The Rockwool Group: delivering business growth through culture change

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to show how The Rockwool Group has undergone an impressive change journey in recent years. Under the leadership of its president and chief executive officer, Eelco van Heel, the business has successfully redefined its strategic objectives, clarified its vision and mission and positively changed its culture to one that focuses firmly on people and values. The aim of this article is to examine the strategic role that HR has played in helping the organization meet its goals.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study discusses how managers across the global Rockwool business have been empowered to take on the mantle of change and adapt their own behavior for the good of the wider business. It examines the leadership approach taken to launching the change program and identifies how challenges were overcome in gaining buy‐in from across the organization.

Findings

Through the “Leading People & Brands” program, which encourages managers to mobilize their people to undertake positive change, the Rockwool Group has successfully cascaded responsibility for change throughout the organization.

Originality/value

This case study demonstrates the importance of going beyond simply communicating a new vision to gaining buy‐in from employees. This was achieved at Rockwool by listening and responding to feedback and adapting the launch program so that its message was simpler, understood by all, easy to translate into action and involved managers in its implementation.

Citation

Geisler Hansen, P. and Soerensen, J. (2009), "The Rockwool Group: delivering business growth through culture change", Strategic HR Review, Vol. 8 No. 1, pp. 5-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/14754390910920411