Sell-out first South West Employee Ownership Conference highlights appetite for shared learning  

The South West’s first conference dedicated to employee ownership sold all 170 tickets, attracted a waiting list and has received an average delegate rating of 9.1 out of 10.  

The inaugural South West Employee Ownership Conference brought together business leaders, founders and employee owners to hear what employee ownership looks like in practice and share experiences with others. Co-hosted by Stephens Scown, Paradigm Norton and The Peloton, the conference was designed for businesses considering employee ownership as well as those that have already made the move.  

Keynote sessions from Riverford and Aardman bookended the day, while three different conference streams allowed delegates to choose discussions most relevant to their businesses. Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson and Charlotte Tickle spoke about what it takes to make employee ownership meaningful across a business with 1,200 co-owners.  

Charlotte told delegates:

“Leaders make the difference to our 1,200 co-owners for whether EO lives or not.”  

Guy added:

“If you want to take people along with you, you need to listen.”  

Aardman shared its experience of choosing employee ownership to protect the independence and creativity of the Bristol-based animation studio. Its session also looked at how the business keeps people informed and connected, and how it is adapting to changes in technology.  

Elsewhere, the programme tackled subjects including how to communicate difficult decisions, the role of leadership, employee voice and what happens as founders gradually step back. Several speakers returned to the same point during the day: the decision to become employee owned is only the start.

As Eyeful Presentations put it during its session:

“Getting the badge is easy. It’s what happens after the decision where the work begins.”  

That message was reflected in delegate feedback.  

Networking was the most frequently mentioned benefit, along with the chance to hear honest accounts from other businesses. Delegates also valued being able to choose sessions according to their own experience of employee ownership.  

One said:

“The balance between great speakers and coffee breaks was perfect. Sometimes these types of events don’t leave enough time to chat, whereas this one struck a great balance. The division of sessions based on EO experience was also a really useful guide to picking which one to attend.”  

Asked what they would take back to their own businesses, delegates highlighted communication, engagement and transparency, as well as leadership and governance. There was also recognition that employee ownership needs continued attention rather than simply changing a company’s ownership structure.  

One attendee said:

“I think our company needs to re-set its EO mindset. It’s all positive but the conference made me see that we can do things better.”  

Sam Moles, Employee Ownership Services Consultant at Stephens Scown and one of the conference organisers, said:  

“I’m really proud of what we achieved, but what struck me most was the quality and honesty of the conversations happening throughout the day.  

“We wanted people in the South West to have somewhere to meet others who are actually living employee ownership and talk openly about what works, as well as what doesn’t.  

“There isn’t one version of employee ownership. A business thinking about making the move will have very different questions from one that’s been employee owned for ten years. We wanted the programme to reflect that. We’re still learning from others too as we develop our own approach at Stephens Scown, and that’s a big part of the value of getting people together like this.”  

Barry Horner of Paradigm Norton said:  

“Selling all 170 tickets and having a waiting list showed us how much appetite there is for this in the South West. But the turnout was only part of it. What really stood out on the day was how willing people were to talk honestly about their experiences and learn from each other.  It’s given us plenty to think about as we start discussing what the South West Employee Ownership Conference could look like in 2027.”  

The organisers are now discussing plans for a 2027 conference, with further details to be announced once confirmed.