What Does It Mean to Achieve in 2021?

Every year around this time, I get excited about our Fall ESOP Forum, taking place this year from September 22 to 24 online. It serves as both a welcome reprieve from the late summer/early autumn doldrums and an augmentation of Employee Ownership Month, which falls directly on its heels. It also provides a yearly opportunity to take stock of the past year while looking forward to what the upcoming year might have in store for us.

The Forum itself is, as usual, full of wonderful educational and networking opportunities. Personally, I look forward to attending the governance sessions, brushing up on cybersecurity best practices, and enjoying some employee-owned brews with my friends throughout the community (see more of the agenda here). But there’s more than education taking place, as this year will feature the winner of our 2021 Achievement Award. 

The last year and a half have redefined a lot of things about the way we work, the way we socialize, and the way we live our lives. Necessarily, it may have altered what it really means to “achieve” in the present day. Last year’s winner, Litehouse, Inc., won for going above and beyond to not only adapt to the realities of food production in the middle of a pandemic but doing so while creatively finding ways to engage customers and proactively taking  care of its employees. This year, we’re excited to see how our member companies have dealt with the theme of evolution, finding ways to focus on both the long- and short-term goals to push their ESOPs forward.

We’ve had some stellar entries so far, but there’s still time to apply! The deadline is September 5. To learn more about how to enter, click here.