The number of employees worldwide that own their businesses co-operatively is estimated to be 10,841,500 in figures released for Employee Ownership Day on Friday 3 July.
The UK has a growing employee owned sector yet in leading countries such as India, Spain and Italy, employee owned firms, typically organised as co-operatives, are common in every town and city.
The co-operative model includes firms in which employees have ownership and control, with ultimate accountability back to the staff. It does not cover businesses in which employees have a minority stake or where ownership and control is limited to senior executives.
UK co-operatives include successful businesses such as Suma Wholefoods, Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative, and of course Calverts!
The data has been compiled by umbrella network CICOPA for its members, including Co-operatives UK, the network for Britain’s thousands of co-operative businesses.
“Co-operatives are the most common and durable form of employee ownership worldwide,” said Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-operatives UK. “The UK needs to be open to all forms of employee ownership right across the economy, if it is to be a more competitive world player.”
Press release from Co-operatives UK.
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