Making it Count: Inside our 2026 Partnership Week

Every year, we take a moment to pause and celebrate what makes the John Lewis Partnership unique. This week (15–21 June 2026) is Partnership Week, our annual celebration of our employee-owned, purpose-driven business.

This year’s theme, ‘Make it count’, is a bold call for all of us to be active in celebrating the magic of the Partnership. It’s about focusing on the entrepreneurial spirit you only find in a business free from external shareholders, the unique ways we make real tangible impacts, and the power of our beloved brands.

Here is a glimpse into what makes this week so special for our Partners, no matter where they work in the Partnership.

Celebrating the Partnership Difference

Partnership Week is the perfect time to reflect on why our business model matters. It is distinct because it changes the fundamental relationship between the company and its people — shifting from a traditional employee (in our case Partners)/employer dynamic to one where everyone has a vested interest in the business’s success. Despite employee-owned businesses growing in number, this still feels like a radical shift for business as a whole. So just imagine how radical it was when our founder John Spedan Lewis was forming his ideas back in the 1920s!

Here is why our model matters:

A Fairer Approach to Profit: Unlike businesses focused on maximising returns for external shareholders, our profits are reinvested back into the business, which includes funding Partner learning & development, pensions, business growth, benefits and more. It ensures that the rewards of our collective hard work benefit those who actually do the work.

Democratic Voice: Through our democratic structure, Partners have a genuine say in how the business is run. Partners vote for Councillors who represent their views at regular meetings, allowing them to influence key decisions and hold leadership to account to the highest level.

Transparency: We operate with a greater degree of openness. Business updates are shared transparently with all Partners rather than being restricted to senior management, which fosters a culture of trust and shared understanding.

Unified Purpose: We are guided by a clear, unifying purpose: “Working in Partnership for a Happier World”. This means business decisions are made with long-term stability, community impact, and Partner wellbeing in mind, rather than short-term financial gains.

Inclusive Culture: We are encouraged to “be ourselves”, fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone’s contribution is valued and offers a more supportive, flexible, and meaningful way of working.

Ultimately, the Partnership model transforms the workplace into a community where success is a shared responsibility, and where the pride in our brands—John Lewis and Waitrose—is amplified because we truly own them.

Our Partnership Awards

As this Partnership week progresses, we’ll also shift our focus to recognition. The Our Partnership Awards ceremony (hosted at our very own Odney estate in Berkshire) is the highlight of our celebratory calendar, recognising Partners and teams who have gone above and beyond to live our values and demonstrate what being a Partner truly means. Past celebrations have been wonderful events and we love to see our Partners take pride in all they do.

The ceremony takes place this Thursday evening and we’ll be sharing more about the event – as well as news on the winners – on our social media and careers website.

You may have heard of golden tickets… but what about green?

One of the most anticipated and fun traditions during Partnership Week is the return of our Green Ticket raffle, and this year, it’s bigger and better than ever. The prizes are vast and include free stays at one of our Partnership hotels, opportunities to preview our Christmas adverts, behind the scenes access to Waitrose’s DISH podcast and so much more.

At its core, the raffle represents “extra-special” moments for Partners. However, it’s more than just about winning. A key, meaningful aspect of the experience is the opportunity for Partners to “pay it forward” by nominating colleagues for the raffle, which really embraces the supportive, kind and heart-warming culture found in the Partnership.

Not just one week…

Partnership Week is more than just an event; it’s a celebration of all of us and the contributions we make to the business every day. It’s a proud reminder of why we do what we do, and why we’re proud to be employee-owned. Every one of our Partners has the opportunity – and responsibility – to ensure John Spedan Lewis’ experiment for a better way of doing business continues to thrive.

A better way of doing business we still believe in.