Novograf involved in the creation of ''Scotland for Employee Ownership'' group

John Clark, Chairman of employee owned Novograf, is a member of the steering group for a new industry leadership body set up to make Scotland the best place for employee ownership to thrive.

Led by the leaders of Scotland’s EO businesses, Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, Scotland for EO will create an industry strategy that supports self-sustaining employee-owned businesses to the benefit of employees, business and the economy.

Novograf's experience of employee ownership is a great example of how to make this model work. As employee owners, we haven't looked back since we transitioned to EO in December 2016. We are supporting this new Government initiative because we want as many businesses as possible to enjoy the same benefits of employee ownership.

Under the strapline ‘Employees CAN DO Ownership’, Scotland for EO will aim to increase the number of employee and worker-owned businesses from around 100 to 500 by 2030. It will be backed with £75,000 of Scottish Government funding and will be co-chaired by Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills.

Scotland aims to become a world leader in employee ownership and other co-operative models. Evidence shows that these models perform well in terms of productivity, inclusion and innovation and there is less likelihood of them moving operations outside Scotland.

John Clark, chair of employee-owned business Novograf and member of the steering group behind the initiative, said:

“We have a choice: to be passive and allow the development of a support environment for EO companies to happen without industry input, or to take a proactive approach and seek to actively influence how that environment evolves. We believe the proactive approach creates the prospect of making Scotland the best country in the world to establish and grow an EO business.”

Sarah Deas, director at Scottish Enterprise and head of CDS, who will be a key member of the leadership group, said:

“The appetite for employee ownership has never been greater. In the last five years the number of employee and worker owned businesses operating in Scotland has trebled and this past year we have been working on a ‘deal a month’ on average. Promoting employee ownership helps drive growth in the economy and create greater wealth equality in society.”

At Novograf we understand that employee ownership is a win for the seller, a win for the new employee owners and a win for local jobs.