Gripple Invites Employee Ownership Learners as Staff Enjoy a Free Ice Cream

26th June 2013

July 4th may be Independence Day in the US, however this year it will also be Employee Ownership Open Day at Sheffield-based Gripple, one of the UK's most successful champions of the business model.

Companies which have not yet embraced the model are invited to The Old West Gun Works where they will be able to learn and understand face to face its proven benefits, while Gripple staff enjoy a free ice cream thanks to their fellow shareholders! Gripple is hosting the Open Day in support of the first government and Employment Ownership Association (EOA) initiative - National Employee Ownership Day. The Association's vision is to see 10% of UK GDP produced by employee owned companies by 2020 and this special day aims to raise awareness to a much higher level. The EOA has two UK offices, one based at Gripple's Sheffield HQ and the company's chairman, Hugh Facey has been on the Association's board for a number of years. During the Open Day visitors will not only have the opportunity to talk to Gripple staff and the other members of the Gripple 'family' of employee owned companies Loadhog and PMS Diecasting but also representatives from local companies who have already taken the step after recognising the advantages of EO to their companies and employees, including John Lewis, Swann Morton, Abacus Design Associates, School Trends, City Health Care Partnership, Walker Morris, Spectrum Community Health, Sheffield Hallam University, TransaveUK, Co-ownership Solutions, Wrigleys and Wicker Pharmacy. Gripple is so committed to EO, and convinced of its advantages, that the company has recently moved the model on still further by establishing a private employee owned company, GLIDE (Growth Led Innovation Driven Employee Company Limited), which represents all the shareholder members working in its partner companies with an employee elected board of directors speaking for all GLIDE members the staff. Speaking about the Open Day, Andy Davies, Gripple's business development director and chairman of the GLIDE board, said: -The employee owned companies in our region are keen to spread the good news that EO can be of tremendous benefit to their business because staff feels that they own it! We are delighted to open our doors and will welcome anyone who wants to learn and dispel any misconceptions about EO they may have. The Open Day runs from 10.00am to 4.00pm in the Old West Gun Works on Savile Street East, Sheffield look out for the Gripple spider then just pop in to learn about EO!