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Employee Owned News

June 2013

W/B Monday 17 June 2013

Congratulations to New (Employee Owned) Kids on the Block - Forster Communications

Congratulations to staff at Forster Communications on their move to employee ownership, reflecting a major shift in their structure. Founded in 1996 by Jilly Forster, the move means that nearly half of the shares will be made available to staff through an employee benefit trust. Forster said of the decision: “We’ve always said we’re the social change communications agency and we wanted to be built, owned and driven by our employees so it is fantastic that is now a reality. Employee shareholders have the opportunity to become custodians of the agency and to benefit directly from consolidating our success. I just want to acknowledge the unique energy and commitment of Forster staff and spread the ownership as widely as possible – to those who work here.”. You can read more about them and their future as an employee owned company here.

Welcome to new members Gamevy Limited

We are pleased to welcome Gamevy Ltd into the EOA network. Gamevy are a new company established under an employee owned model, with a small and vibrant team of designers and programmers who want to show the online gaming community the innovation that employee ownership can foster through their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit. You can read more about their work and follow their progress here.

Welcome to new members PB Design & Developments Ltd

We are pleased to welcome PB Design & Developments Ltd into the EOA network. Based in Clevedon, North Somerset, PB Design manufacture and supply standby electrical power systems, and provide services from design through to production, testing, installation, commissioning and maintenance. Their commitment to customer care is reflected in an enviable level of repeat business from an ever-expanding customer base, including many "blue chip" organisations. Their products are in service throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle and Far East and are used wherever power is critical such as electricity supply and distribution, ships, oil rigs, railways, metros, airports and leisure facilities. Since its foundation in 1979, PB Design has worked ceaselessly to develop and bring to the market a full range of battery chargers, UPS, batteries and system services for all types of AC and DC standby applications. You can read more about their work here.

Welcome to new members Union Industries

We are pleased to welcome Union Industries into the EOA network. Union Industries is the trading name of Ralph Ellerker (1795) Ltd and has over two hundred years of manufacturing excellence to its credit. Now internationally established providers of the Matadoor range of industrial high speed roller doors and freezer doors, bespoke environmental products including industrial curtains, screens and enclosures for aircraft maintenance hangars, warehouses, distribution and waste management & primary decontamination units. Based in a fabulous factory in Leeds, old meets new in the fusion of Union's charming old manufacturing workshops and office that houses the latest in 21st century technology, equipment and design expertise. Customers benefit from a highly trained, skilled and long standing workforce and it is the excellence of the people they employ and their ongoing commitment to customer care that have led them to pursue employee ownership. You can read more about them here.

Welcome to new members Mary Knowles Homecare

We are pleased to welcome Mary Knowles Homecare into the EOA network. The Mary Knowles Homecare Partnership are an employee owned business who provide care to those who need help and want to remain independent in their own homes. Passionate about what they do, they genuinely care for their client’s wellbeing and quality of life. “There is no larger challenge facing our society than spiralling healthcare costs. The Mary Knowles Homecare Partnership is being set up to provide outstanding care to those that need it in their own homes, and our key difference is that we are an employee-owned business. We believe that caring for people in their own homes delivers the best possible quality-of-life, and minimises costs to society (when compared for example to hospital or care homes). Because our carers and office team own the business together and have a say in how it's run as well as a stake in it's long-term success, we all have a vested interest in delivering the very best care in our industry. We are excited about the potential for this business model in the care industry.” said Dan Knowles, CEO. You can read more about their work here.

W/B Monday 10 June 2013

John Lewis director appointed as chair of 3BM staff mutual trust

Congratulations to Patrick Lewis, Director of Partnership Services for John Lewis, on his appointment as Chair of Trustees for 3BM, the first local government mutual joint venture, which provides a range of services to schools and strategic services to Local Authorities. 3BM was officially launched in April this year at Hammersmith Town Hall by Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society and was created by staff from three London boroughs, Hammersmith & Fulham, Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and City of Westminster. All 3BM employees are shareholders, alongside Prospects, the education, employment and training company. Prospects is employee owned and is one of the largest public service mutual companies. Their pioneering new model for delivering services to schools through an empowered employee group is a genuine first for the UK.

Employee owned firms outperformed FTSE by almost 50% over Q1 of 2013.

The Employee Ownership Index (EOI) published by law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse, found that the share prices of companies in the EOI were up 13.7%, outperforming the FTSE All Share companies' share prices which were up 9.3%. The EOI also beat the FTSE100 (which rose by 8.7% from 5,897.80 to 6,411.70) over the first three months of the year despite the blue-chip index seeing its best January performance since 1989. The Index monitors the share price performance of listed companies, comparing the performance of FTSE All-Share companies with companies that are over 10% owned by employees. According to Field Fisher Waterhouse, an investment of £100 in the EOI when the index began in January 1992 would have been worth £745 by the end of March 2013. However the same investment in the FTSE All-Share Index would only have been worth £275. You can read more here.

South Yorkshire Innovation Helps South African Business Grow

When one of South Africa’s largest online stores wanted a faster, safer, more efficient and economical way to handle products, locally based businesses recommended Loadhog’s Pally solution. The South Yorkshire-based transit packaging innovator subsequently secured its first major contract in South Africa with a wheeled pallet solution from Kalahari, the fastest growing, market leader in the country’s e-commerce sector for the widespread supply of books, films, games and electronics. Hundreds of Pallys were supplied to store and transport a huge range of goods in Kalahari’s distribution centre in Cape Town and following significant growth, further orders have been received for Cape Town and a second centre in Johannesburg.

Employee Ownership Solutions for the Private Sector

If you are based in or near Cardiff, or are free to be on Friday 28th June, why not attend what looks like an excellent session on employee ownership and succession planning. Highlighting an approach that ensures businesses are passed to a passionate team of people who have a vested interest in their future success, local businesses at the forefront of Wales’ employee owned sector will give real life examples of business owners and employees who have embraced the employee ownership model. Focussing on the importance of succession planning, the employee ownership opportunity for the Welsh Economy and managing the employee ownership transition, speakers include the Business Succession Team from the Wales Co-operative Centre, Barry Wise from Aber Instruments & Steve Meredith from PrimePac Solutions Ltd. Sign up here.

W/B Monday 3 June 2013

Employee Ownership Day - Get Involved!

Planning continues for the inauguaral Employee Ownership Day on 4th July. Ministers have designated Thursday 4 July 2013 as the first UK Employee Ownership Day and alongside a series of Ministerial visits, a national conference and our annual Parliamentary Dinner a number of new publications with guidance and advice on how to move into, and get the best from, employee ownership will be published. And EOA members across the country will be celebrating with their staff, suppliers, customers, and local businesses and communities. We are working with members and friends to plan events and activities for Employee Ownership day. If you would like to get involved in any way and if you would like a campaign pack for the day, please contact us. You can sign up for more information here.

Social Care Excellence of Sunderland Home Care Associates Lauded

Sunderland Home Care Associates (SHCA) have been delivering heal and social care services in the North East for nearly twenty years. As they near their annual birthday celebrations, Executive Director Margaret Elliott has spoken to the Guardian about their pioneering work at the Cafe in the Park in Herrington Country Park near Sunderland and the fact that every employee of SHCA has a share in the business. The Cafe In The Park opened last year in conjunction with the local council and employs seven staff with learning difficulties, all of whom are part-owners of SHCA by virtue of their work for the organisation. The continued innovation of SHCA has helped to position the north east business on the cutting edge of social care provision in the UK. With 450 staff and an annual turnover of £5m, the entire staff team is dedicated to helping older, disabled and vulnerable people remain in their own homes to live as independent a life as possible for as long as possible by providing a personal care service. You can read more here.

W/B Monday 27 May 2013

Unity Trust Bank Gift Shares to Staff

Unity Trust Bank is establishing an employee share ownership plan (ESOP) to ensure staff share in the bank’s success now and in the future. The plan will see the creation of an employee benefit trust (EBT) which will acquire and distribute shares to staff. The bank has provided a £50,000 gift to the trust to set up the scheme and acquire shares from the current shareholders, which include trade unions and the Co-operative Bank. All staff members who have worked at Unity Trust Bank for one year will receive an initial gift of 100 shares with those boasting 10 years' service receiving a further 100 shares. Through the annual profit sharing scheme staff can also opt to receive shares instead of cash. Trustees of the EBT will include staff representatives and an independent trustee. Almost 100% of staff have signed up to the plan. Read more here.

Golder Associates Celebrate 40 Years of Employee Owned Success

Forty years is a great landmark for any company and we’re delighted to congratulate employee-owned Golder Associates (UK) Ltd in celebrating 40 years of business success in July 2013. A global, employee-owned organisation, Golder Associates has over 180 offices worldwide, and over 9,000 employees across their independent consulting, design, and construction services in specialist areas including earth, environment, and energy. With staff engaged in projects both locally and abroad for clients mainly in mining and oil and gas but also in key areas of waste, energy and manufacturing, the company are keen to share their model of success and will be making further announcements shortly.

Congratulations to Voice Technologies

Congratulations to speech recognition software firm Voice Technologies, who have just successfully transitioned into employee ownership! The Paisley and Sheffield based company was founded by Heather Wylie in 1996 and employs 24 people. In an interview with the Scotsman, Ms Wylie explained: “By becoming employee-owned, everyone with the business owns part of the business. We felt that shared ownership offered a unique and entrepreneurial way forward, and one that will help provide security and drive growth.” You can read more here.