IoIC Festival 2026

Two days to shape the future of internal communication 

Your journey through the Festival… 

This year’s Festival brings together internal communication professionals to share insight, ideas and practical expertise. We kick off with the latest findings from the fourth IC Index, giving a unique look at employees’ perspectives: what they feel, what they need and how leaders and organisations can respond. 

Day One
Explores organisational complexity, market pressure and AI disruption, examining leadership behaviours and communication strategies that determine whether strategy succeeds or stalls.

Day Two
Focuses on internal communication’s role enabling organisational performance through alliances, capability, and practice that aligns people, strategy and measurable outcomes.

Inspire Stage
On the Inspire Stage, IC leaders explore the latest insights shaping organisations and the profession. Sessions cover trends in leadership and change, communicating effectively in a polarised world, reawakening purpose at work and driving digital upskilling through internal communication. Insightful keynotes provide big-picture perspectives, while panels and interviews with senior HR and business leaders reveal how evidence, insight and AI can unlock authentic, scalable leadership communication.

Festival Goers will leave inspired with fresh ideas and strategies to help shape organisations and turn strategy into action.

Empower Village
Across four rooms, we explore practical solutions and case studies across internal voice, technology and AI, collaboration, leadership challenges and business impact. Sessions range from storytelling, senior leader influence and immersive narrative techniques to AI-powered communications, employee-led system design and building connected, resilient cultures.

Festival Goers will leave empowered with actionable tools, frameworks and approaches to strengthen trust, credibility and impact across their organisations.

Connection Hub
In the Connection Hub, you can connect with fellow internal communication professionals from across sectors, as well as sponsors, in relaxed and interactive spaces. Live mentoring in the IC Clinic offers personalised guidance, actionable insights and strategies to tackle challenges and grow confidence.

The Chatty Café will be open all day for networking, informal catch-ups or quick work calls.

Festival Goers will leave with valuable connections and the confidence to take their ideas and careers forward.
 

Themes

Within each zone, we will be featuring a variety of themes and topics that you've told us are important in the world of internal communication, now and in the future. These themes are aligned with the key topics in the Knowledge Hub.

1. IC Strategy and Impact - Creating clear IC strategies, plans and ensuring they demonstrate impact
2. Colleague Experience and Engagement - Boost colleague experiences and drive engagement
3. Channels, Technology and AI - Mastering communication channels and understanding how technology & AI are transforming internal communication
4. Future of Internal Communication - How multiple trends are reshaping the future of work and how they will transform internal communication
5. Leadership and Manager Communication - Exploring effective communication strategies for leaders and managers
6. Change and Transformation - Creating impactful change and managing crisis communication
7. Sustainability, Purpose and Ethics -  Insights on sustainability, and how to communicate your purpose effectively with a focus on ethics
8. Messaging Storytelling and Campaigns - Crafting effective messaging, storytelling and delivering campaigns
9. Understanding People and Cultures  - Understanding people and audiences to map effective communications, and support a thriving workplace culture
10. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion - How EDI and wellbeing are creating inclusive communication practices

We will of course be agile in our sessions and will also cover topical issues that are relevant in May.