How steward-ownership protects corporate mission - a teaching case

How do we prepare students for an economy that not only creates financial value, but also has social and environmental impact? The Centre for Economic Transformation at the Hogeschool van Amsterdam (HvA) introduces steward-ownership — a teacher's guide & teaching case.

Steward-ownership separates economic rights (profits) from voting rights (decision-making) so that a company can continue to operate sustainably without relying on short-term shareholder profits. Large companies such as Patagonia recently chose this model to secure their social mission. But what does this mean in practice? And what alternatives exist to traditional share ownership models?

In this teaching case, we make students aware of the role corporate ownership plays in the transition to a fair and sustainable economy. We look at the traditional form of share ownership and discover how steward-ownership offers an alternative to profit maximization for the few at the expense of the welfare and prosperity of the many. While preserving room for entrepreneurship.

Directly usable in class

This teaching case provides an accessible introduction to steward-ownership and is designed specifically for students in the economics and social work fields. Teachers can get started right away with:

• A teacher's guide with explanations and lesson objectives.
• An animated infographic that clearly explains the concept.
• Six interactive work formats, including group discussions, role plays and a pressure cooker.
• In-depth chapters tailored to hr, social entrepreneurship and legal issues.

The lesson fits a variety of courses in the economic and social domain of HBO and WO from third year Bachelor to Master level. The knowledge gained is current and relevant for students who will work in business or become entrepreneurs themselves. They recognize the advantages and disadvantages of classical forms of ownership. They are also aware of alternative possibilities of ownership that fit seamlessly into a new economy.

Why steward-ownership? Learning from Patagonia

With this lesson, you prepare students for a future in the new economy, and let them experience how steward-ownership can be part of the solution! You can download the case for free and use it in your lesson tomorrow.

The lesson was developed by the HvA's Centre for Economic Transformation in collaboration with We Are Stewards and is available for free.
For information, questions, the steward case, and feedback on the teaching case, please email Claudia Cuypers at c.cuypers@hva.nl.