Case Studies
See how PPO helped leading industry players optimize their project portfolio management
Client: Certa
Web: https://certaireland.ie/
Industry: Energy
The Client
Ireland’s largest fuel supplier, Certa, a business with a proud legacy in the energy sector – servicing commercial, industrial, residential and mobility sectors with fuel, lubricants and renewable energy for over 40 years. The Certa Ireland brand is owned and operated by DCC Plc who provide solutions across three transformative sectors: Energy, Healthcare and Technology. DCC employs over 16,000 colleagues in 22 countries, across four continents.
In March 2023, Certa established its Project Management Office (PMO) to create a unified approach to managing its growing portfolio of change initiatives. The PMO operates as a centralised hub, managing projects across strategic, divisional, and business unit levels. Its focus is on driving alignment, ensuring governance compliance, and delivering projects efficiently across all areas of the business.
The Challenge
Certa faced significant internal transformation following a series of acquisitions and a rebrand in September 2022. The company operated as separate businesses with disparate systems, structures, and processes. This fragmented approach made managing change projects and parallel initiatives increasingly challenging.
The lack of a cohesive project oversight system hindered visibility into project interdependencies, pipeline management, and resource allocation.
“We realised that a reorganisation of the entire business was required. It was becoming increasingly difficult to manage change and deliver multiple projects in parallel.” Mairead Golding, Director of People & Change
The Solution
Certa chose Project Portfolio Office (PPO) for its adaptability, user-friendly interface, and ability to scale with the organisation’s evolving project management maturity. Unlike other tools, PPO offered an implementation approached focused on quick adoption and gradual enhancement:
- Centralisation: A single source of truth for all project-related information, ensuring consistency and improved visibility.
- Flexibility: The ability to start with a basic framework and add controls as Certa’s project management capabilities matured.
- Ease of Use: Intuitive functionality designed for line managers handling projects alongside their day-to-day roles.
- Automated Workflows: Streamlined project registration, pipeline management, and approvals, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual effort.
- Collaboration Features: Tools for tagging teammates and sharing updates within the system, minimising reliance on external communication platforms.
“PPO’s flexibility and focus on usability were critical for us. We needed a solution that would empower our teams, rather than overwhelm them. The tool has been instrumental in enabling our managers to adopt best practices without compromising their other responsibilities.” Fiona MacCormac, PMO Lead
The Results
Certa has seen transformative results since adopting PPO, with an improved ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. The tool has provided a single source of truth, ensuring better project visibility and streamlined communication across all levels of the organisation. Beyond traditional project management, PPO has also become a hub for broader business processes, fostering collaboration and reducing duplication. By leveraging PPO’s resource management tools, Certa’s PMO can now proactively address bottlenecks and allocate resources efficiently.
“One of the most significant changes for us has been the improvement in project reporting. Reports are now automated and delivered regularly, providing a comprehensive overview of the entire project portfolio. Our teams are now more connected, enabling us to tackle projects and day-to-day tasks with confidence and precision.” Mairead Golding, Director of People & Change