Study Visit to Slovenia: Learning from Successful Examples of Economic Democracy and Employee Ownership Models

From October 20-24, 2024, ARNO, together with the Institute for Economic Democracy (IED) from Slovenia, organized a study visit to Ljubljana. 12 participants from civil society organizations, social enterprises, universities, and private companies had the opportunity to explore the world of economic democracy through the successful example of INEA – a leader in implementing the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) model in the country.

The study visit began with an inspiring introduction to democratic governance in enterprises, led by colleagues from the Institute for Economic Democracy. Participants were introduced to the principles of the ESOP model, learned how youth innovation can shape the workplace, and explored how collective ownership drives long-term success for both companies and employees.

The visit to INEA was the highlight of the study program – a company that operates under the ЕSOP model and has been involving its employees in decision-making processes for years. Employees shared their emotional journey, detailing their struggles, successes, and challenges in transitioning to this model, as well as the sense of responsibility and pride that comes with being a co-owner of a large company.

In addition to visiting INEA, participants also learned about the MAG-NET project, an initiative that connects a network of social enterprises and organizations working on principles of solidarity and fairness. The program also included a meeting with Members of the European Parliament, where discussions focused on policies guiding economic governance in companies and social enterprises, as well as the importance of financial incentives for implementing these models.

The study visit was organized in the framework of the project “Shaping the Future of Work: Youth Workplace Democracy for Social Change”, implemented by the Institute for Economic Democracy – Slovenia (coordinator) and the Organization for Social Innovation “ARNO” – North Macedonia. The project is funded by the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union