EOA Live | What can we learn from the evolving employee ownership landscape?

Helene John on 19th Jun 2026

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EOA Live | What can we learn from the evolving employee ownership landscape?

Employee ownership is often discussed in terms of governance and structure. But in reality, its value lies in how collective ownership is felt by our people at Curtins, and how in turn this enables greater action towards purposeful work and social impact.

Recently, I attended an Employee Ownership Association event at the Library of Birmingham, bringing together organisations at different stages of their employee ownership journey. The day provided an opportunity to reflect not only on progress across the sector, but on the purpose underpinning it.

A growing and changing sector

The day opened with insights from the Employee Ownership Association, a session led by James de le Vingne, who highlighted how the sector continues to evolve.

There is growing interest in employee ownership across new sectors, particularly health and social care. This expansion reflects a wider recognition that employee ownership can drive resilience, engagement and long term success.

However, continued progress depends on collaboration. Gathering insight from existing employee owned businesses will be critical in shaping future support, particularly in areas such as financing, where clearer pathways could unlock further growth.

Goals and Markers

One of the most powerful insights came from former international rugby player Philippa Tuttiett, who spoke about the importance of distinguishing between goals and markers.

Markers, she said, are milestones that indicate progress. But they are not the goal itself.

This distinction is particularly relevant in employee ownership. Becoming an Employee Ownership Trust is a significant milestone, but it is not the end objective. For Curtins, this milestone was ‘achieved’ in 2021, but it’s only more recently that we’ve started to feel its impact. Ultimately, the goal is to create long-term value for people, communities and society.

A shared purpose

One of the clearest themes throughout the day was the importance of connection.

Employee ownership is most effective when people feel part of something bigger than their day-to-day role. That sense of shared purpose can influence culture, decision making, and ultimately the outcomes organisations deliver.

But it also raises a challenge: how do you make that sense of ownership feel real and meaningful in everyday work?

Social Impact and Employee Ownership

As part of the day, I joined a panel discussion on “The Social Impact of Employee Ownership,” which explored how organisations are translating ownership into meaningful outcomes.

At Curtins, social impact is one way this comes to life, but not as a standalone activity. It’s reflected in the work we do, the projects we support, and the initiatives shaped by our people.

From community-focused projects like the Satellite Radiotherapy Unit and Embassy Village, to STEM outreach and internal initiatives that support a more inclusive workplace, the approach continues to evolve based on what matters most to our co-owners.

Do organisations sometimes overlook the impact already happening in their day-to-day work?

One point that stood out during the discussion was this:

Often, the most meaningful starting point isn’t creating something new but recognising and building on what already exists.

Measuring what matters

A key theme of the event was the importance of measuring social impact effectively.

At Curtins, we are continuously developing how we plan, measure and evaluate our social impact. This ensures our initiatives are not only meaningful but deliver tangible outcomes for the communities we serve.

But this comes with a question: are we measuring what's easiest or what's most meaningful?

At Curtins, we’re continuing to develop how we approach this, ensuring that what we measure reflects real outcomes, both for our people and the communities we work in.

Final Reflection

The event closed with an awards dinner celebrating the achievements of employee-owned organisations and the impact they are having on their people and communities.

It was a strong reminder that the true value of employee ownership isn’t defined by structure alone, but by how it shapes people, purpose, and the work we do every day.