Gripple staff say they are happy to own it, and so should you

7th July 2015

Employee-owned Gripple Ltd, one of the UK's strongest advocates of the business model, welcomed the EO Day 2015 as the perfect opportunity to 'shout about' what it means to the company and its 500 employees.

This year, the Sheffield-based, world-leading, multi award-winning manufacturer, decided to focus on social networking to celebrate the benefits of employee ownership and highlight people who 'own it'. During the run-up to the day, and on the day itself, messages were sent continually, via Twitter, blogs and the Gripple website, 'spreading the word' with witty staff images and punchy comments, such as -It's fun coming to work, -We care about the business we own. Colourful banners, saying -Own it - we do were also displayed at the Old West Gun Works, Riverside and Loadhog - to draw attention to this important day in the year. Gripple is 100% employee-owned, with all staff obliged to buy £1000 worth of shares a year after joining the company. As shareholders they have been represented on a private company, GLIDE, which was set up in 2011 by Gripple's founder and chairman, Hugh Facey. His vision was to ensure that the business was never sold and stayed in the hands of its employees. Andy Davies, chairman of the GLIDE board, said: -The employee ownership model has allowed our people to challenge continually the status quo, progress their own ideas and help to keep Gripple not only at the forefront of major markets across the globe, but entering exciting new ones too. To welcome Gripple's favourite day in the year, the company provided ice cream as a thank you for all employees in the UK. Andy added: -We believe that our business thrives because we have a business of owners and a business of people who embody the spirit of challenging convention and having fun doing so. If that doesn't merit a '99 with sprinkles, what does?