Podcast
EOA Podcast: Episode 19 – ‘EO can be transformational for workers in low-paid sectors’
Listen below to Episode 19 of the EOA Podcast, which is all about how being employee owned can be transformational for workers at all levels of an EO business, especially those in traditionally low-paid sectors.
This episode builds on the special EO Day podcast which tied into our theme of #TheEOeffect and showcasing the impact of employee ownership, inspired by Tracey Round of Scottish employee owned fish supplier Aquascot summing up what EO means to her in just one word – “opportunity”.
Hear from Russell Brown, the Chief Executive at Shaw Healthcare, on the ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 18 – #TheEOeffect
Listen below to Episode 18 of the EOA Podcast, which is all about #TheEOeffect – the theme of EO Day 2023, our annual national celebration of all things employee ownership.
The purpose of this theme is to showcase the impact employee ownership has on employees, businesses, the wider economy and communities.
To help us highlight this impact, Episode 18 features an employee owned business headquartered in Bolton, an employee from a Scottish EO business, an employee ownership adviser, and a not-for-profit organisation that is all about helping communities thrive...
EOA Podcast: Episode 17 – Communicating EO transition news to employees
Listen below to Episode 17 of the EOA Podcast, which focuses on how to communicate an employee ownership transition to your team and why it’s important to factor internal comms into your planning as part of the journey to becoming employee owned.
We know from speaking to members that the transition process goes more smoothly when communications are planned out and well thought through, ensuring the message really hits home with employees about why the decision has been made, and to help build understanding and increase engagement.
To explore this further, this ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 16 – Embedding an EO culture globally
Episode 16 of the EOA Podcast focuses on how to embed an employee ownership culture globally when a UK business has international operations.
As more EO businesses think about future growth and the possibility of expanding their operations globally, this episode showcases how businesses of different sizes, and with different employee ownership models, go about embedding their employee ownership overseas in a practical and operational context.
This episode features three of our member businesses to hear first-hand some of the lessons learnt, challenges faced and tips ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 15 – Putting your people first in an EO business
Episode 15 of the EOA Podcast explores the link between employee ownership and putting people front and centre of your business strategy and purpose.
We find out how becoming employee owned supported three of our member businesses to focus on their people. We also look at how, for some companies, transitioning to employee ownership is a natural fit because of the people-centric culture already embedded in the business.
Evidence shows that employee owned businesses engage their employees in a more meaningful way.
At the EOA, we believe that businesses that give ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 14 – Two years EO: What it means to be an employee owner | Behind the scenes special
Episode 14 of the EOA Podcast goes behind the scenes at one of our EOA members to hear first hand from its employees about what it feels like to own a company and to share some of the lessons learned in its first two years EO.... Listen below!
Inspired by EOA President Patrick Lewis challenging the employee ownership sector to tell their stories during his speech at the 2022 EOA Annual Conference, the EOA was invited to Cheltenham, in Gloucestershire, to visit an employee-owned company that transitioned in February 2021.
Haremi is a global learning company with a ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 13 – Bringing ‘Good EO’ to life
Episode 13 of the EOA Podcast showcases how some of our members are bringing good employee ownership (or 'Good EO') to life.... Listen below!
There are three pillars that we feel are essential to deliver an excellent employee ownership culture – good communications and engagement, good leadership, and good governance.
In this episode, we hear from people at four employee-owned businesses who were recognised during our 2022 EO Stories competition for delivering ‘Good EO’, through either good leadership, engagement, governance, or an outstanding EO culture.
E...
EOA Podcast: Episode 12 – Empowering employees to act like owners
Episode 12 of the EOA Podcast explores the theme of empowering employees to act like owners.
In this episode, you will hear tips on how to empower employees to make an impact in an employee-owned business; how one of our members has gone about empowering its employees in its first two years being EO; and also from the chair of an employee voice group on how she and her colleagues have become empowered.
Each year, the EOA runs a series of virtual and in-person networking events to help share insight and best practice to the wider EO community, as well as those ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 11 – The synergy between B Corps and employee ownership
Episode 11 of the EOA Podcast explores the growing trend of employee-owned businesses gaining or applying for B Corp certification. Listen below...
There are now 1,000 B Corp-certified businesses in the UK and just under 10 per cent of these are employee owned.
In this episode you will hear all about the B Corp movement from the not-for-profit organisation that started the accreditation scheme, while three employee-owned businesses at different stages of their B Corp journey also share why becoming certified was important to them and the benefits they are ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 10: Bringing the EO sector together
Episode 10 of the EOA Podcast focuses on the value of bringing the EO sector together.
Three years after our last in-person EOA Conference, we were all back together again as 670 delegates from across the sector turned out at the ACC in Liverpool on October 3 and 4, 2022, to explore the conference theme of ‘unlocking potential’.
And the EOA Podcast was there to hear first-hand from members what value they get from travelling from different corners of the UK to share their experiences and celebrate all things employee ownership.
This episode hears from a ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 9: The importance of succession planning
Episode 9 of the EOA Podcast focuses on the importance of succession planning in a business.
It has been said that the next five years are critical for 120,000 businesses in relation to succession, with a significant proportion of family owned or small to medium-sized businesses not having succession plans despite founders or business owners retiring in the next five years.
This episode raises awareness of the importance of succession planning and how employee ownership fits into the mix of different solutions.
We hear from the MD of an employee-owned business and ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 8: Reaping the benefits of the decision to become EO – member case studies
The theme of Episode 8 of the EOA Podcast focuses on the motivations of EOA members that transitioned to employee ownership in the past few years – and how they are reaping the benefits of this move.
This episode provides case study examples – with employee-owned businesses sharing insights and first-hand experiences from their own EO journeys.
Employee-owned companies represent a wide variety of sectors and to demonstrate this, Episode 8 features four very different businesses.
Episode interviews
Creative Space Management: The Managing Director and joint ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 7 – Onboarding and inducting employee owners
The theme of Episode 7 of the EOA Podcast is around onboarding new recruits into a business’s employee ownership culture or integrating EO into a newly transitioned company…. and around the role of inductions of employee owners in both of these.
To showcase this onboarding theme, we are sharing insight from some of the larger companies in our membership.
This episode we hear from three EOA trustee members that featured in the 2022 Top 50 list of employee-owned companies by size, compiled by RM2, about how they integrate employee ownership into this process.
Ep...
EOA Podcast: Episode 6 – How and why we celebrate EO
The theme of Episode 6 of the EOA Podcast is around how we celebrate and shout about employee ownership and why it’s important to do this.
As the go-to place for employee ownership, the EOA is all about championing the sector, sharing insight and spreading our passion for all things EO.
We do this in many ways, such as through our events like the upcoming EOA Annual Conference on October 3rd and 4th in Liverpool – for which tickets are now on sale!
But there is also one day a year where thousands of employee owners, EO businesses and supporters of employee ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 5 – Considerations before, during and after transitioning to employee ownership
The theme of Episode 5 of the EOA Podcast is around the considerations for owners or founders before, during and after transitioning their business to employee ownership.
The episode will hear from three supporter members of the Employee Ownership Association (EOA), who each bring a different perspective and specialism to advise on this topic as we look to help those exploring employee ownership as a possible succession option for their business.
You will hear about the legal, admin, governance, finance, funding and investment considerations for an owner during an ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 4 – Impact & Influence
Episode 4 of the EOA Podcast is all about the theme of impact and influence. Listen now at the base of this article.
The EOA seeks to use its influence, and to work with its members, to seize the political, economic and digital opportunities to grow the employee ownership sector, and to maximise and demonstrate the positive impacts it can have on individuals, businesses, society and the economy.
The managing director of one our member firms recently stated that, “employees in EO companies find themselves asking - ‘how can I influence or impact where we are ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 3 – The three pillars of ‘Good EO’
Episode 3 of the EOA Podcast is all about the three pillars of good employee ownership, or ‘Good EO’, that help businesses build an excellent employee ownership culture, which are defined as good communications and engagement, good leadership, and good governance.
The EOA offers a range of case studies, learning insights and helpful resources around best practice on these three pillars which are showcased during our events and courses, as well as across the sections of this website and on our EO Hub member-only platform.
We also post useful webinars on our ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 2 – Growth ambitions
The employee ownership (EO) sector has seen unprecedented growth in recent years and in Episode 2 of the EOA Podcast we explore this topic.
In June 2021, we reported there were 730 employee-owned businesses, a staggering increase of 250 over the previous 18 months and we now believe the sector to be at more than 800 EO businesses.
This month’s episode is therefore about the growth of the EO sector and how being employee-owned has helped our member businesses to grow.
As well as an announcement about the theme of this year’s EO Day, the episode will hear ...
EOA Podcast: Episode 1 – An introduction to the EOA
With this being Episode 1 of The EOA Podcast, we wanted to introduce listeners to the Employee Ownership Association and what it is we do. The episode hears from Chief Executive Deb Oxley OBE – who provides an insight into the EOA before reflecting on some of her highlights in nine years with the organisation before she leaves us in March 2022.
Listeners are also introduced to what it is the EOA Board and EOA Membership Council do, with members of the council coming on to speak about their roles. You will also hear first-hand thoughts, insights and experiences ...