The ‘Robust Growth Champions’ report asserts that the EO sector has a significantly higher percentage of businesses that have delivered over 10% growth in sales, profit, or headcount – while demonstrating lower insolvency – over the past five years.

To test the findings of the groundbreaking EO Knowledge Programme ‘People Powered Growth’ report (which found that EO businesses are 8-12% more productive than their counterparts), the eoa and Ownership at Work teamed up with specialist funding provider ThinCats.

Using access to their data and risk analysis framework, key metrics of growth and resilience were agreed and tested in both employee owned businesses (EOB) and non-EOB samples. 

The scale of comparison is unprecedented – over 300 EOBs compared to more than 15,000 matched non-EOBs.

With a growing pool of data on the UK’s EO sector, it’s clear that by helping businesses be more successful and resilient through adopting Great EO practices (as set out in the EO Framework), employee ownership is driving stronger economic growth. And the results further legitimise the UK’s rapidly expanding EO sector.  

Primary Findings

The report found that employee owned businesses are:

  • More likely to generate profit
  • More likely to be ‘robust growth champions’
  • At lower risk of insolvency than non-EOBs

Larger Cohort Findings

A secondary check of growth robustness was undertaken for a larger cohort and found that EOBs:

  • Outperform non-EOBs when sample size is tripled
  • Are more robust growth champions in all parts of the UK
  • Outperform non-EOBs by sector but with higher levels of variation

Click or tap here to read the full 'Robust Growth Champions' report. You can also visit our ever-expanding Research page to see more.