How strategic engagement turned a tech implementation into a business-wide transformation

Client: Syngenta
Agency: COSYN
Role: Strategist
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 a 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

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