Sponsor viewpoint: Baxendale
“Employee ownership in the UK is in impeccable health. 17 years after Baxendale launched our mission to create more EO businesses, each month that goes by sees the sector’s strength in depth grow – and we expect and hope to see that reflected in the 11th annual EO Awards in November.
In 2017 alone, Baxendale has already worked with more than 40 clients either moving to employee ownership or looking to get the most out of their existing employee ownership.
Our clients say they like working with us because of the sheer extent of our experience (not only having helped so many clients on their journeys, but having been EO ourselves since we were a manufacturing business back in 1983); and the unique range of knowledge and flexibility we bring to each project.
Our 18 employees (or partners, as we call each other) include expert lawyers and accountants, alongside ex-Big 4 consultants, and provide specialist advice on culture and engagement, legal structures, taxation, financial modelling, accessing capital, capturing wider social impact and many other technical areas.
Over the last 8 weeks we have been privileged to support the EOA’s current Ownership Effect Inquiry and have been inspired hearing one incredible story after another of businesses and organisations using employee ownership to fully realise their potential – both commercially and in terms of the wider social impact they have on their employees and wider communities.
This blend of commercial and broader positive impact is one of the themes that we will be exploring at the EOA’s annual conference in November. It also led to the introduction of a new award category this year: the Employee Owned Positive Impact of the Year award.
The continued growth of EO across the UK (and beyond) means that there has never been a better time to celebrate the successes of our sector with the Employee Ownership Awards. And the sheer number of organisations with amazing stories to tell means that this should be the best year yet for the awards. The judges (of which we are one) will not have an easy task.
The present and future is bright for EO and we are very glad to be part of the journey.