Ownership Effect Inquiry calls for written evidence

Businesses and individuals are being invited to give their views on the impact of employee ownership on businesses and the UK economy, as part of the next stage of the Ownership Effect Inquiry.

The inquiry, a national, business-led study by the Employee Ownership Association (EOA), is holding a number of oral evidence sessions around the country and has now also issued a call for written evidence, for which the deadline is Friday 21 July.

All contributions will be considered, along with the oral evidence heard, and used to develop a final report with recommendations of how to further support the growth of employee ownership.

Hearings have taken place so far in London, Edinburgh and Manchester, and sessions are to take place in Wales and Birmingham, along with a further London hearing.

The Edinburgh session was chaired by Law Society of Scotland chief executive Lorna Jack (click here for report), who commented: “These types of organisation have proven to be highly successful in recent years, and have been particularly resilient following the economic downturn. It is important that we in the wider business community, can understand and learn from their successes as well as explore any specific challenges employee owned businesses face and how they might be dealt with."

EOA chief executive of the EOA, Deb Oxley, added: “As each stage of the inquiry progresses, we continue to uncover more evidence on the potential of employee ownership to answer some of the UK’s burning challenges; the even distribution of wealth, closing the productivity gap, and growing the nation’s SMEs and independently-owned business community.

“In order to create a solid body of evidence about under what circumstances employee ownership is found and what benefits it delivers, we need to capture the insights, stories and accounts of employee ownership from the existing employee owned businesses and employee owners of all sizes and in all sectors.

“These findings will be published in the autumn in a comprehensive final report; outlining in full, the potential of employee ownership and its contribution to UK productivity growth and corporate behaviour.”

Click here to view the call for evidence and make a submission.