With nearly 150 years of history, SGS is the world leader in testing, inspection and certification. The group employs nearly 100,000 people worldwide through 2,500 offices and laboratories.
In a context of continuous transformation and the deployment of an ambitious strategy by 2027, SGS France A selection of its 140 top managers has been brought together for a large-scale seminar. The objective: to strengthen the understanding of performance issues and anchor the key messages around individual and collective responsibility.
Hélène Largement, Commercial Director, Marketing and Strategy at SGS France, piloted this strategic project with Marie Kovalenko, HR Business Partner responsible for the employee experience, and in close collaboration with the Codir and the Communication team.
In collaboration with the talenco teams, a customized solution has been developed, combining Collective intelligence, immersive experience and innovative pedagogies, To inspire commitment and give shape to the company’s strategy.
In this interview conducted by Cyrille Chaudoit, Hélène, co-founder of talenco, talks about the initial intentions, the pedagogical approaches, the highlights of the seminar, the feedback from the participants, and the tailor-made support provided by talenco.
Aligning strategy and action: a leadership seminar to embody the 2027 vision
H.L. This seminar was part of a dynamic driven by our Director General for three years now, Alain Guy, who has reinstated a leadership team of 140 managers on the scale of SGS France. It brings together the management committees of each Business line – industry, Natural Resources, certification, automotive, Pharma & Cosmetics… – as well as key support functions such as HR, finance, procurement or IT.
The objective of this now annual event was clear: to anchor the 2027 strategy defined by our CEO. Géraldine Picaud in a logic of concrete actions, at all levels.
Presenting a strategy in top-down It’s not enough. What we wanted was to allow a real appropriation of the messages surrounding the performance and the ’ accountability »: that everyone, in their role, knows How to actively contribute to this ambition.
Co-creating the management seminar with the Codir to give it meaning
H.L. For this edition, we have chosen a real co-construction, involving the entire Codir upstream. This was the first time. We wanted to start from the realities on the ground, the needs of the teams, and build a program with high added value. All the participants had also completed their DISC profile before the seminar: this enriched our approach.
We were looking for a partner who could support us both in terms of substance and form. This is not very common. We chose talenco because what convinced us was their pragmatic approach, their ability to challenge our ideas, understand our challenges, and co-create a powerful program.
There was a real team effort with the consultants, in a spirit of co-construction and intelligent collaboration.
Strengthening the collective commitment of leading managers through experiential pedagogies
H.L. The seminar was built around a strong diversity of formats and modalities.
- We began the seminar with our traditional Trophy ceremony (innovation, security…) which allowed us to break the ice and get everyone on board from the very beginning.
- For the rest, with the exception of one inspiring introduction by our DG, Which is a moment awaited by the participants, the seminar took place in a very subdued manner.« top-down ».
- After the introduction, three round tables they structured the program around key themes: the relationships between support functions and the field, operational excellence, and commercial performance. Each Business line was represented, which strengthened the sense of inclusion.
We then proposed several highlights :
- One immersive experience, in the form of serious game, where the participants were required to develop a turnaround plan based on a P&L (Profit & Loss account). This has enabled us to develop methodological reflexes and to bring about a real collective intelligence. The playful side has created a real emulation.
- A sharing success stories presented in small groups by several businesses, who were able to share their good practices and the ingredients that enabled their success.
- A DISC workshop, with small group situations, mixing the Business lines. The goal was to better understand behavioral profiles, to increase the impact of communication, and to work better together. Again, the implementation worked very well.
Finally, we have broadcasted some Video testimonies Internships in various formats. This format engages and greatly rewards employees.
Activating a trigger in the management community regarding collaboration between teams
The feedback has been excellent. For many, it was the best seminar they had attended.
What emerged was the awareness of the power of the collective, the importance of soliciting the other functions or Business lines in solving problems.
There has also been a real impact on the adoption of the DISC method, which is gradually becoming part of our management culture.
Instal a dynamic of sustainable transformation with a customized solution
H.L. Beyond the seminar itself, the support provided by talenco enabled Continue the momentum in the company. We immediately built a training program for the P&L Owners and other managers, with modules on HR management, time management, and Business cases directly derived from the game used during the seminar.
What I appreciate about talenco is their multidisciplinary team, their ability to combine depth of knowledge and quality of animation. They have managed to evolve our formats while adapting to our culture.
They know us well now, and that’s a real strength. Transformation is a long-term, ongoing process. Having a partner who is able to commit to us in the long term, who challenges us and helps us grow is precious!
Many thanks to Hélène Largement for the richness of this exchange and the trust placed in talenco, which already bodes well for beautiful projects together. This type of collaborative and co-constructed approach perfectly illustrates our belief: to turn an enterprise strategy into real impact, it is necessary to rely on collective intelligence, the commitment of teams… and the right partner!
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