SYNGENTA:
How strategic engagement turned a tech implementation into a business-wide transformation
Client
Syngenta AG
Industry
Agrobusiness and Chemicals
Size
30,000 employees, in more than 80 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
"I didn't want a partner who would take over our project for a long time. I wanted one who'd be there where it counted, help us make the right calls and lay the strategic groundwork, so the rest could move fast and cost-efficiently, in-house. That's what we found in COSYN. Early on, they partnered with us to step back and reframe the program: not a technical necessity, but a compelling business story, Unlock our Data Potential. From there, we built together the narrative and a toolbox that let our own stakeholders and team roll out coherently and on-message across 80 countries, 20 production sites and four finance centers, ultimately engaging 10,000 end users. When we went live, adoption was very high across all functions and territories, which let us cut our planned four-month hypercare to two and a half. A great team effort."
Jorge Lopez
Program Director and Head of Groups Transformation Office Syngenta