Building a Green-Movement Culture at E.ON Italia

This case showcases an energy company CEO who is attempting to transform his sustainability-oriented organization into a social movement culture. After becoming CEO of E.ON Italia in 2021, Frank Meyer envisioned transforming the company from a small challenger in the Italian energy market into one of the leading companies in the country's green energy transition. To do so, he sought to translate E.ON Italia's enthusiasm for sustainability into a culture built on the values of a green social movement. He believed the culture would motivate both his employees and the Italian public to embrace the renewable energy transition. Under Meyer's leadership, the company implemented metrics regarding E.ON Italia's sustainability goals, created cross-functional teams to discuss the company's sustainability initiatives, and adjusted its internal practices to reflect its commitment to sustainability. Meanwhile, E.ON Italia continued sustainability efforts that pre-dated Meyer's tenure, such as a volunteer beach cleanup project and a series of high-visibility marketing campaigns that highlighted the risks of climate change. In late 2022, Meyer sought to expand the movement beyond E.ON Italia by launching "Make Italy Green," a marketing initiative that challenged all Italians to join the green movement.
In January 2024, Meyer reflected on E.ON Italia's progress toward the green energy transition and wondered what the company should do next in its ongoing mission to make Italy green. How could he scale his efforts to combat climate change? Had he built a culture in the company that was strong enough to endure? The teaching note outlines a framework for evaluating the components of organizational culture and includes specifics regarding the videos with the E.ON Italia leadership team, embedded in the case, that support case preparation, in-class discussion, and key learning points.