We're 100% employee-owned
We’ve always been a values driven company, and that's reflected in our amazing clients-roster. Now, we've helped to pioneer a socially-responsible business model too. We caused a bit of a stir back in 2019 when we became the first digital agency to become 100% employee-owned.
Why?
Firstly, we didn't want our mission, or the supportive culture we've spent years building up to ever come under threat from a corporate buy-out.
Secondly, we love the idea of a fairer, more equitable company ownership, and an employee-owned trust (EOT) gave us a model to make that happen.
We’re proud of our people-first agency and will continue to prioritise purpose before profits for the greater good.
No parent company, no (direct) shareholders, just a team of co-owners, committed to our mission of using digital to make the planet a better place.
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 Willans - Founder Director
So, what does it mean?
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, the Trust owns the shares on our behalf, so there's no problem when people join or leave.
Looking after this, are our elected Board of Employee Trustees. They oversee our work, represent the team and take the reins when big decisions need to be made. Anyone can stand for election after a year of working at Torchbox.
The elected Trustees work alongside Torchbox's Board of Directors to make sure our strategy and growth plans are full of potential while still being aligned with the mission and supportive culture that we’re known for.
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.
And there are some financial benefits including a tax-free bonus each year…
Serious benefits
- Performance and ownership bonuses
- Trips, including biennial skiing!
- Unlimited personal development budget
- Mental health and wellbeing support
- Flexibility to make working life work for you
- Be an owner, not just an employee
- Electric car salary sacrifice scheme (UK only)
- Buy and Sell holiday scheme, purchase up to 2 weeks extra
- 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
- 2 paid Civic Days per year, to support your community
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.
