We Are GRE: A cooperative commitment to shared purpose and values

What originated as a rallying cry among the first cohort of people to work for Great River Energy was recently given renewed life — and purpose — for the current class of cooperative employees: We Are GRE.

More than 25 years after Great River Energy was formed, this slogan still applies to the cross-functional unity that spans the cooperative’s various locations and facilities through a foundation of intentional culture and values.

The refreshed We Are GRE campaign was unveiled at an all-employee meeting with a goal to preserve and elevate the cooperative’s culture through short- and long-term initiatives.

At the core of these initiatives is an updated set of values that guide employees as they work and collaborate:

• Safety: We promote and provide safety in all environments.
• Member driven: We exist to serve our member-owner cooperatives, whose best interests are at the heart of our work.
• Employee committed: We invest in one another as individuals.
• Integrity: We are honest, ethical, transparent and accountable.
• Inclusion: We value people, perspectives and experiences.

“Our values empower a culture of consistent accountability to each other, our members and our mission by defining how we work, lead and treat each other — both as individual contributors and as an organization,” said Great River Energy Director of Culture, Communications and Strategy David Ranallo. “These five values are the lens through which all decisions are made.”

Ranallo added that these values “connect people to purpose and act as a cultural North Star — helping to bridge the difference in role, tenure and location.”

This aspect is especially pertinent as the cooperative has welcomed 230 new employees in the last five years, opening the door to a new generation of employees across its locations in Minnesota and North Dakota.

“No matter your title or work location, we have these values in common,” Ranallo said.

Beyond the updated list of values, We Are GRE will encompass experiences for employees to build camaraderie and ways to build relationships with one another to help build on the foundation of culture. Additionally, all employees were encouraged to consider applying to a cross-functional We Are GRE Council that kicks off in June and will be dedicated to cultivating, designing and steering the culture that makes Great River Energy a great place to work.