Cooperatives as Form of Stewardship: The Netherlands

03 Jul 2023

It is challenging to ensure that profits are being made within your company and adapted to the challenges and ideals of corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and social impact.  To safeguard this mission, one solution is the concept of steward-ownership, where control and economic interest are separated to ensure purpose comes before profit. 

To convert a 'normal' company into a steward-owned company, the STAK foundation can issue depositary receipts of shares issued to the founders or investors to disperse the receipt holders and for stewards to focus on the company's mission without shareholder interference. 

Another form is through the cooperative, where members run a business under a common name to enter into membership arrangements and is well suited for steward-ownership.