Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
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How the Centennial State Is Leading on Employee Ownership: A Profile of Colorado’s Employee Ownership Office
Employee ownership, such as employee stock ownership plans and worker-owned cooperatives, has emerged as a catalyst for fostering successful businesses, advancing racial and gender equity, and tackling the persistent issues of poor job quality and wealth inequity.
Employee-owned firms often create a host of benefits compared to similar, non-employee-owned companies, including improved compensation, enhanced working conditions, reduced turnover, and greater resilience during challenging economic times. However, despite its potential, employee ownership remains a relatively small component of the US economy, and awareness about employee ownership is relatively low. A unique opportunity for expansion is at hand, as six out of 10 business owners across the US intend to sell their business in the next decade as they prepare for retirement.
State centers of employee ownership are emerging to help address these challenges and capitalize on this opportunity for expansion. These centers work to promote employee ownership and educate business owners and workers about the different options available. In this brief, we discuss the strategies and practices implemented by Colorado’s Employee Ownership Office to better understand how employee ownership can be supported and grown. We hope this profile will help inform other state centers’ practices and the government’s role in supporting state centers, particularly as more centers emerge through funding provided by the recently passed Worker Ownership, Readiness, and Knowledge (WORK) Act.
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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“We are delighted to welcome this new class of Fellows,” said UpSkill America Senior Director Haley Glover. “Supporting these leaders, who are joining a thriving community of alumni, to advance in their work and careers creating real value for their organizations and opportunities for their workforces is so rewarding. This is an incredibly impressive group.”
We’re in the last month of our #JobQuality survey. If your org is improving #JobQuality, add your voice to this survey from The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program by December 31st.
The following transcript comes from our webinar, “Backsliding on Child Protections: The Return of Child Labor in the US,” hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program on November 19, 2025.
In this edition of the Job Quality Newsletter, we unpack why manufacturing jobs are often seen as desirable yet don’t consistently deliver on that promise, highlight research that shows how efforts to strengthen businesses can also improve the quality of jobs they provide, and consider how government purchasing power can be used to set higher job standards across the sector.
Leaders must view AI adoption as a development opportunity to redefine how capability is built, focusing on outcomes and consciously reinvesting capacity freed by automation to ensure growth and resilience for both the business and its people.
