ImpactEd Group Becomes UK's First Employee-Owned Education Consultancy

ImpactEd Group has become the UK's first employee-owned education consultancy, reinforcing the company's long-standing commitment to responsible business and distributed leadership. As part of the transition ImpactEd Group, which supports schools and education organisations with evaluation, research, strategy and philanthropy, is also committing to provide funding to support early-stage education organisations on their path to impact and sustainability.

As an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), a model pioneered in the UK by John Lewis & Partners, ImpactEd Group will be run in service of its mission and employees. The move to employee ownership is part of ImpactEd Group's broader strategic vision to become a beacon of responsible business and the first port of call for leaders in the education and purpose-driven sector who want to enhance impact and sustainability. For ImpactEd Group's employees, EOT status will mean that every member of the team will be a co-owner, with a say in how the company is run.

Alongside its transition to employee ownership, ImpactEd Group is also launching the Middle Way Partnership programme. Through this initiative the organisation will provide funds each year to support and help other early-stage education organisations as they develop and grow.

Group Directors Jonny Boddington, Chris Wilson and Elin de Zoete said:

“Transitioning to an Employee Ownership Trust, organised into specialist practices and underpinned by a commitment to responsible business and distributed leadership, is the logical next step for us in a journey to shared ownership that began a number of years ago.

“We hope that by embracing a responsible business structure that values colleagues, shares ownership and has our mission and beneficiaries at its heart, we will be able to attract and retain the best talent to support more education organisations and young people to thrive.

“This move reflects our belief in employee ownership as a “middle way” between traditional shareholder control and charitable status. This is a model that we hope more educational social enterprises will explore, giving people greater ownership of their work to deliver better outcomes for partners and their beneficiaries.

“We are also proud to be launching the Middle Way Partnership programme as part of our new EOT structure, agreeing with colleagues to ringfence a proportion of future income to support other education organisations at an earlier stage in their journey, creating a multiplier effect for positive impact across the sector.”

The transition has been welcomed by the Employee Ownership Association, reflecting growing recognition of employee ownership as a sustainable business model that aligns commercial success with social purpose.

James de le Vingne, EOA CEO said:

“Congratulations to ImpactEd on making the move to employee ownership, anchoring the business, and impact in the education sector for the longer term. They join a rapidly expanding sector that demonstrates positive social, community, and environmental impacts, which is a clear fit with their values and purpose.

“We are delighted that ImpactEd is now part of an employee-owned sector that drives sustainable growth and fairer livelihood outcomes as a vital part of the UK economy.”

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About ImpactEd Group  

ImpactEd Group is the UK's first employee-owned education consultancy, specialising in evaluation, research, consulting and philanthropy services. Organised into specialist practices and committed to responsible business principles, ImpactEd Group works with schools, trusts and education organisations, to build impact and sustainability.

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