The Ownership Project (TOP) and the Institute for Business in Global Society (BiGS) at Harvard Business School are pleased to host a conference on steward ownership and other purpose-led ownership models. The conference will bring together academics and practitioners, facilitating discussion and expanding the theoretical and applied understanding of steward ownership.

Steward ownership, also known as purpose ownership, is a form of business ownership that is gaining traction globally. Steward-owned companies are guided by two principles: 1) perpetual self-determination, which ensures the company cannot be sold and will remain independent under the control of stewards, and 2) a purpose-orientation, which encodes a mission for the company and ensures profits advance that mission. These principles have been adapted based on regulatory, financial, and cultural contexts to develop a diverse portfolio of implementations. Despite an array of empiric examples and increased attention globally, the concept and understanding of steward ownership remains incomplete and largely unstudied. This conference, in partnership with other research initiatives, aims to address that limitation.