Recognising talented and inspiring employees

Syngenta is a leading global agriculture company based in Basel, Switzerland, with a strong success record in developing plant enhancement programmes, helping to improve global food security. They are keen to ensure their employees have the opportunity to be recognised for supporting their purpose – Bringing Plant Potential to Life – and their corporate values, and to share their individual and team stories widely inside the company, so others can learn from their successes.

From this ambition sprang the Syngenta Awards which began in 2005. Syngenta asked Philip to help them design the awards programme, develop a wide range of support materials and act as an advisor to the Head of Internal Engagement.

Philip worked closely with the Head of Internal Engagement, her team and a small team of fellow consultants to establish the awards scheme in detail – from core principles to the entry procedure, judging process and awards ceremonies. An entry booklet told all employees about the awards, what their objectives were, and how they could enter. We wrote many of the stories, based on original drafts from entrants in the four global regions. Philip also created guidance on how to tell/write great stories – something that was eventually encapsulated in a Storytelling and Writing Guide.

He then guided the development of a wide range of promotional materials, including posters and desk cards, so the scheme could be promoted locally. To help those who could influence employees most to enter, a Leaders’ and Mobilisers’ Guide was developed.  It gave these people detailed advice on how to try to ensure the maximum number of entries from their discipline, country or region. All materials were created in five languages.

A very large proportion of Syngenta’s 29,000 people in over 90 countries around the world are engaged, in one way or another, with the awards programme. Each year for many years, target numbers of entries have been exceeded.

The Syngenta Awards are now recognised as one of the key driving forces inside the company – to share innovative ideas and to create wide recognition of people’s successes. The awards are now in their 12^th year, testament to their enormous success.