The Employee and Community Ownership Hub (ECOH) exists to accelerate the growth of alternative ownership models in Australia by connecting practitioners, researchers, advisors and curious minds in a collaborative learning environment.

We bring together diverse stakeholders to explore, advance and implement employee and community ownership structures that create more equitable, resilient and purposeful enterprises. Through knowledge sharing, relationship building and collaborative research, we seek to elevate alternative ownership models from niche to mainstream consideration in Australian business.

ECOH serves as both a catalyst for learning and a platform for action by cultivating the expertise, networks and resources needed to transform how ownership is structured and experienced across Australian workplaces and communities.

Our Mission

• To create accessible learning opportunities about employee and community ownership models
• To foster meaningful connections between practitioners, advisors, researchers and interested parties
• To develop and disseminate evidence-based resources on ownership alternatives in the Australian context
• To cultivate a supportive ecosystem that enables the growth of employee and community-owned enterprises
• To inform policy development through collaborative research and practical insights

Our Focus Areas

• Employee ownership structures (EOTs, employee share schemes, worker cooperatives)
• Community ownership models (cooperatives, mutual organisations, community enterprises)
• Producer and consumer ownership structures
• Steward ownership frameworks
• Governance practices that support democratic participation and shared decision-making
• Business succession planning through alternative ownership models

Our Approach

ECOH operates as a collaborative community of practice, bringing together diverse perspectives while maintaining a balance between community-building and creating opportunities for practical implementation. We embrace systems thinking to understand the complex relationships between ownership structures, governance, and economic outcomes.

Stewardship & Research