Workshop: New forms of ownership for a new economy

Does the circular economy require a transformation of corporate structures?

The circular economy is one of the key strategies for social and ecological transformation. Circular economy companies bring a lot of innovation to the ground in terms of product development and business models. At the same time, they usually operate within conventional ownership structures.

In this workshop for managers in the circular economy, we will address the question of the extent to which current ownership structures stand in the way of consistent implementation of the circular economy in Austria.

• Do circular economy companies need different governance processes and responsibilities?
• What impact does profit maximisation and dependence on growth have on our ambitions for a circular economy?
• Are there already exciting alternative ownership models that can help us stay on track?

After a basic outline of the problem of ownership structures and the circular economy, we will familiarise ourselves with two exciting alternative ownership structures.

Jessica Edioke from the Purpose Foundation presents the model of the Responsible ownership before. This firmly anchors the company's purpose in its structures and ensures that it is at the centre of decision-making processes.

Kosta Juri from the Economic Democracy Institute introduces the concept of european ESOP a. The model is aimed at democratic co-determination in companies and offers a wide range of implementation options. The input will be in English.

Afterwards we will discuss together, what concrete opportunities and challenges could result from these models for your work in the circular economy. What would be possible - and what is (still) standing in the way of implementation?

The event will be scientifically monitored. The discussion formats will be used as a data basis for Jonas Holl's Master's thesis. All participants will be anonymised. By registering, you agree to a recording of the event for documentation purposes. The recording will not be published.

We look forward to your participation!