NEWS

  Day after day, all news on the web about employee ownership

  December 2008 - Time to buy (bis)
"Workers of the world unite. Don't down your tools but buy a slice of the action. There couldn't be a better time to start learning to love equity - owning shares and investing in business... It is counter-intuitive but with the stock market at rock bottom, this is a great moment for the British worker to swap being a wage slave for owning shares through employee share schemes or investing on the stock market. Taking part in cooperatives or partnerships could be explored too..." (British press). Just as we already pointed in October, it is remarkable that most debates about employee ownership are going in the same way: Time to buy.

  Panic at the European Commission
Difficult time to face. Too difficult for the present European Commission, at least regarding employee ownership. Ignorance, incompetency, what else? This has to be changed. We call for a renewed Commission with real competency in the matter. Letters were addressed to José Manuel Barroso and to Nicolas Sarkozy. See detailed information

  November 2008 - A political roadmap for employee ownership in Europe
A political roadmap for Europe was proposed in the framework of the French Presidency of the European Union. What should be done at European level to promote the development of employee ownership?  Should we set up a European model? The picture of  employee share plans in large European companies is highly fascinating. It is a general movement, involving all large companies in all countries. However, when considering the European states, it is still everyone for himself. What can be done for Europe? Which European model? Download

  Employee ownership for all
Employee ownership for all: This is the common theme linking all these articles about employee ownership in the world's press last month. Most discussions about the financial crisis, share options and executive pay. "Share options and participation for all" seems to be the way in France, Germany and others as well. Tax benefits for employee-owned companies are requested in Spain… See press review


 
Unternehmer für unsere Gesellschaft - 58. Jahrestagung der AGP e.V. 27.11.2008, Berlin

Finanzkrise und Kapitalismuskritik kratzen wieder einmal kräftig am Bild der Sozialen Marktwirtschaft in Deutschland. Sind Gier und kalter Markt die bestimmenden Faktoren in unserer Gesellschaft geworden, wie vielfach behauptet wird? Tausende von Unternehmern beweisen täglich das Gegenteil. Insbesondere mittelständische Unternehmer zeigen durch ihr Handeln, dass sie nicht am kurzzeitigen Tageserfolg interessiert sind, sondern mit Weitblick ihre Verantwortung für Unternehmen und Gesellschaft wahrnehmen. Sie reden nicht nur von Teilhabe, sondern sie praktizieren sie auch. Sie lassen die Gemeinde und den Fiskus genauso teilhaben wie Lieferanten, Vereine und vor allem ihre Mitarbeiter. Durch Wertschätzung, Förderung und Kommunikation auf Augenhöhe, aber auch durch Erfolgsbeteiligung und manchmal sogar Kapitalbeteiligung. Dass die Teilhabe am Erfolg für viele Unternehmer nicht mehr wegzudenken ist, spricht sich immer mehr herum. Auch die Politik hat reagiert und bereitet ein neues Gesetz vor. Einladungskarte

  October 2008 - Time to buy
It is remarkable that most articles about employee ownership in the world's press tell about similar information: Time to buy. For a former Prime Minister, Maltese dockyards should be transferred to a workers' cooperative rather than to foreign ownership. Austrian Airlines: Unions ask for strategic employee ownership which could even be a reason to choose Air France-KLM's offer rather than Lufthansa. Alitalia: Big unions are more reluctant here than Austrian colleagues, but Pilots Union asks for significant employee ownership. Ireland: Eircom's Employee Share Ownership Trust, which alreay owns 35pc of the telecommunications firm, is considering a stake in its majority owner Babcock & Brown Capital. France: Long struggle to rescue Ledar Papermaker through a new workers' coop. Successful new employee share plans for AXA, Société Générale, EDF… Finally, the question is also coming from the USA: "Maybe it's time for Chrysler's employees to buy the company."

  September 2008 - Employee ownership in tough times
"Investing employee retirement money in company stock is not just risky: It's idiotic" (in American  press). Yet in present times, numerous French companies are launching new global plans (see press review)… Many American companies are bought by employees through ESOPs… German government has now just decided for a new supportive legislation in 2009… French employees didn't reduce their employee savings so much, yet President Sarkozy encouraged them to spend it and to boost consumption… The chairman of British employee-owned retailer John Lewis Partnership promises no job cuts in tough times… All idiots?

 
Finland – Germany - Spain
Finland brings a good example of employee ownership development in 2008. Compared to 2007, employees' share in capital raised from 1.56% to 1.89% (+21%) on average in the 61 largest Finnish companies. Due to troubles on financial markets, the market capitalisation of the 61 companies decreased from 215 to 213 billion Euro (-1%), while employees' shareholdings grew from 3.3 to 4 billions Euro (+20%). This is based on our survey of employee ownership in European companies, being now updated for year 2008. Things are not so good in Germany: Employees' share in capital appears to be unchanged in 2008 compared to 2007 (1.72%) – It is time for a better legislation. Things are even worst for Spain: Employees' share in capital decreased from 1.57% in 2007 to 1.45% in 2008.

  June 2008 - New research confirms employee-owned companies more productive

A new recent research on "Employee Ownership and Participation Effects on Firm Outcomes"  conducted by Brent Kramer, a doctoral candidate at the City University of New York, “provides strong evidence that majority employee-owned businesses have a significant advantage over comparable traditionally-owned businesses in sales per employee.” More information 

  June 2008 - Private Equity and employee ownership
Over the past decade, management and employee share ownership has become a standard way for  the private-equity industry. It can even be said that management and employee share ownership has become an established part of the private-equity toolkit. More information

  May 2008 - First Annual Economic Survey of Employee Ownership in European Countries
The Survey reveals that employee ownership is progressing at a quicker rate and with greater depth across Europe than expected. When considering recent trends, employee ownership is predicted to double within the next 5-10 years, from currently 8.2 million employee owners to 16 million and from currently 26.2% of all employees in large European companies to 40-50%, and finally capitalisation held by employees is predicted to rise currently from 2.35% to 4 - 4.5%. This is a sudden development in most European countries. However, some countries began earlier while others dawdled on the way. They can easily be compared to each others. Each country file can be downloaded and the full Annual Survey is now available. More information


  Seventh European Meeting of Employee Ownership - Brussels, 23 May 2008
The Seventh European Meeting of Employee Ownership was held in the prestigious Solvay Library, just near the European Parliament. Most presentations and documents are now available. More information

  The European Employee Ownership Top 100 in 2007
The new rankings or European top companies regarding employee ownership are now available for year 2007. More information

  April 2008 - Europe – USA and the hedge funds
USA: Some days ago, we got the "Statistical Profile of Employee Ownership" from the National Center for Employee Ownership in the USA. Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) are the most popular employee ownership scheme in the US – they have now 9.774 ESOPs, with 11.2 millions employee owners, holding 630 billions Euro in assets. Looking at all other employee ownership schemes besides ESOPs, they have some 25 millions employee owners, holding more than 1.000 billions Euro in assets.
Europe: Considering the 2.500 largest European companies, we have now 8.2 millions employee owners across Europe, holding 260 billions Euro (see our first "Annual Economic Survey of Employee Ownership" will be soon made public).
Europe and USA: Employee owners hold now some 1.260 billions Euro, quite similar to the global capitalisation of all hedge funds across the world in 2007 (US$ 1.700 billions = 1.160 billions Euro).

  New legislation in Slovenia
On February 29, the Slovenian Parliament voted a new legislation for employee share ownership and financial participation. This is a first major change in the new Member States of the European Union. Most of them promoted  employee ownership when they privatised, 15 years ago, but nothing was done to support employee ownership in the longer term. Hence this strange situation, employee share ownership expanding in the first 15 countries of the European Union, while declining in the new ones.

  80% of all European largest companies have employee share plans
80% of all European largest companies had employee share plans in 2007, coming from 50% in 2000,  20% in 1994, 10% in 1986... A quick and recent development. All European countries are involved without any exception. However, some of them began earlier while others dawdled on the way. We present the full picture in a set of graphs, so you can see what it is for each country. See graph

  Brussels, 23 May 2008 – Seventh European Meeting of Employee Ownership
The Seventh European Meeting of Employee Ownership will be held in Brussels on 23 May. The meeting will be the place for the publication of the ranking of the European Employee Ownership Top 100 for year 2007 and the full analysis of employee ownership across Europe in 2007. Would you like to attend – get detailed information here

  January 2008 - Promising year 2008
A lot of things seem promising for a new political impulse to employee ownership across Europe. Germany is going fast to a new legislation, Austrian Government is working hard, Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker of Luxemburg launched a call some weeks ago, the new All Party Parliamentary Group on Employee Ownership is in place in UK, some new Member States seem opening doors, for instance Slovenia (going to a new legislation for employee ownership in 2008), and the next French Presidency of the European Union could be a good opportunity.

  December 2007 - 14 European countries in 2007 – and Austria
Compared with a set of 14 European countries, employee share ownership seems low in Austria. We made a presentation last month in Vienna on invitation of Vice-Chancellor Wilhelm Molderer and Minister of Economics and Labour Martin Bartenstein, comparing employee share ownership in 14 European countries. This is based on most recent numbers, those of year 2006/2007 – a photography of European employee ownership in real time. See presentation

  Mitarbeiterbeteiligung kittet Koalition !
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Partnerschaft in der Wirtschaft - AGP Mitteilungen Newsletter 04-2007
Gesellschaft für innerbetriebliche Zusammenarbeit GIZ - Newsletter "Mitarbeiter-Beteiligung" Nr. 3/2007 und Pressespiegel Dezember 2007

  All-Party Parliamentary Group on Employee Ownership in UK
British Parliament decided to set up a permanent All-Party Parliamentary Group on Employee Ownership. This looks a major political step for employee ownership in UK. The Group organised first a public inquiry, allowing us to express our requirements regarding employee ownership not only in UK but for the whole European Union. See inquiry

  Employee share ownership in business succession planning
It is known that ESOP – one of the most typical employee ownership scheme in USA, was particularly designed for business succession. In Australia, the Australian Employee Ownership Association (AEOA) has been vigorously promoting the role that employee share ownership can play in business succession planning. To support the development of employee share ownership in the SME sector, the AEOA has set up a special "resources" page to assist business consultants with advising on ESOP-based business successions and the expansion of employee equity in private companies. The articles, case studies and web-links appearing on this page will be useful for informing retiring business owners wanting to transition their business to their employees as part of a succession plan, as well as for those wanting to implement shared ownership of private businesses generally. See this new resources web-page
 
  Employee Ownership Blog
Creation of the Employee Ownership Blog in USA. The Employee Ownership Blog is dedicated to fostering an open discussion about employee ownership in the US while keeping readers informed of new developments on the legislative front and linking to relevant articles. Access to the blog 

  A trade unionist in the world of employee ownership
David Wheatcroft is a British trade unionist and an experienced practitioner in the employee ownership field. He just published a new paper: "Caring and sharing – the co-owned route to better care", a personal account of how an employee owned company – Sunderland Home Care Associates – was formed and has flourished. Of course such company is not listed – the paper tells how a regulated internal share market is used for employees who wish to sell or buy shares. Another aim of this report is to show national and local policy makers why the co-ownership model has so much to offer public services. Download  

  Soon coming - The European Employee Ownership Top 2007
Last year we set up a full database of employee ownership in all widest European groups, including detailed description and history of all share-based and option schemes in each group. Our database is presently being updated for year 2007. So we'll be able to see how employee ownership evolved from 2006 to 2007 in all 27 countries of the European Union. This year the database will cover all 2.500 widest European groups, on which 1.200 are already updated. In these 1.200 companies, we can mention that capitalisations held by employees rose by 29,8% in 2007. Of these capitalisations, executives held 19% in average and common employees 81% (but executives held 67% in Spain, 29% in Germany, 17% in Finland). Last year, many companies designed and launched new employee share and options plans. 44% did so in Denmark, compared to 39% in Ireland, 35% in Finland, and only 22% in Germany, 15% in Spain, 8% in Portugal… The database will be soon completely updated and we will publish our rankings for year 2007 and our detailed analysis through a publication and a conference in March 2008. Would your company be a sponsor for this publication and event? Sponsoring

  September 2007 - Aus brandaktuellem Anlass !
SPD und CDU/CSU haben jüngst ihre Vorschläge zur Förderung der Mitarbeiter-Beteiligung in Deutschland vorgelegt. AGP und GIZ haben die Kernpunkte herausgearbeitet: AGP Mitteilungen - Newsletter 03/07

  Employee share ownership - what's in it for you?
Is buying shares in your company a wise investment and a good way to keep your eye on management? In this interview for Rhodia Alliance OnLine (Rhodia's association of employee shareholders), we talk about the advantages of owning a stake in your company, whether criticism of your management is a bad career move, and we break down some of the mysteries and financial ins and outs of share ownership. More details

  New European Report
The European Foundation in Dublin just published a new report about financial participation of employees in the European Union. Conclusion: "There has been a clear trend of rising levels of financial participation over the five years between 2000 and 2005. In all countries there has been an increase, in some cases notable, in the percentage of employees participating… This indicates that the percentage of workers involved in financial participation schemes in Europe, although still low, is on the increase, suggesting that the phenomenon will probably become more significant in the near future." More details

  Political debate about employee share ownership in Germany

Two different proposals are discussed in Germany. The Christian Democratic Party has published a paper with a list of proposals to promote financial participation on the company level. The proposal of the Social Democratic Party has a different objective: They propose to establish a so called “Germany Fund”. A common proposal of the two governmental parties – that means a compromises – could be expected in autumn. More details

  Request to the new Member States of the European Union
EFES requests all new Member States to adopt a legislation allowing employee share plans based on international standards. Most countries answered positively. More information

  Juli 2007 - Aus brandaktuellem Anlass !
SPD und CDU/CSU haben jüngst ihre Vorschläge zur Förderung der Mitarbeiter-Beteiligung in Deutschland vorgelegt. Wir haben die Kernpunkte (pdf) herausgearbeitet und freuen uns über Ihre Bewertung unter Ihre Meinung !

  2007 surveys in France and United Kingdom
France publishes its Sixth Annual Survey on employee savings plans. In 2007, 84% of Executives and 82% of employees consider employee share ownership as a good thing for companies (it was 79% and 80% in 2002). Download French Survey  UK released the results of its annual SIP (Share Incentive Plan) and SAYE (Save As You Earn) survey – the most common plans, a succesful story. More information about UK  

  And now Germany
From its start one year ago, Angela Merkel's Government plans to make up the time Germany had lost regarding employee share ownership. Both political parties of the big coalition had their own working groups. Now both proposals are on the table. Socialist SPD thinks to indirect employee ownership, free of risk, through a big "German Fund", managing employees savings and investing in German companies. Christian Democrat CDU/CSU is more inclined to favour direct employee share ownership. See more information in press review.

  Request to the new Member States of the European Union

EFES requests all new Member States to adopt a legislation allowing employee share plans based on international standards (annual employee share purchase plans, 20% discount price free of tax and social security, up to 5.000 Euro or 10% annual wage, 3 years blockage). We already got answers from Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia and the Czech Republic. More information

  Juni 2007 - Gesellschaft für innerbetriebliche Zusammenarbeit
Newsletter "Mitarbeiter-Beteiligung" 02/2007


  Request to the new Member States of the European Union
EFES requests all new Member States to adopt a legislation allowing common employee share plans. Most new Member States have a bad opinion about employee share ownership and they don't have any adapted legislation. This makes things difficult, not only in these countries but in the European Union as a whole, because most new Member States being not interested or even hostile, political interest for employee share ownership fell dramatically also in Brussels !! More information

  Russian Employee Ownership Association
An international conference on employee ownership in Russia was held on June 7-8, 2007 in Rostov-on-Don, Capital of South Russia (city of Essenin, Tchekhov, Soljenitsin, etc), being hosted by the Rostov State Economic University. The Conference decided to set up a new Russian Association for Employee Ownership, and EFES will help.
More information

  Mai 2007 - Die Mitarbeiter als Aktionäre der Zukunft in Österreich
Die österreichische Bundesregierung will die Mitarbeiterbeteiligung in Österreich im Laufe dieser Legislaturperiode verdoppeln, sagt Finanzminister Wilhelm Molterer.

  Explosive development about employee ownership in the world's press (May 2007)
7.560 articles about employee ownership in the world's press in April. When we launched our press review for the first time in October 2005, we got 597 articles. In March 2006, it was 1.090. In March 2007, last month, it was 2.090… Now with 7.560 articles, we have to change our methods. See press review below.

  Fever in USA, employee ownership schemes are especially topical
For the second time in a few weeks, employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) figured prominently in high-profile deals. $8.2 billion deal for Chicago Tribune (21.000 workers – they will have 60% in hands). $5 millions deal for Chrysler with a possible bid by the United Auto Workers reviewing a proposal for employees and the union to buy 70 percent of Chrysler via an employee stock ownership plan… See more information in the press review below.

  Netherlands Participation Institute

New website for the Netherlands Participation Institute which promotes employee ownership in the Netherlands on http://www.snpi.nl/

  Bangladesh: New worker-owned garment factory
The Institute of Integrated Rural Development promotes worker ownership in the textile industry and in roadside tree plantations More information  

  April 2007 - Zukunft Mittelstand - Erfolgsfaktor gesellschaftliches Engagement
Berlin 17.04.07 - Bertelsmann Repräsentanz, Unter den Linden 1 Weitere Informationen

  Employee ownership in largest European companies (April 2007)
87% of all largest European groups have employee share ownership and 82,6% have plans to develop it more, while 49% have broad based plans (all employees plans). Employee share ownership is significant in 40,3% (employee owners holding more than 1%). On the other hand, 69,6% use stock options. Our database of employee ownership in European companies is now complete. It gathers the numbers and the detailed history of employee share plans in the 2.000 European widest groups, in 27 European countries. This is 29 millions employees (corresponding to 100-120 millions people, some 25% of the whole European population, if you consider that a family sizes 3-4 persons). The database can be used for benchmarking about countries, branches or a defined list of companies as well. You can ask us here for conditions

  The European Employee Ownership TOP 2007
Would your company be partner of the European Employee Ownership TOP 2007? The database will be updated. It will also be expanded to Romania, Bulgaria and probably Turkey. The ranking of the TOP employee ownership companies will be published through a celebration conference at the end of the year, a dedicated website and a publication. Call us for partnership

  März 2007 - The European Council of Finance Ministers calls for more employee ownership (March 2007)
European companies must give workers a bigger share of their soaring profit or risk igniting a “crisis in legitimacy” in the continent’s economic model, Germany’s finance minister warned on last Ecofin Council of Ministers. The idea of using initiatives, such as employee share ownership schemes, to increase the link between profit and worker benefits was discussed, the debate having even some “Thatcherite overtones” – a reference to the former British prime minister’s promotion of employee share ownership schemes. Here more information 

  Investivlohn- / Mitarbeiterkapitalbeteiligungsmodelle in Deutschland
Investivlohn- / Mitarbeiterkapitalbeteiligungsmodelle in Deutschland Insgesamt 3.750 Unternehmen praktizieren in Deutschland Modelle zur Kapitalbeteiligung ihrer Mitarbeiter. Weitere Informationen

  The CoCo Report: Work, Happiness and Employee Ownership
Companies where workers have a say in decisions and a stake in ownership are more productive because staff are happier, according to a new report in the UK. The study found absence levels were lower and workers were more committed in "co-owned" companies. The British Government was urged to introduce tax incentives to encourage the launch of more  co-owned companies. Download the full report 

  First Investment Fund based on the employee share ownership index
In December, Euronext together with the French Federation of Employee Shareholders' Associations launched its Indice de l'Actionnariat Salarié (Employee Share Ownership Index). They launch now a first investment fund based on the index. Here more information

  Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (February 2007)
The UK's Accounting Standard Board announced a major relaxation of the requirements for Share Based Payments for smaller companies. Here more information

  Netherlands Participation Institute
Pascale Nieuwland and Marjon Westerhof are the new Directors of the NPI. Here more information

  The European Employee Ownership Top 100 in 2006 (January 2007)
The rankings of European biggest companies considering employee ownership are now available. The Top 10 companies for capitalisation held by employees are: UBS, Total,
Novartis, Mondragon, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, AXA, Bouygues. Employees hold 6,16% of those companies, which means 43.357 Euro by employee in average.
Click here for The European Employee Ownership Top 100 rankings in 2006

  Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership
The Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership was held in Brussels on December 14-16. Click here for all presentations of the conference

  Insolvency, Employee Rights & Employee Buyouts - A Strategy for Restructuring
A new report by Anthony Jensen, Ithaca Consultancy and The Common Cause Foundation

  Three new original research works about employee ownership and participation in Europe
Patrick Guiol & Jorge Munoz made the demonstration that participative management contributes to better public health (French report)
Eric Kaarsemaker gave a theoretical and empirical treatise about employee ownership and human resource management and the Dutch context
Marco Caramelli made an attitudinal cross-cultural approach about the effects of employee ownership in large multinational companies

  New British guidelines on employee share plans in 2007
The Association of British Insurers updated its guidelines on executive remuneration and employee share plans. Click here for detailed information

  Job Ownership Ltd (UK) changed
Job Ownership Ltd decided to change its strategy and name. It is now the Employee Ownership Association on http://www.employeeownership.co.uk/

  With the participation of one of the candidates to the French Presidency (November 2006)
Publication of the first ranking of the TOP 100 European employee ownership companies, during the Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership - Brussels 14-15 December 2006.
Click below for: Programme and practical information
  Whole information   These companies will probably belong to the first TOP 100 ranking

  PEPPER III Report
The European Commission opened doors for a European policy regarding employee ownership, with PEPPER I Report (1991) and PEPPER II (1996). Now the Inter-University Centre Split/Berlin publishes the PEPPER III Report, describing employee financial participation in the new Member and Candidate Countries of the European Union. Download here

  A European Commission's disaster
This is how an expert describes his participation to a European Commission's group of experts on financial participation. Download here

  Come in Brussels for the celebration of the TOP 100 European employee ownership companies (October 2006)
On the menu of the Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership (Brussels 14-15 December 2006): Announcement of the TOP 100 for year 2006 and celebration of companies at the Brussels Stock Exchange Palace.
For the first time, a complete survey of employee ownership will be available, for all countries of the EU. A number of companies case studies from various countries. Unions' testimonies. Obstacles to employee share plans. Reactions of a panel of high political representatives. Many services providers in the field will be present. Click below for:
Whole information
Registration form
Programme and practical information
Reimbursement of your travel and accommodation expenses

  Your company in the European TOP 100 ?
Which companies will be at the top of the TOP 100 for year 2006? Companies of the TOP 100 will be celebrated during a gala dinner in the Brussels Stock Exchange Palace on December 14 evening.
These companies will probably belong to the TOP 100

  New reports about employee ownership in European countries
New reports were recently published about employee ownership in Austria, in France, and in Germany

  Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership (September 2006)
The Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership will be held in Brussels on December 14-15-16, 2006. The meeting will announce the ranking of all Europe's widest employee ownership companies: The European Employee Ownership Top 100 - 2006. For the first time, a complete survey of employee ownership will be available, for all countries of the EU. Click here for detailed information and draft programme

  Your travel and accommodation expenses could be reimbursed !!
Thanks to our sponsors, EFES will be able to cover your travel and accommodation expenses for the Sixth European Meeting of Employee Ownership. Click here for detailed information.

  A new platform for employee ownership in Austria
A new platform published a strong study on employee ownership and participation schemes in Austria. See on Plattform Mitarbeiterbeteiligung Österreich

  Top European companies set up a lobby group
Design and management of multinational share plans are very difficult and expensive. The management of multinational schemes is confronted with a huge range of constraints and changeable national rules for which managers and directors of schemes are poorly equipped and frequent use of expensive legal advice is necessary. Many improvements or exemptions could be achieved, hence lower complexity and costs. The first meeting of the lobby group allowed participants to define priorities. Click here for detailed information.

  The European Employee Ownership Top 100 2006
It will be designed with respect to two rankings of Europe's largest companies, considering employee ownership.
EUROPA EMP 100: Companies are ranked by number of employees. Ranking Europe's largest companies that are 50% or more employee-owned through an ESOP, Share Purchase Plan, or other Broad-Based Ownership Plan, or as a workers' co-operative.
EUROPA CAP 100: Companies are ranked by equity held by employees, in millions Euro. Ranking Europe's largest companies that are partly or totally employee-owned through an ESOP, Share Purchase Plan, or other Broad-Based Ownership Plan, or as a workers' co-operative.

  International Survey on Employee Share Ownership and Work Values (April 2006)
The CREGO - Research Center in Management of the University of Montpellier II, is carrying out an international survey on employee share ownership and work values. The goal of this research is to give some insight to several practical issues like the one of the effects of employee ownership on employee motivation and organisational commitment or the impact of cultural values on employees’ perceptions and behaviours towards employee ownership. The survey is aimed at all employees (both shareholders and not shareholders) of traded companies which offer some employee share ownership plan. Filling the questionnaire, takes about 15 minutes and the information gathered is strictly anonymous and confidential. You are invited to take part, clicking here.

  30.06.2005: The Mondragon Co-operative Research Conference 2005 was held in Mondragon on 28 June.
We noticed 3 remarkable papers:

- Entry, exit and the business cycle. Are coops different? by Virginie Perotin, Leeds University Business School.
- The business of co-operative education: Master of Management - Co-operatives and credit unions, by John Chamard, Stephen Dutcher and Tom Webb, Saint Mary's University. Tom Webb took part in the first stages of our EOLE Programme.
- Challenges and opportunities for Mondragon co-operatives in the face of globalization, by Isabel Uribe and Ignazio Iribar, Mondragon University.

  05.03.2005: USA - The ESOP Association Urges President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform to Promote the Ownership Society Through Employee Ownership
WASHINGTON, March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The ESOP Association submitted comments and recommendations to the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform that encourages the Advisory Panel to be consistent with President Bush's goal to encourage and promote an "Ownership Society" in the United States. See on http://www.esopassociation.org

  18.02.2005: Committee for Effective Employee Ownership: practical guidelines for employee ownership
In 2004, the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO); the Beyster Institute at the Rady School, UC San Diego; and the Global Equity Organization (GEO) created the Committee for Effective Employee Ownership (CEEO). The CEEO's primary goal is to devise principles intended to help companies and investors make appropriate, economically sound choices about the distribution of equity among employees. In addition, the CEEO seeks to provide general guidelines on how companies can best use broad employee equity ownership plans to create more productive and rewarding workplaces. The CEEO bases each of the principles in this document on objective research by scholars, advisors, and the National Center for Employee Ownership; the principles are not simply our opinion or philosophy. The CEEO does not propose these principles as the basis for laws or regulations. Instead, it believes that market-proven benefits of responsible employee ownership can prove themselves without rhetoric. In order to make this happen, business and investment leaders need a deeper understanding of how these various approaches to employee ownership operate. The findings of the CEEO are available at www.nceo.org/ceeo       You can also get the full document available here in pdf (49 pages).

  17.09.2004: Report of the High Level Group of Experts on cross-border obstacles to financial participation of employees for companies having a transnational dimension
The need to reduce, through concrete measures, the obstacles to the introduction of financial participation throughout the Union for enterprises established in several countries has been stressed by the Communication of the European Commission proposing a general framework for promoting financial participation in Europe in July 2002. The report of the high level group of independent experts set up against this background deals with the various forms of financial participation used in the European Union, the obstacles to cross-boarder spread of financial participation and the proposals that would help to reduce the obstacles and promote financial participation at Union level.
Available in pdf format in : EN / FR / DE

  JUNE 2004: FOR THE NEXT RENEWAL OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
In 1998, when the European Federation of Employee Share Ownership was< set up, it was said that some 10% of American employees held shares of their enterprise; they are now 23,3%. Some weeks ago, the Australian Government launched a programme to double employee share ownership in Australia, from 5,5% of employees today to 11% in 2009.
Today, performances studies have multiplied and we can now consider with no doubt that when it is practiced in good conditions, employee ownership brings to enterprises a gain of performances estimated at 2% of additional annual growth on average. On the European Union scale, this would represent millions of additional jobs. In this way the development of employee ownership could be an important factor for the Lisbon Strategy.
Today, we are far from a European awareness and a strong mobilisation. Scepticism or indifference still dominate in many European countries. The contrast is obvious in comparison with the United States, Australia and other parts of the world. A political willingness of the European Union has still to crystallize.
We recommend that Europe gives itself a voluntary objective of industrial policy : reach 10 % of employee ownership in the whole European Union in 2010. In this way, a whole combination of means have to be implemented at the Union level, in the Member States and in the regions.
We particularly insist on the followings :
1. The implementation of a community organ (agency ? institute ? committee ?) for the promotion and the development of employee ownership. In this way, we applaud the proposal of the European Commission Experts Group, chaired by Jean-Baptiste de Foucault, to install a European Committee for Financial Participation of Workers.
2. An adapted legislation must be applied in each country of the European Union. In this way too, we applaud the proposals of the Experts Group of the Commission chaired by Jean-Baptiste de Foucault.
3. Enterprise transfer and salvation of failing enterprises are situations where employee ownership has proved its worth. Employee buyouts schemes should get particular support. These formulas are not only to be supported for themselves but also because they are favourable to the diffusion and promotion of employee ownership, in all enterprises of the Union's countries.

  20.04.2004: The Australian Government recently announced a scheme to double employee share ownership (ESO) in Australian workplaces from 5.5 per cent now to 11% in 2009. They set up a very good website on: http://ww