Organizational communication and social responsibility: a case report of a virtual exchange between Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects promote learning experiences in an international context. COIL develops intercultural, linguistic, digital, and interpersonal skills among participants. Communication, as a process of mediation in the construction of identities and cultures, is essential for the smooth-running success of collaborative activities between HEIs (Higher Education Institutions). The authors present a case report based on that has been developed since 2021 with different groups of students from Fatec Ipiranga (Brazil) and Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal). The main goal of this experience is to study how organizations with presence in Brazil and Portugal communicate their social responsibility practices. Essentially, it is a transnational model of Virtual Exchange, focused on global themes which require students to work together to complete a task. The groups mix Brazilian and Portuguese students of Management and Marketing areas. They are invited to reflect on the coherence between what the organizations say and what they effectively do in terms of environmental, social and governance practices, following an integrative vision of the Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The groups prepare their case studies, summarized in videos, posters, and PowerPoint presentations, shared on Padlet. The professors communicate with their classes, both face-to-face in the classroom and through digital platforms. Within the student groups, participants use several tools to communicate and share ideas. Throughout this experience, professors note the importance of democratic decision-making among peers, intercultural learning, and development of socioemotional competences.