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 heading’.” And, here at the EOA, we’re always trying to help employees have more of an impact and influence within their EO businesses – like through our courses and calendar of member events.

The episode will touch on a number of different areas, from the growing impact of the EO sector to the influence employee owners can have in their businesses.

Episode interviews

The podcast hears from the EOA’s new chief executive James de le Vingne, pictured, for the first time since joining the organisation two months earlier, about how he initially embarked on a ‘grand tour’ visiting members, before following up elements of his first formal speech as CEO at the end of March at our Better Business Together event, which incorporated our AGM.

We then hear a case study from one of our trustee member firms, environmental consultancy LUC, on how employee ownership is empowering its younger employee owners to have an impact on the business and influence its future direction. LUC employee trustee Alex Burton joins the podcast and introduces two of its younger employee-owner voices – Ben Wayles and Jessica Pearce.

Members of the employee ownership team within the Social Business Wales service then paint a picture of the impact and influence EO is having in Wales on the back of seven businesses transitioning to employee ownership in the space of a month. We hear from Rhodri Packman, a market development adviser on EO, and Branwen Ellis, who is an employee ownership adviser.

As well as an announcement about EO Stories 2022 and the latest news on events and courses we have coming up, the episode ends asking someone from within the EO sector ‘why do you love employee ownership?’ This month we hear from Rebecca Newson from Quintessa.

You can use the links below to listen to the episode, or you can listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Anchor, Overcast, Breaker, Castbox, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic and Stitcher.

Listen below or view the full episode schedule here.