Our Transition to Employee Ownership – Co-operative Development Scotland Case Study

Co-operative Development Scotland Case Study - Team group shot of the employee-owned business, Esteem Training

Thank you!

Following our move to Employee Ownership on 16 March – we wanted to take the opportunity to extend our thanks and appreciation to Scottish Enterprise and Co-operative Development Scotland (CDS).

CDS were one of our key supporters during our transition to Employee Ownership. Trudy and Martina attended a CDS webinar on Employee Ownership in summer 2021, and it switched us on to the possibility for our own succession planning. During the webinar, a number of SMEs talked about their experiences and we instantly understood the culture fit with employee ownership and what we had at Esteem Training.

Our Journey

When we decided that employee ownership was for us, CDS were instrumental in offering advice as well as funding an independent feasibility study – which told us that we were in a position to proceed with employee ownership. We then engaged with a fantastic advisor – Andrew Harrison of Co-ownership Solutions – who supported us through the process over the following eight months.

Co-operative Development Scotland have written a wonderful blog about us and our transition – you can read it here on their website.

Pictured (L-R) are Esteem Training’s Business Development Manager Andy Findlater, circus performer Kat Borrowdale and Esteem Training’s Assessor Rosie Neill in front of Glasgow Central Station