How TenneT is making a difference with unit Customer, Connection & Capacity (CCC)
Challenge
A new unit within TenneT aims to address the social impacts of grid congestion. The challenge: how do you bring energy, urgency, and cooperation to an organization accustomed to structure and control?
Results
TenneT takes action through a shared identity, a supported message, and adoptive communication by the stakeholder group.
Client
TenneT is the designated grid operator of the national high-voltage grid in the Netherlands. A new unit has been established within Tennet: Customer, Connection & Capacity (CCC).
In brief
Caroline Bosman and Tijmen van Diepen joined TenneT at nlmtd. The assignment: to help shape a new unit and make a positive impact on the issue of grid congestion.
The team, composed of employees from various TenneT departments, was deliberately not given a classic top-down structure. Instead, a movement of doers emerged: people with guts, energy, and ownership.
nlmtd developed an activating change strategy with precise positioning, visual identity, and adaptive communication for each target group – the result: an internal movement that sets thought and action within TenneT in motion.
A movement only works when people recognize themselves in it. That's why we chose simplicity, ownership, and commitment. It was not a campaign but a culture accelerator.
Challenge
10x as many customer connections per year
CCC’s goal: 10 times as many customer connections annually by 2028. A massive acceleration from years past. So the challenge was not just technical, but primarily human: how do you create energy, urgency, and ownership in a large, analytical organization?
Process
We started with interviews and analyses, formulated guiding principles, and worked on a sharp positioning and adaptive communication strategy for each stakeholder group. Through storytelling formats, visual assets, and activation campaigns, the change was created: a recognizable movement that fosters ownership and makes collaboration easier.
Deepdive in the process
Research
To understand the challenge, we conducted more than 20 interviews with TenneT. The interviews provided insight into the attitudes, expectations, and concerns of various stakeholders. Based on these conversations, we formulated guiding principles for all communications. We mapped the entire stakeholder landscape, determined their desired movement on the commitment curve, and translated this into one communication approach per target group.
Recognizable movement
We worked not toward one central story, but toward one recognizable movement that everyone could embrace in their own way. An own identity that fits the goal of CCC: not another department, but a different way of thinking and acting. The strength of the approach lay in its simplicity and flexibility: no cumbersome plan, but formats that people could fill in themselves and pass on. This made the core of the change crystal clear.
Collective character
The “C” stands for Customer, Connection & Capacity, as well as other words such as Change, Clarity, and Collaboration. Not to mention the C of Catalyst, the accelerator of change.
What was important was the collective nature: everyone could contribute. The adventurous team members drew others along, and soon a network of ambassadors emerged, moving together.
Customized communication plan
For each of the nine stakeholder groups, we developed a customized communication plan tailored to their role, influence, and attitude. Think demo days, war rooms, visualizations, updates, KPI dashboards, storytelling formats, and personal work sessions.
We activated the CCC network as ambassadors and focused on both understanding and behavioral change. The core message and tone of voice deliberately did not align with traditional TenneT communications; they were more engaging. We designed a visual style that conveyed ownership and urgency, from digital assets to office stickers.
Change
By working in sprints, we were able to test, pick up, and adjust quickly. Also important was the integration with CCC’s content side: everything was aimed at accelerating customer connections. No separate communication plan; communication is the engine for change – the result: a shared story, a recognizable face, and above all: movement. People started talking about it and participating, precisely what is needed for change to take root.
Results
A supported identity: nlmtd gave CCC a recognizable and inspiring face within TenneT, bringing the story to life.
Adoptive communication: We developed targeted plans for nine different stakeholder groups that structurally influenced behavior.
Ownership: The communication approach became not a report but a visual, engaging tool that fostered ownership, collaboration, and acceleration.
Thanks to nlmtd, colleagues recognize themselves in the story, and together we really started moving forward. No abstract, boring slides, but progress.
Next steps
Further embed the new way of working across leadership and external communications to ensure the acceleration is permanent.
Conclusion
Tackling congestion requires people, creativity, and guts – exactly the core values you would expect from nlmtd. Together with CCC, we translated a complex task into energy, action, and movement. What began as a small, pioneering team has grown into a recognizable force within TenneT, with guts, optimism, and a healthy dose of rebellion.
Want to know more? We worked on this!
Tijmen van Diepen
Tijmen van Diepen
