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Why choose employee and worker ownership?

Employee and worker owned businesses unlock the potential of people, businesses and the economy by offering workers a stake and a say. 

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Employee owners from Tenscare

There is evidence these inclusive business models have strong governance and engagement that drives increased performance, resilience and employee wellbeing - supporting and growing sustainable jobs.

At scale, these businesses can support more inclusive and resilient economies - offering economic and social benefits in the communities in which they are based.

And the key business models for employee and worker ownership are simple, flexible, proven and tax efficient.

    Our experience is that workers are much more motivated when they own and run the business, and sustainable businesses are good for the economy, communities, workers and their families.
    - Debbie Clarke, worker-owner Unicorn Grocery
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    Four worker owners from Unicorn Grocery
    - Workers own Unicorn Grocery in Manchester

    Employee and worker ownership - the facts

    • There are around 1,100 worker and employee owned businesses in the UK
    • Together they contribute over £40 billion to the UK economy and provide 200,000 jobs
    • About two thirds of SMEs do not have a documented and communicated succession plan
    • Employee ownership as a succession plan  is growing - 1 in 20 of all private business sales are to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
    • New start co-ops are nearly twice as likely to survive their first five years as other types of business
    • Worker co-ops in the UK create 35 percent more ‘job’ with every £1 of turnover than UK employers as a whole.
    Making the move to employee ownership was an evolution of our values, benefitting not just the business and its customers, but its team of employee-owners too. It’s had a transformational impact on the way we operate, and our output.
    - Neil Wright, Managing Director, Tenscare

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