Employee-owned
We caused a bit of a stir back in 2019 when we became the first digital agency to become 100% employee-owned. No parent company and no (direct) shareholders, just a team of co-owners committed to our mission of using digital to make the planet a better place.
How employee ownership works at Torchbox
100% of our business is owned by our Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) on behalf of all of the employees. It's what's called 'indirect ownership'. No one has any shares themselves, instead the Trust owns the shares on our behalf. This means there's no problem when people join or leave.
We decided that by far the best people to own Torchbox are the people who have made it a success today, and the people who will continue to make it a success tomorrow.
Olly Willians Founder and Chief People and Planet Officer
Our elected Board of Employee Trustees look after the EOT and work alongside our Board of Directors. They make sure big decisions are aligned with our mission, oversee our work and act as representatives for the wider team. Anyone can stand for election after a year of working at Torchbox.
We encourage transparency and trust at every level, sharing everything from our financial performance to decisions about the appropriateness of future clients. Everyone is included, everyone is updated and everyone belongs.
The benefits of being a co-owner
The EOT model has allowed Torchbox to become a fairer and more equitable place to work for everyone. We’re proud of our people-first agency, and as co-owners we can continue to prioritise purpose before profits for the greater good.
There’s also some personal perks too, including:
- tax-free ownership bonuses
- quarterly performance bonuses
- flexibility to make working life work for you
- the opportunity to be an owner and have your say
You can be the voice of change
When we became employee-owned, we decided that we needed more ways to involve people in the way that we run the company day-to-day.
Today, our Voice Groups help shape our response to challenges, from climate action to wellbeing and diversity. Each group brings together volunteers with a common passion and gives them the authority and the budget to make new initiatives happen.
