Commons Economy Learning Programmes

We run commons economy learning programmes for owners, entrepreneurs and their staff about the benefits of transferring companies into employee ownership and the forms of commons ownership that are available. By doing so we capture and protect value of existing businesses in perpetuity and anchor businesses in communities to protect jobs and surplus for public benefit.

If owners are interested in exploring the process of converting to a commons ownership model we facilitate a staged process that moves through:
1. Commons Ownership FAQ Events to explain the commons as a flexible perspective for building and protecting the interests of stakeholders
2. Legacy Design Dialogues to :
a) understand the legacy goals of owners and employees
b) examine different ownership options and how these fit the business and its context
c) consider appropriate case studies
3. Possible Finance Options
Once owners and employees are clear of the route they wish to take we facilitate
4. The Conversion Process
a) Detailing Finance Options & Legal Structures
b) Deal Brokerage
c) Sale & Legal & Financial Implementation
c) Post Conversion Role Clarification
d) Employee Training

A Commons Equity Society

Having undertaken research into different commons ownership models the Commons Equity Society is one that we see as having more flexibility and benefit for stakeholders than most.  Once a company is brought into this structure it is owned in perpetuity for employee and community benefit in perpetuity.

Companies become part of a mutual aid network of associated organisations that are linked so as to operate as a single entity like a corporation with many separate and independently operating organisations within it.

They are one through common ownership which retains the right to the profit of the owned organisations, and they are independent because the day-to-day control is given back to the organisations themselves. This is a true independence as the Commons Equity Society does not retain the power to sack the Directors of the individual organisations within the network.

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The magic happens once the surplus profit starts flowing because the Commons Equity Society shares it with the community in a very simple way that has very profound positive long term consequences.

30%

is shared amongst the co-workers who made the profit – to create a domestic economy amongst staff and managers, which is careful of resources, attentive to the long term and motivational.

30%

is ploughed back into developing the profit making capacity of the Commons Equity Society – through the Economic Development Fund.

30%

is sent to the Community Commons Trust for cultural development supporting education, health and the arts in the community.

10%

is used to manage, develop and promote the Commons Equity Society.

Because all the surplus is always being used for different things wealth does not accumulate in a distorted way in the hands of the few.

Because the wealth created by organisations – whatever they do – goes, in large part, to support the community there is always a meaningful consequence to the work of that organisation.

Because the community retains ownership of all organisations there is greater transparency, and that leads to greater fairness and greater trust.

The Commons Equity Society connects wealth creation to wellbeing

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