Alternative Exit #24 | Unlocking the Donut Economy Through Employee Ownership

Alternative Exit

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode of The Alternative Exit, I’m joined by Erinch Sahan, Business and Enterprise Lead at the Donut Economics Action Lab. Erinch brings a bold new lens to our conversations on ownership, rooted in his work with the Donut Economics framework – a model that calls for businesses to operate within ecological limits while meeting social needs.

Erinch and I dive into how enterprise design and ownership models like employee ownership can transform businesses into vehicles for long-term sustainability, fairness, and resilience. We explore why now is the perfect moment for retiring business owners to reimagine the future of their companies, and how structures that give employees a real stake in decision-making and outcomes can help get us into the “donut” – a safe, just space for humanity.

Key Takeaways:

• What is Donut Economics and how it redefines the role of business
• Why ownership and governance models matter for sustainable transformation
• The connection between employee ownership and long-term ecological resilience
• How local ownership leads to more responsible decision-making
• Challenges owners face when transitioning to alternative ownership models
• Why fear of change – from employees or advisors – is often misplaced
• The role of enterprise design in unlocking innovation and employee engagement
• Why the transition to employee ownership isn’t binary and doesn’t mean giving up all control

About Erinch Sahan

Erinch Sahan is the Business and Enterprise Lead at the Donut Economics Action Lab. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Executive of the World Fair Trade Organization, worked at Oxfam, and taught at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. With over 900 businesses engaged in his work, Erinch brings deep insight into how to redesign businesses to serve both people and planet.

Connect with Erinch Sahan:

Website: https://doughnuteconomics.org

LinkedIn: Erinch Sahan

Connect with Andy Farquharson:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andyfarquharson/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/andyfarq

Website - https://abettermonday.me/

Email - [email protected]