October 27, 2023 – Radialsystem, Berlin
A journey from the origins to the present day
After last year’s SO:22 conference, we are on to the next round – this time with a Day of Steward-Ownership, a day in Berlin, a day of inspiration and exchange around the topic. At the SO:23, we will embark on a journey and pay tribute to some of the first companies to have implemented steward-ownership like Bosch, Zeiss, Novo Nordisk or John Lewis Partnership, and who have been living the model for decades and longer. We will tell the story of medium-sized businesses and value-oriented startups that are working for better conditions today. And we will shed light on the potential of this corporate model for the future and for the European social market economy. We are looking forward to participants from a wide range of sectors and regions who can contribute their individual perspectives. Together we will create a place where we can learn, discuss and develop from and with each other.
For long-term and independent entrepreneurship – and an economy that serves people and the planet.
Speakers
We are still in the middle of planning the concrete program for the one-day SO:23 conference. The event will be opened by a speech of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr Frank-Walter Steinmeier. And we are more than happy to also already have the following speakers on board:
Conference
According to our current planning, the main program of the SO:23 will start at 11 am. All participants will spend the day together in a big group – of course with lunch and coffee breaks. After that, we look forward to an evening together with plenty of space for exchange, time to get to know each other and a dinner buffet. Besides the main program, there will be no additional workshops this time.
#SO22 in Numbers
Recap
Have a look at past conferences and events on steward-ownership to already soak up the conference spirit.
Recap – SO:22
This was the Conference on Steward-Ownership last year!
Fotos: Anna Wyszomierska
SO:22 on Video
You can watch the main program of the conference here:
day 1, evening of day 1, day 2, and closing of day 2.
Conference Partners
A big thank you to all our conference partners, enablers and media partnerships! Your support and collaborations allow us to organize the SO:23.
Media Partner
Steward-Ownership
The SO:22 conference will be hosted by Stiftung Verantwortungseigentum and the Purpose Stiftung gGmbH. Steward-ownership creates the possibility to bring together start-ups, medium-sized businesses and large corporations. It combines modern with traditional entrepreneurship, sustainability with profitable business. On the one hand, steward-ownership is a proven ownership model that has been in place for many decades and implemented by iconic German businesses such as Bosch and Zeiss. On the other hand, it presents a new alternative to conventional and more traditional ownership models. It allows start-ups to legally safeguard their purpose-oriented businesses and enables medium-sized business and Hidden Champions to set-up sustainable charters, where successors can become steward-owners indepedent of family affiliation or acquisition power.
Steward-ownership has the potential to play a role in the transformation of the economy. It centers on the core of the company itself – ts ownership, its DNA. The goal is to (re)prioritize the purpose of the company – to the maximization of short-term profits; and to safeguard its independence in the long-run.
In short:
With steward-ownership, assets and control remain within the company in the long term.
This is based on two key principles:
First: Asset lock, or put differently profits serve purpose. For steward-owner companies, assets and profits are not an end in themselves, but a means to an end. They are reinvested, used to pay investors, shared with stakeholders or donated to charity. They cannot be withdrawn for personal benefit.
Second: Self-governance. Steward-owned companies keep control within the business. Voting shares can only be held by the stewards; this way the company can not become a speculative asset. Voting shares cannot be inherited or sold for profits, but are passed on in trust and alignment of shared values and necessary skills.
The Purpose Stiftung gGmbH (Purpose Foundation) was established in 2015 with the goal to inform about steward-ownership and to facilitate its implementation worldwide. As a non-profit, the Purpose Foundation focuses on education and research. Knowledge generated through the practice and experience of and with steward-ownership is made accessible through publications, events, and open-source materials. Its mission: to contribute to an economy that serves people, society and the planet.
The Stiftung Verantwortungseigentum (Foundation for Steward-Ownership), founded in November 2019, connects steward-owned companies in Germany and advocates for a better legal framework for the implementation of steward-ownership. To this end, the foundation is in exchange with six independent legal scholars, who have drafted a bill for a new legal form for steward ownership, and is in direct contact with politicians. The coalition of the new federal government, comprised of social democrats, greens and liberals, has committed itself in its coalition agreement to introduce such a new legal form. In addition to the political work, the foundation promotes education and research as well as information and the exchange of experience on the topic of steward-ownership within the framework of a non-profit cooperation.
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