SUSTAINABLE COMMUNICATION AISBL

Their core work

S-COM is a Brussels-based NGO that specializes in science communication, policy outreach, and research dissemination. They join research consortia as communication specialists, translating scientific outputs into accessible messages for policymakers, industry, and the public. In MERID they facilitated science diplomacy between EU institutions and Middle Eastern research communities; in XF-ACTORS they supported awareness and prevention communication around the Xylella fastidiosa plant pathogen threatening European agriculture. Their core value to a consortium is bridging the gap between research teams and the audiences those teams need to reach.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

S-COM's earliest H2020 involvement (MERID, 2015) was in international science diplomacy, focused on building R&I cooperation channels between the EU and the Middle East. Their second project (XF-ACTORS, 2016) shifted toward applied agriculture — specifically communication around a plant disease crisis affecting European olive and vine crops. With only two projects launching within a year of each other, this is less a true evolution and more a demonstration of sector-agnostic communication capability applied across two very different domains.

S-COM appears to be a generalist science communication NGO that applies its dissemination and outreach expertise across sectors as opportunities arise, with no strong evidence of deepening specialization in any single technical domain.

How they like to work

S-COM has participated only as a partner, never as coordinator, positioning themselves as a specialist communication contributor rather than a project leader. Despite only two projects, they accumulated 45 unique consortium partners across 21 countries, indicating they joined large, well-networked consortia rather than small teams. This suggests they are comfortable operating within complex multi-partner structures and are valued for a defined, contained communication role.

S-COM reached 45 unique partners across 21 countries through just two projects, reflecting the large pan-European consortia they joined. Their network spans both policy and research communities, with reach into the Middle East through MERID.

What sets them apart

S-COM occupies a rare niche as a Brussels-based NGO combining EU policy proximity with hands-on science communication expertise, making them a credible bridge between research projects and EU institutions. Their combination of science diplomacy experience (Middle East) and applied agricultural disease communication (Xylella) shows a capacity to operate in both politically sensitive and technically specialized contexts. For a consortium that needs a communication partner with EU policy networks and cross-cultural outreach experience, S-COM is a more targeted choice than a generic PR or consultancy firm.

Highlights from their portfolio

• XF-ACTORS
  S-COM's largest project by funding (EUR 210,000), addressing one of Europe's most economically damaging plant pathogens — Xylella fastidiosa — with a broad mandate spanning early detection, vector research, and disease prevention communication across multiple countries.
• MERID
  A politically distinctive project focused on EU-Middle East science diplomacy, reflecting S-COM's capacity to operate in geopolitically complex international dialogue contexts well beyond standard research dissemination.