MEMBER EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

Guy Raz on the Importance of Ownership

Miss last month's NCEO Forum in Philadelphia? Don't miss the opportunity to experience the inspiring keynote talk from award-winning journalist, podcaster, and author Guy Raz! For a limited-time, NCEO members can go to the members' area to watch the keynote and learn Guy's insights on ownership, amassed from countless conversations with businesses across the country.

Watch the Keynote

Guy Raz NCEO Forum Screenshot

SPEAKING OPPORTUNITY

Apply to Speak at the 2026 Annual Conference!

Speaking at our conference is a great way to engage with the employee ownership community and share your unique insights from the perspective of an employee-owner or a service provider professional. The deadline to submit is October 10. Apply today!

April 6 - 9, 2026 | Milwaukee, WI

Apply to speak!

IN-PERSON MEETING

Is Employee Ownership Right for your Business?

Are you interested in using an ESOP as an exit plan or employee benefit but unsure where to start? Join us in Baltimore this October for our "Is an ESOP Right for you?" seminar, a one-and-a-half day event for business owners considering their succession planning options. This seminar will cover financing, transaction structure, valuation issues, investing the 1042 rollover, and more, to equip you for employee ownership success.

October 20 - 21, 2025 | Baltimore, MD

Learn more and register

NEW SURVEY REPORT

2025 ESOP Corporate Governance Survey

The NCEO's 2025 ESOP Corporate Governance Survey report is now available. Thank you to all 556 respondents for providing valuable data on ESOP company corporate governance practices and policies!

See the report

ESOP Corporate Governance Survey

Join Us

Become an NCEO member to access countless resources and benefits that help you navigate employee ownership. Whether you're considering a transition to employee ownership, administering an existing plan, or providing services in the field, NCEO membership connects you to essential resources and a vibrant community.

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How Your Board Supports the Success of Your ESOP

We'll start with a light overview of the purposes of the ESOP -- typically shareholder liquidity PLUS continued independence of the company, and then focus on how the board's understanding and effective execution of these roles contributes company growth, creating value for employee-owners, and maintaining independent ownership. We will actively encourage attendee questions and illustrate with on specific examples from their experience and ours.

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What is Employee Ownership?

Employee ownership is a term for any arrangement in which a company’s employees own shares in their company or the right to the value of shares in their company. Employee ownership is a broad concept that can take many forms, ranging from simple grants of shares to highly structured plans. The most common form of employee ownership in the U.S. is the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), a highly tax-advantaged plan in which employees own shares through a trust funded by the company. Other forms of employee ownership include stock options, stock grants, synthetic equity (granting the right to the value of shares but not the shares themselves), worker cooperatives, and employee ownership trusts.

Help us point you in the right direction:

Which of these best applies to you?

Considering employee ownership

If you wonder if employee ownership might be a good fit for your company, learn more about its different forms in our free booklet Who Should Own Your Business After You?. If you already know an ESOP is the most likely candidate, our prefeasibility toolkit and tax advantage calculator can help you decide next steps. For other forms of employee ownership, visit this table for a side-by-side comparison.

In leadership at an ESOP company

The NCEO and the employee ownership community can help you make the most of your ESOP. Our resource toolkits are a good place to start to learn about best practices in corporate governance, repurchase obligation, financing, and more. You can also use our readymade communications resources and join peer networking groups or leadership cohorts.

An employee-owner

We answer common questions about being a participant in an ESOP or you can learn why you might want to work at an employee-owned company. We can also help if you are curious about what the research says or if you are looking for readymade resources to help communicate employee ownership to your coworkers.

A professional advisor

If you are already working with employee-owned companies, our toolkits and communications resources can help you support your clients, and our publications and live and online events can keep your knowledge current (and provide continuing education credits!). If you want to learn about the field, start with What is Employee Ownership? or our ESOP prefeasibility toolkit.