastercard’s business strategy. In 2023, The Mastercard Way Carpool Sessions showcased regional leaders and employees reflecting on the company's updated cultural framework in a manner never seen before.
Besides launching new channels, this team revamped traditional ones, boosting their impact. A prime example? When employees anticipated the usual holiday greeting card at the end of 2023, they were in for a surprise. Internal Comms’ Carpool Sessions-inspired video wowed everyone!
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the team's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 245 words used.
The Internal Comms team has successfully captured the interests, personality, and expectations of the region's employees, leveraging this valuable insight to keep them informed, entertained, and engaged.
The team has also empowered executive leaders to communicate effectively with employees, while motivating (or persuading!) them to fully commit to daring internal campaigns.
This team has made bold moves, which paid off big and became global best practices within Mastercard:
The Passion Challenge sparked excitement across LAC, garnering 259 employee submissions in its first three editions. This initiative connected employees with their passions and Mastercard's external actions while showcasing their potential as brand ambassadors, both in and out of the office.
The internal campaign for the Copa America Femenina also relied on employee storytelling to ignite a conversation about change, diversity, and inclusion. Some initiatives in this extensive campaign saw participation rates up to 166% higher than usual for this type of internal comms.
The five first episodes of Good Morning LAC—ten episodes in total—garnered 2,500 stream views, enlightening perceptions of the company's regional and global leaders. With Decrypted, Internal Comms skillfully addressed employee needs: the campaign's 100% original content achieved 100% satisfaction rates among employees and email open rates as high as 70%.
The Mastercard Way Carpool Sessions engaged emloyees and immersed them in Mastercard’s revamped cultural statement, emphasizing the importance of embodying the company’s principles to achieve business objectives. The nearly 1,900 unique views of the series showed it reached employees beyond LAC!
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 234 words used.
_ Mastercard’s Passion Challenge in LAC.pdf includes all the details and videos of the initiative that connected employees with key brand sponsorships and leveraged their capacity as brand ambassadors, braking records for employee participation in the region. In 2024, the initiative became the Passion Exchange to include employees from other regions.
_ Mastercard’s Copa America Femenina Employee Campaign.pdf provides an in-depth look at the campaign that engaged LAC employees as storytellers to deliver a powerful and genuine message of gender equality, aligned with the company's people strategy.
_ Good Morning LAC.pdf details the genesis of this internal format that, with ten episodes in total, starting in 2021 and running through 2023, positioned LAC among the company's top Global Executives.
_ Mastercard’s Decrypted Series on LAC.pdf includes details of the campaign created to provide LAC employees with basic crypto concepts amidst the digital currency revolution. The series was so successful that the Mastercard Global team expanded its reach for all Mastercard employees worldwide!
_ The Mastercard Way Carpool Sessions.pdf contains everything you need to know and sample videos about the series that, thanks to its bold narrative and visual approach, captivated LAC employees and immersed them in Mastercard's revamped cultural statement.
_ The year-end greeting video created by Internal Comms in 2023 is a clear example of how this team successfully revamps traditional formats to make an always greater impact.
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