Building Worker Wealth and Stronger Companies

Employee ownership shares wealth with the workers who help create it. Meet the employee owners whose lives have already changed and join the growing movement to make it the norm rather than the exception.
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It isn’t just the financial rewards that have been life changing. Being an owner has given me a sense of initiative and drive that have changed the way I think about myself.

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Laura Delgado · Warehouse Supervisor, Brea, California
"

We’re all working towards a common goal. We’re working for ourselves even though we’re working for a company. We’re working to build our future wealth.

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Jules Pequignot · Senior Process Technician, Fort Wayne, Indiana
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I’d been struggling for so many years. I didn’t finish college. I didn’t have any direction, but now I realized, this is a career. I can build on this. These guys believe in me.

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Dylan Akins · Sales Manager, Hartford, South Dakota
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We’re producing something special here. Yes, we’re making high-quality metal building parts, but we’re also building wealth and security for families across Arkansas and beyond.

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Jeren Chandler · Operations Manager, Springdale, Arkansas
2.5x
the retirement savings of comparable workers (NCEO)
6.7%
Increase in productivity (Kurtulus et al., Rutgers)
93%
of voters support broad-based employee ownership (Public Opinion Strategies, June 2023)
58%
lower quit rate (NCEO)

An ESOP, in plain English

Most corporate ownership structures reward those at the top. Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) allow companies to share wealth with those who help create it across the entirety of its workforce. Here’s the whole idea in three steps — and what it means for your job and future.
Read the full explainer →
01
Company sets up trust for employees
The company places stock in a trust for workers. Workers typically pay nothing — not a dollar out of pocket — and ESOP contributions are almost never intended to replace any wages or benefits workers would otherwise receive.
02
Workers share in the company’s success
Companies typically make annual contributions to the ESOP. Shares in the ESOP are allocated to employees. The better the stock does, and the more shares you get, the more wealth you build.
03
You cash out when you retire
Companies buy back your shares when you retire.
The politics

Once voters learn more about employee ownership, support is off the charts, with very strong intensity across political parties.

“After you read the definition, please indicate if you support or oppose broad based employee ownership.”
93%
total support
7% total oppose
Strongly support
46%
Somewhat support
47%
Somewhat oppose
6%
Strongly oppose
1%
By party
Net margin
Base GOP
20% of voters
89%
11%
+78
Soft/Lean GOP
20% of voters
89%
11%
+78
Independent
16% of voters
92%
8%
+84
Soft/Lean Dem
18% of voters
95%
5%
+90
Base Dem
26% of voters
98%
2%
+96
Support
Oppose
Employee Ownership National Online Survey · June 22–29, 2023 · Public Opinion Strategies
See the path forward →
The barriers

If ESOPs work this well, why do fewer than 6,500 companies offer them?

The model works. Years of academic research proves it. Yet ESOP adoption is stagnant. Here are the five reasons why.
Companies with ESOPs
Companies with ESOPs, 2011 to 2023: 6,655 falling to 6,243 in 2020, recovering to 6,411.

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More Than 100 Coalition Members and Growing
3LS40 Million Owners44NAegis Trust CompanyAlceoAll Hands PartnersApis & Heritage Capital PartnersArentFox SchiffArgent TrustAVIDBCLPBDOBerman HopkingsBipartisan Policy CenterBlank RomeBlue RidgeBMOBrubakerBusiness Transition AdvisorsButcher Joseph & Co.Central StatesCertified Mark (black)ChartwellChristensen Group InsuranceCitizensConscious CapitalismCoRise CapitalDeloitteDemocracy CollaborativeDEVINE MILLIMETEmpire Valuation ConsultantsEmpowered VenturesEO Program Aspen InstituteEOXESOP Law GroupESOP OneEYFaegre DrinkerFord FoundationGo ESOP LLCGreatBanc Trust CompanyHB GlobalHDHHolland HartHolland KnightHoulihan Lokeyita groupJP MorganKattenKDVKelly Mitchell
ZolidarWORCWells FargoWeb IndustriesVerit AdvisorsVentura TrustVedder PriceUBSTorana GroupTi TrustThompson HineThe Aspen InstituteSummit Fiduciary GroupStoutStonehavenStoneage HoldingsSterling EngineeringState Street Investment ManagementSpinkker TrustShoemaker ConsultingSheppardses-esop-no-companies-colorSEACRSMRopes GrayRBC Wealth ManagementPrudential FinancialPrudent FiduciaryProject EquityPrinciplePredistribution InitiativePraxisPolsinelliPNCownAIOmidyarNewportNCEOCN&G Legal GroupMy PathMorgan LewisMonarchMitchell MartinMenkeMcDermott Will & EmeryLoop CapitalLevenfeld PearlsteinKrollKlienbard llcKirkland & EllisKHORSAND ESOP ADVISORY