Building an Ownership Mindset: Celebrating ESOP Month | ISG

October is Employee Ownership Month. Every year at this time, employee-owned firms across the nation celebrate and share what it means for employees to have a shared stake in their firm’s success.

While an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, provides a formal structure for employee ownership, creating an ownership culture goes beyond understanding the retirement benefit. It is about helping people understand how their individual contributions connect to the success of the organization.

The Ohio/Kentucky Chapter of The ESOP Association includes over 230 ESOP companies and professional service providers in Ohio and Kentucky. Common to all these employee-owned firms, though uniquely shaped to each firm, is an ownership mindset.

Employee owners at ISG are known for being:

• Accountable: Employee owners recognize that how they show up and support others contributes to our shared success.
• Collaborative: Work is done with an #All-In mentality.
• Engaged in our communities: 1,291 volunteer hours spent through the firm’s Impact Day in 2025, more than $2.4 million spent in corporate sponsorships and charitable contributions since 2020, and matched donations of up to $250 per employee annually through the ISG Impact Fund.
• Leaders: Supported by an in-house performance coaching team.
• Motivated: We win together, and we learn together.
• Productive: 2025 ENR Top 500
• Satisfied: Zweig Best Firm to Work For #25 in 2025

So, how can firms build this kind of culture? Here are a few ideas to get started.

1. Connect people to the bigger picture.

Employees are more invested when they understand not only what they are doing, but why it matters. Creating transparency around organizational goals and showing how individual roles contribute to those goals can help strengthen that connection.

ESOP Month Communication Example: Firmwide presentation that highlights firm goals, financials, and how employees can help accomplish them.

2. Create opportunities to participate.

An ownership mindset grows when employees have opportunities to contribute ideas, ask questions, and take responsibility for outcomes. Inviting employees into conversations about improvement and growth reinforces that their perspective matters.

ESOP Month Event Example: Lunch hour or happy hour to facilitate an educational activity for employees to expand their understanding of their firm, its performance, and their ability to make an impact.

3. Make recognition part of the culture.

Celebrating milestones, contributions, and shared successes can reinforce the idea that progress is something everyone helps create. These moments provide an especially meaningful opportunity to recognize the people behind the organization.

ESOP Month Celebration Examples: Find a variety of unique ways to recognize and celebrate milestones.

For ISG, Employee Ownership Month is an opportunity to celebrate employee ownership and how we directly contribute to our shared success. More importantly, it is a reminder that an ownership mindset is something anyone can practice throughout the year.

Want to explore what employee ownership looks like at ISG? Visit ISG’s employee ownership resources website or contact Spencer.Pech@ISGInc.com for more information. Employee ownership resources can be found through The ESOP Association.