Welcome to Steward Ownership
Building independent, purpose-driven companies: Explore the concept, the cases, and the global ecosystem. This website is built for entrepreneurs, investors, practitioners and the simply curious.
What is steward ownership?
Steward ownership offers an alternative to conventional ownership models. It ensures that companies remain independent and mission-driven by enshrining two core principles in a legally binding way:
Purpose orientation
Profits are a means to an end, not an end in themselves. They serve the company’s mission and development or can be used to fund charitable activities. The value created within the company cannot be extracted by the company owners for their personal benefit.
Self-determination
The company cannot become an object of speculation but remains self-determined and independent in the long term. The steering wheel always remains in the hands of people who are connected to the company and its mission.
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Find your starting point
Steward ownership shows up at different moments in a company's life. Pick the one that matches yours.
Planning your company's next chapter
Succession, protecting your mission, or making sure profits keep serving the purpose – steward ownership offers a structural answer.
Structuring aligned capital or investments
Whether you're funding a steward-owned company or rethinking your portfolio – there are financing models built for mission-oriented businesses.
Meet the ecosystem
Companies, field builders, investors, advisors, researchers – steward ownership is carried by a global ecosystem. Find the players in your region and field.
Steward-owned companies
All around the world across industries and sizes. Some of the lighthouse cases:
Over 100 years – Zeiss is one of the world's oldest steward ownership examples.
Ecosia is structured to prevent acquisition and keep the search engine's mission-orientation irreversible.
Patagonia transferred ownership to a trust to handle succession without selling the company or passing it on through inheritance.
The story of BuurtzorgT demonstrates the potential of steward ownership in healthcare, providing a model to prioritize patient care over profit.
A global ecosystem
Steward ownership is gaining momentum worldwide – from bakeries in Portland to banks in Santiago de Chile to tech firms in Berlin. Wherever you are, chances are there's already a local organisation working to make steward ownership accessible in your region. Together with the Purpose Foundation, these field builders can help you understand what steward ownership looks like where you live and connect you with entrepreneurs, investors, and others exploring the same path.
Highlights of the SO:25
To get sense of steward ownership and the ecosystem, who's part of it and the magic behind, watch the highlight video of the SO:25 – the global steward ownership conference 2025.
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Any questions? Join our open Q&A calls and webinars.
We love the synergies that form through personal connections. We therefore warmly invite you to join our weekly calls. Webinars, for those who want an introduction to the topic and Q&A calls for those who want to ask questions and listen to others. This is a great way to connect with steward ownership.
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