Alternative ownership structures – “steward take the wheel”

This article examines the concept of steward ownership and whether it is conducive to the economic transformation the world needs to enable fulfilling people’s lives within planetary boundaries. We discuss the concept’s core principles, its theoretical benefits and draw insights from real-life examples. The relevance of this topic is that ownership and governance are intimately connected, which means a company’s ownership structure is critical for the business strategy it pursues and its ultimate impact. Steward ownership is an alternative to shareholder ownership, which is currently dominant.¹