Employee Ownership Stands Out in Great Place to Work's 100 Best Companies
The Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® 2026 list compiled by the Great Place to Work Institute once again contains a number of companies that either have ESOPs or are directly 100% owned by most of their employees. One is 100% ESOP-owned, one is a 100% employee-owned mix of an ESOP and a stock purchase plan, three have minority ESOPs, and three are owned by stock purchase or partnership plans in which most employees participate.
Companies need to apply for the award, and many companies on the list are law firms or nonprofits. Many of the rest are technology firms. To apply, companies need to send out a detailed employee survey and complete management interviews. Some ESOP companies that have been on the list in the past have told us that they stopped applying because of the time involved.
| Company | Plan | Percentage Owned* | Industry | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Weekley Homes | ESOP | 33% | Home building | 14 |
| Baird | Stock purchase by most employees | 100% | Financial services | 16 |
| Edward Jones | Partnership held by most employees | 100% | Financial services | 21 |
| Sheetz | ESOP | 10% (est.) | Convenience stores | 32 |
| Publix | ESOP, stock purchase | 100% | Supermarkets | 50 |
| Modern Technology Solutions | ESOP | 100% | Engineering and technology | 76 |
| BDO | ESOP | 42% | Professional services | 80 |
| PCL | Stock purchase by most employees | 100% | Construction | 91 |
*Some shares may still be held by former employees in most of these plans.