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Through the #1MillionOwners campaign, Employee Ownership Association (EOA) and Co-operatives UK are working together to champion the expansion of employee and worker ownership in the UK.

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Together, we're advocating a five-fold expansion in employee and worker ownership over the next decade, leading to one million employee and worker owners in the UK by 2030. 

It's ambitious, but crucial if we're to improve job creation and retention; if we want to increase productivity; if we want more inclusive businesses; if we want more sustainable development and good work. 

We are calling for this to be a policy objective nationally and locally, with funding allocated by the Westminster Government in the next Spending Review. 

Want to know more?

Read our full campaign proposal 
To me the decision to sell the company to my colleagues was an obvious one. Nobody knew my business better than the people in it and we’d created a culture together.
- Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds

What do we want government to do?

  • Help create and retain 1 million good jobs as part of COVID-19 response and over the next decade, by supporting more businesses to voluntarily adopt employee and worker ownership 
  • Help secure the future of potentially viable businesses and jobs
  • Help more people to build great new livelihoods through entrepreneurship 

Why?

  • A major expansion in employee and worker ownership would help government to achieve its objectives for job retention and creation, levelling up, productivity, inclusive and sustainable development and good work.
  • Government could expect a sixfold return on investment for every pound spent.

How?

  • Government action is needed to address clear information and support failures that prevent too many entrepreneurs and businesses from exploring and adopting employee and worker ownership, even when there is a fit with their economic and social aspirations.
  • We propose allocating £10 million in the next Spending Review to support up to 20 Combined Authorities or Local Enterprise Partnerships to participate in our Ownership Hub programme. The Ownership Hub is a new multi-million pound programme that works in local business support ecosystems to:
    • increase awareness and understanding of employee and worker ownership among entrepreneurs, workers, business owners and those who advise them
    • provide expert advice and support to aid the voluntary adoption of employee and worker ownership at start-up, during early development and via conversion

Pledge your support

Want help us create 1 million owners? Sign our pledge form