BioVerlag

BioVerlag is a publishing company deeply committed to sustainability that lives by the motto: “Whether it’s sustainable consumption, a love for the environment, or social responsibility – what we write about is what we live.” This dedication to purpose was at the heart of the company’s transition to steward-ownership in 2011. The shares of Bio Verlag’s GmbH were transferred to a foundation, making it a steward-owned company, structured through a dual foundation model. In BioVerlag’s model, decision-making power firmly rests in the hands of the employees, who also contribute to the company’s equity through their own investments. This ensures that even after the founders step down, the company's direction remains guided by the values and collective efforts of its workforce. Therefore, transparency is a cornerstone of BioVerlag’s success. Every employee is kept fully informed about the company’s operations – what is happening, when, how, and why – creating a sense of ownership that not only motivates the team but also drives the company forward.

At BioVerlag, value creation is shared fairly among three key stakeholders: the company itself, its investors, and its employees. Reflecting this philosophy, BioVerlag introduced participation certificates ("Genussscheine") for all employees. This initiative not only facilitated BioVerlag’s transition to steward-ownership – replacing the founders’ initial equity with new capital – but also ensured that ownership would be distributed more broadly across the workforce, both now and in the future.

Each employee's financial participation is determined by factors such as working hours and responsibility, with managing directors making the largest financial contributions (investments). While the return on each investment is capped at the principal, dividends paid on participation certificates are not. However, the majority of the company’s profits are directed towards charitable causes, with only a portion allocated to certificate holders as dividends. These dividends are distributed only when the company decides, and though employees, who hold voting rights, make this decision, the process is carefully balanced by checks and safeguards to maintain fairness and uphold the principles of steward-ownership. While permanent employees are required to invest in the company, this investment doesn’t need to happen immediately and can be built up over time through methods like salary conversion. Upon leaving the company, employees have their initial investment returned. The longer they stay, the more they benefit from the company’s profit-sharing structure, making BioVerlag a truly purpose-driven business where employees are both financially and ethically invested in its future.