Building Trust: Driving Engagement, Performance and Ownership in a New ESOP

What really happens after a company becomes an ESOP? For many organizations, the announcement brings an initial wave of excitement… but sustaining engagement, strengthening culture, and building trust require ongoing, intentional effort. In employee-owned companies, a high-trust culture turns shared purpose into shared success.
Join Alison Lawlor, CFO, and James Anderson, COO, for an honest, practical panel discussion about their company’s first year as a brand-new ESOP. Together with Beth Krieck of ESOP Partners, they’ll reflect on what it looks like to shift mindsets, increase transparency, and create space for employees to feel connected to the company’s direction and to one another. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all formula, the panelists will explore what trust really looks like in an ESOP and the leadership approaches that helped them make progress, as well as the lessons they’re still learning along the way. Through small-group breakouts and real-world insights, participants will uncover the building blocks of a high-trust culture and share actionable ways to apply them in their own companies. Attendees will leave with fresh perspectives, practical tools, and one clear next step to help their teams build the trust that makes employee ownership thrive.

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