Case Studies

Explore some case studies from Australia and around the world!


Becoming Employee-Owned by Trust (EOT) in Australia | Meld Studios

Join Meld Studios as they share their experiences in taking on the journey of becoming an Employee Owned Trust (EOT) as a business in Australia!

In June 2021 Meld announced that they were Australia’s first company to become Employee-Owned by Trust. This news attracted a lot of interest about what an EOT is and how it works in an Australian context.

Hear about why Meld made the choice to become employee-owned, the process they’ve gone through to date, and what it has meant for Meldsters and for the business.

This virtual event was held at 12:30 pm, August 17 and is published here with the permission of Meld Studios.

> Meld Studios EOT Press Release: https://www.meldstudios.com.au/thoughts/meld-studios-australias-first-company-to-become-employee-owned-by-trust

> More information about EOTs: https://employeeownership.com.au/about-employee-ownership-trusts/


Sharing In Success – An interview with Joanna Mak, Senior Manager of the MyShare Plan at Brambles.

Hi Joanna! Thank you so much for joining us to chat about your work at Brambles managing the MyShare Plan. Can you please tell us a little bit about the MyShare Plan at Brambles? 

MyShare is Brambles’ global Employee Share plan. It has been designed to give Employees the opportunity to build ownership in the company. Through participation in MyShare, employees can purchase shares in Brambles and have those shares matched by Brambles on a 1:1 basis if certain conditions are met. In 2021, we offered it to 11,000 employees and we achieved a participation rate of 47%. Almost half of the company’s employees are in the MyShare program – it is a very exciting time for us.

You mentioned that the current participation rate is 47%. How has this figure changed over the years?

MyShare started in 2009 with an average contribution rate of AUD 2000 per annum. The participation rate back then was 21%. Today, the average contribution rate is AUD 3200 and the participation rate is 47%, so we have came a long way over the past 13 years. This year we experienced a significant 5% increase in share plan participation compared to last year.

A 5% increase in share plan participation compared to last year is quite remarkable given the difficult operating environment over the last 12 months. What contributed to the rise in the participation level? Did you do anything differently compared to previous years?

Continue reading full interview


Learning from Australian SMEs who made Employee Ownership Work

Some excellent learnings from Geo Consulting and acQuire/Metech told first hand from the people who implemented them. This webinar is hosted by EOA Board member Angela Perry. For more EOA Webinars click here


The John Lewis Story

EOA Board member Angela Perry interviews former Chairmen of the John Lewis Partnership, Sir Stuart Hampson.


We The Owners (Trailer)

We the Owners: Employees Expanding the American Dream captures rare insider stories of employee-owners and founders from New Belgium Brewing Company, Namasté Solar, and DPR Construction – each have chosen different employee ownership models, yet are driven by common principles such as sharing responsibility and rewards, open book management, and preparing for their next leaders. Hear insights from successful entrepreneurs and experts, and learn firsthand how employees have experienced the benefits and challenges of employee ownership.

View the trailer & pre-order the film: www.wetheowners.com


Shift Change

SHIFT CHANGE is a documentary film by veteran award-winning filmmakers Melissa Young and Mark Dworkin. It tells the little known stories of employee owned businesses that compete successfully in today’s economy while providing secure, dignified jobs in democratic workplaces.

Watch a preview of the film here: http://shiftchange.org/video-clips/


Arup’s Story

Arup has a reputation for pioneering innovations and for fresh approaches to age-old challenges.

The firm’s ownership structure – held in trust on behalf of its employees – ensures that Arup retains its independent spirit. Arup’s operating principles and commitment to sustainability is paramount. These shared values unify Arup people – a formidable and diverse group of individuals; freely exchanging ideas and sharing opinions.

Over the years, Arup has been recognised for as a leading organisation for gender equality in the workplace by The Times in the UK, Australia’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency and as a top employer of graduates by the Australian Association of Graduate Employers.

Find out more about ARUP’s story.


SRC’s Story

Learn how Jack Stack and his fellow employees transformed a failing division of International Harvester into one of the most successful and competitive companies in America using employee ownership.


Mondragon’s Story – Defying the Crisis

Mondragón in the Basque Country is the largest employee owned cooperative in the world and manages what other Spanish companies are struggling to achieve; bucking the trend by generating an annual turnover of €14bn despite the economic crisis.