Cooperatives, Mutuals and Employee Ownership

A practical and people‑centred alternative to traditional business models.

Cooperatives, mutuals and employee-owned businesses offer an alternative way to start, run or grow a business; one that puts people at the centre of ownership and decision-making, while remaining commercially robust.

Rather than being driven solely by external shareholders, these models are built around shared ownership, democratic control and long-term sustainability. They allow employees, customers, communities or members to have a genuine stake in how a business operates and how its success is shared.

Upcoming Webinars

A series of informative cooperative webinars will be held in March 2026, run together with Cooperatives UK, at which you can learn more about the cooperative and mutual business models. Click on the below Eventbrite links to learn more and sign up.

• 05 March 2026 - Discover Cooperatives: creative and digital sector
• 12 March 2026 - Discover Cooperatives: pubs, local retail, energy and small-scale farming
• 26 March 2026 - Is a cooperative right for you?

Find out more

We have a wealth of information on cooperative, mutual and employee-owned models on this website, bringing together clear guidance and practical resources – including downloadable factsheets – to help you explore the topic in more detail.

Visit the Cooperatives, Mutuals and Employee Ownership factsheets page.

(You’ll need to Log-in to the Growth Hub portal to access the page, or it’s free and easy to Register with the Growth Hub if you haven’t already).

And if you want any further assistance to explore what might work best for your situation, the East Sussex Growth Hub team is here to help. Email growth.hub@eastsussex.gov.uk