Shifting Culture to Advance Employee Ownership

<p>Culture is an essential cornerstone that determines whether employee ownership translates into strong business outcomes and high quality jobs. This session explores the mindset shift required to move from passive participation to a vibrant culture of ownership, as well as the cultural shift required societally to prioritize worker ownership and economic empowerment. Panelists discuss how a strong internal culture of ownership protects the dignity of work in an automated age and serves as a powerful competitive advantage, while also exploring the changes required to shift our economy towards a new understanding of ownership and profit distribution.</p><p>Our speakers include Evan Edwards (CEO and President, Project Equity); Melissa Hoover (Director of Ownership Culture, Apis &amp; Heritage); Chris Mackin (Founder, Ownership Associates, Partner, American Working Capital); Anna-Lisa Miller (Executive Director, Ownership Works); and moderator Adria Scharf (Assistant Professor and Senior Associate Director, Institute for the Study of Employee Ownership and Profit Sharing, Rutgers University; Director of the Curriculum Library for Employee Ownership, Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations).</p><p>This video comes from the 2026 Employee Ownership Ideas Forum, which took place June 2-3, 2026, in Washington DC and online.</p><p>For more information about this session, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/videos/shifting-culture-to-advance-employee-ownership/"><u>visit our website</u></a>.</p><p>For additional content from the Forum, <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/employee-ownership-ideas-forum-2026/"><u>visit our main event page</u></a>.</p><p>To view more sessions and event highlights, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@aspeneop"><u>subscribe to our YouTube channel</u></a>.</p><p>Or <a href="https://pod.link/1503944129"><u>subscribe to our podcast</u></a> and listen on the go.</p><p>About this event:</p><p>The <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/events/employee-ownership-ideas-forum-2026/"><u>Employee Ownership Ideas Forum</u></a> is an annual event hosted by the <a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/programs/economic-opportunities-program/"><u>Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program</u></a> and the <a href="https://smlr.rutgers.edu/faculty-research-engagement/institute-study-employee-ownership-and-profit-sharing"><u>Institute for the Study of Employee Owner