SYNGENTA:
HOW STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT TURNED A TECH IMPLEMENTATION INTO A BUSINESS-WIDE TRANSFORMATION
Syngenta
Client
Agrobusiness and
Chemicals
Industry
Size
30,000 employees, in more than 90 countries
What started as a global ERP upgrade became a catalyst for culture change and business transformation. Syngenta didn’t just launch new a new system—they engaged their teams and made their digital shift a people-powered success story.
The Challenge
Syngenta faced the massive task of transitioning from a fragmented legacy ERP system to a unified, AI-ready platform. While the technical foundation was strong, a bigger challenge loomed: how to ensure that the platform’s full business value would be realised across a diverse, global workforce. The existing communication approach was highly technical, lacking business-focused messaging and communicating the all important ‘what’s in it for me’. To succeed, the project had to evolve from a system implementation into a people-centred transformation.
The Goal
They wanted to transform the ERP rollout from a traditional IT project into a business-wide transformation through:
The creation of a unified messaging strategy that would cut through a noisy change environment
Clear stakeholder engagement plans for multiple regions and cultures
A framework that would enable local teams to drive implementation independently
High visibility for the program, positioning it as a key digital enabler rather than just a technical project
The Solution
Strategic Framework: We used our Change Playbook 7-sprint approach to rapidly co-create an engagement strategy aligned with Syngenta’s culture and change goals, and which created a sense of ownership amongst the project team.
Repositioning: We shifted the messaging from technical information to value-driven stories, creating compelling narratives which could be tailored for different stakeholder groups. All delivered through a distinctive visual identity to create powerfully unified campaign.
Enablement: We delivered a full communications toolbox with templates, visual assets, and implementation guidance to empower local teams to roll out the change independently and effectively.
The Result
Our collaborative approach delivered powerful results:
Complete engagement strategy developed in just a few months vs a typically year-long process
Significant cost reduction compared to traditional implementation partners
Messaging and tools tailored to Syngenta’s unique culture and global footprint.
Clear roadmaps with defined interventions across all regions
Self-sufficient implementation capability across all business functions
Increased program visibility through distinctive campaign identity
Enabled on-time, on-brand, on-message, and on-budget rollout across all countries