Published October 14, 2026
How Does a 100-Year-Old Experiment Continue to Show Up in the Partnership Today? 🌱
Over a century ago, our founder John Spedan Lewis embarked on a radical experiment to challenge conventional business practices. Unsettled by traditional capitalist business models where wealth benefited shareholders over workers, he set out to prove that a fairer way of managing business could be successful, initiating an ongoing experiment in employee ownership.
This revolutionary idea and transformation was not born overnight. Following a horse-riding accident in 1909 that led to a long period of recovery, Spedan deeply refined his vision for a democratic workplace. Over the following decades, he systematically transferred ownership to the workers of the Partnership (Partners) through historic Trust Settlements in 1929 and 1950, enshrining a model where knowledge, power, and profit are truly shared. His ultimate ambition was simple yet profound: to prove that business could be managed in a way that makes the world “a bit happier and a bit more decent.”
The Power of 65,000 Employee-Owners
Today, that visionary experiment lives on through our 65,000 Partners (employees) across John Lewis, Waitrose, and John Lewis Money, making us the UK’s largest employee-owned business. Being an employee-owned business means every Partner has a meaningful stake in our collective success, working together toward common goals and shared rewards. Across our shops, head offices, distribution networks, and digital hubs, our Partners bring our brand difference to life every day. Employee-ownership shapes our culture, fosters genuine pride and entrepreneurialism, and drives a collective dedication to excellence because when the business prospers, every Partner shares in that success.
Our Success Is Entirely Down To Us
Employee ownership is not a passive legacy we simply inherit; it is an active, daily choice. Being an employee-owner comes with a distinct set of shared responsibilities to keep our Partnership thriving, innovative, and moving forward in an ever-changing world. Being financially independent without external shareholders to answer to, our decisions are guided by a commercial purpose that prioritises long-term well-being over short-term gain. Active employee-ownership means asking better questions, taking initiative, and treating the business with the care and stewardship of a founder. Through active participation in our democratic bodies and daily team decisions, Partners shape our operational direction and hold leadership accountable respectfully, ensuring that power remains truly distributed.
Is Employee Ownership for Me?
If you have ever wondered what it actually feels like to step into a workplace where you are an owner, imagine this: you are not just clocking in to generate returns for distant shareholders. From day one, your voice has weight, your ideas matter, and your everyday effort directly shapes the business around you.
On a daily basis, being part of an employee-owned business means experiencing a culture built on genuine care, mutual accountability, and shared achievement. Whether you are solving a problem for a customer, collaborating with your team on a new initiative, or asking critical questions through our democratic channels, you are acting as an employee-owner. If you thrive in an environment where responsibility is shared, your contribution is valued, and success is celebrated together, then employee ownership really is a better way of doing business for you.
And we think so too.
