The ESOP Association

ESOP Association Resources

Sep. 26
Federal agencies have established policy to encourage government contracting with Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs).[1] Entities that are certified DBEs typically earn a significant amount of revenue that they may not otherwise earn because of DBE certification.  Yet, DBEs face succession planning issues just like non-DBEs.  That raises a question:  If a DBE becomes ESOP-owned, will it be able to retain DBE status and continue to receive the benefits that come from DBE certification?
2772
Sep. 24
This year, TEA has been securing vital advancements to our policy agenda thanks to the unprecedented efforts of our members. It's easy to see that when our members engage and advocate for the ESOP community, legislative results are not far behind. Here is an overview of the record-breaking engagement of TEA members and the Congressional actions that followed.  
2771
Sep. 19
Mutual membership benefits will be extended across bordersNew Canadian Employee Ownership Trusts to be featured in full program track at Employee Owned 2024 in Las Vegas this November
2766
Sep. 12
For the last three years, the Employee Ownership Foundation has been proud to convene global thought leaders at the Oxford Symposium on Employee Ownership in the United Kingdom.  In 2024, in a testament to the event’s growing importance in expanding employee ownership around the world, the Symposium saw a record number of attendees from 23 countries across five continents.  
2755
Sep. 10
As we head into September, ESOPs across America begin to gear up in earnest for October and Employee Ownership Month. It’s always heartening to see the energy and enthusiasm on display during EOM, as our community celebrates the unique and unifying spirit of employee ownership. This year, we certainly have a lot to celebrate.  
2528
Sep. 02
Washington, D.C. – “Today, with great pleasure, I am signing into law a landmark measure that may finally give the American worker solid protection in his pension plan.”  With these words on September 2, 1974, President Gerald R. Ford signed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) into law.
2521
Chapter News, Resource
Jan. 31
Review of 2017 government relations efforts.
550
ESOP Blog, Resource
Jan. 31
I am hearing increasingly from certain thought leaders that current ESOP laws do not create “good” employee ownership plans.

Anytime we ESOP advocates encounter someone who takes such a view of ESOPs, we need to ask ourselves, “Why does that person think ESOPs are not good employee ownership plans?” When we know the answer, we can counter the ESOP cynic’s point of view.

In my experience, there are three main criticisms of ESOPs. I’ll deal with each one in a separate blog post.

The first criticism maintains that ESOPs are bad retirement plans.
384
Resource, Press Releases
Jan. 21
For more than 28 years, Employee Ownership Month has been an opportunity for ESOP (employee stock ownership plan) companies across the nation to educate employee owners and the public about the undeniable benefits of employee ownership for employees, their companies, their communities, and the nation.
366
ESOP Blog, Resource
Jan. 17
For some time now, the data have shown that businesses with employee stock ownership are clearly better than conventionally owned companies at retaining employees. But new insights gleaned from existing research data show that, over a period of 12 years, businesses with employee stock ownership have gotten increasingly and dramatically better than conventionally owned firms at retaining employees.

How much better? Try 235 percent better!
385