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Research and Data on Employee Ownership

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The NCEO Research Team

We are experts dedicated to producing actionable data for employee-owned companies and stakeholders in the field. We do regular surveys of ESOP companies to collect data on best practices, publish the latest statistics on employee ownership, and conduct original research on the impact of employee ownership on workers and firms. Reach out to us with your questions! We love helping NCEO members as well as those new to the field. 

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Nancy Wiefek
Research Director
nwiefek@nceo.org

Headshot of Liza Shifrin

Liza Shifrin
Senior Researcher & Data Analyst
lshifrin@nceo.org

Contact the NCEO Research Team

research@nceo.org

Common Questions

Upcoming Research

NEW: The 2024 NCEO ESOP Executive and Director Compensation Survey report is now available. Thank you to all of our 553 respondents!

  • Report

    Updated EO by the Numbers

    Coming January 2025
  • Report

    New ESOP Database

    Coming February 2025
  • Survey

    New Compensation Survey Invitations

    Coming August 2025

Existing Research

Statistics on Employee Ownership

Over 6,300 U.S. companies sponsor an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), and many more share ownership with employees through other means.

 

 

See the Detailed Statistics

Research on Employee Ownership and the Economy

Research has found that ESOPs and other broad-based employee ownership plans are associated with significant economic benefits, including greater retirement security for workers, lower turnover rates, and greater resilience for companies during economic downturns.

Read the Research

Survey Reports on ESOP Company Practices

Each year, the NCEO conducts surveys of ESOP companies to gather data on compensation, plan administrative practices, corporate governance, and other topics.

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2024 ESOP Executive and Director Compensation Survey Report

This survey includes detailed compensation data for top executive positions, directors, and data on board makeup. Results are presented across demographic categories including revenue, selected industries, employee count, and ESOP ownership percentage.

Learn More and Get the Report

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2023 Repurchase Obligation Survey Report

This report covers the major findings
of the NCEO's 2023 ESOP Repurchase Obligation Survey. It includes an extensive appendix with separate tables for each survey item.

Learn More and Get the Report

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2021 ESOP Corporate Governance Survey Report

The NCEO's 2021 ESOP Corporate Governance Survey covers a wide range of governance issues including board composition, director compensation, the characteristics of the ESOP trustee, and trustee compensation.

Learn More and Get the Report

Lists of Employee-Owned Companies

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National ESOP Database

We collect data from employee ownership companies on their executive compensation, corporate governance, ESOP administration, and more. We also have regional and industry databases.

Downloadable Resources

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State and Industry ESOP Slides

NCEO members can download ESOP fact sheets for each state or major industry, featuring a map of ESOP company locations, the number of ESOP plans and participants, an industry breakdown, and more.