Knowledge on Steward Ownership
Collected, curated, free: Articles, videos, courses, case studies and more for founders, investors and everyone who wants to learn about steward ownership.
Starting points
Basics
What is steward ownership? Get an overview of the principles, aligned financing, the implementation and comparisons to other models.
Courses
Our structured learning journeys support you along your individual steward ownership path.
Case Studies
Discover how steward ownership is lived in practice: Patagonia, Bosch, Sharetribe and many more.
All Resources
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Topic
Type
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The principles of steward ownership
Still there are quite a few misunderstandings and myths surrounding the topic of steward ownership. This article provides some orientation by taking a closer look at the two key principles of steward ownership: self-determination and purpose orientation. What exactly shapes them? And how are they technically spelled out?
Steward-Ownership 101 Book
This book for everyone curious, exploring, or already working with steward-ownership. Discover the core principles, legal implementations, and real-world examples behind steward-owned businesses.
Developmental Evaluation 2025
This evaluation offers a concise look of how steward-ownership and its ecosystem have evolved in 2025. It brings together insights from the Purpose Group, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, and field builders, and reflects on these developments and on our own work within the field. Designed as a shared resource, it helps orient the ecosystem, support learning, and guide collective next steps.
SO:25 Colin Mayer: The Role of Ownership in Purposeful Businesses
Oxford professor and thought leader Prof. Colin Mayer draws the bigger picture on the future of the corporation and corporate ownership. He outlines the underlying principles and inherent structures that matter if we want to build businesses that produce profitable solutions for the problems of people and planet.
The Big Picture: Discover Steward Ownership
Ever asked yourself: What’s this thing called steward-ownership? And how does it actually work? Watch our 6 minute video to learn why ownership matters, how it shapes corporate behaviour, and how steward-ownership offers its very own answers to the big questions about money and power.
Legislation for Steward-Ownership
Carla Reuter from the Foundation for Steward Ownership (SVE) explains why steward-ownership still relies on legal workarounds in many countries and why a dedicated legal form is needed.
When Steward Ownership and Employee Ownership Meet: A Dialogue
If you ever wondered what steward ownership and employee ownership have in common and where they differ, then this conversation is for you. Enjoy a dialogue between Maike from Purpose and employee ownership ambassador Graeme Nuttall where the talk about similarities, distinctions and the importance of alternative ownership approaches.
Employee Ownership, B Corps, ...
This overview connects steward ownership with other alternative business models and explores their overlaps, connections and differences.
Sharetribe
When Juho Makkonen and Antti Virolainen went looking for investors in 2018, they realized conventional ownership models were built on incentives that simply didn't align with their vision. So they rewired the entire structure of their company.
Curated, not exhaustive: This hub brings together the most relevant resources from the Purpose Foundation, its international partner organisations, and regional allies. If you feel that something is missing, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
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