Worker Co-Ops Show Significant Growth in Latest Survey Data

Summary

Thanks to the collection of this data, we’ve identified trends with significant implications for worker-owners, worker cooperative developers, and economic development professionals alike. We have demonstrated that worker cooperatives have grown in number of both enterprises and locations since 2015. We’ve been able to capture the impact of public support of worker ownership in cities like New York, which, with 58 worker cooperatives, now has the largest concentration in the country. We’ve shown the growing prevalence of traditional businesses converting to employee ownership to keep their businesses operating after an owner’s retirement or to restructure for growth. And we’ve illuminated the use of the worker ownership model by women and workers of color to access economic opportunities they have traditionally been left out of.