Collingham-based Gusto Group issues growth shares to all employees

As part of its transition to an employee ownership trust, a family-owned business has issued growth shares to its 150 employees.

Collingham-based construction and manufacturing business Gusto Group issued Enterprise Management Incentives during the week leading up to ‘Gusto Fest’ — the company’s annual community celebration of its employees, which took place on Saturday, June 21.

The shares aim to give employees with a tangible recognition of their service — and many have shared that they plan to treat their families, save for house deposits, or even buy motorhomes with the additional money the shares will give them.

Chairman Steff Wright said: “I wanted to find a way for the employees that have worked so hard to build Gusto Group into a £25 million business, to be the ones to benefit from its continued growth.

“Ultimately, we want employees to feel invested in and committed to our collective success and by granting workers the opportunity to become shareholders, we hope to build a stronger sense of unity, motivation and accountability throughout the organisation. As they arrived at Gusto Fest, every employee was given a ‘Gusto Employee Owner’ hat — a symbol of our shift towards employee ownership.

“From now on, we’ll all be wearing our ‘employee owner hats’ when it comes to making decisions about the future of the business.”

Steff founded Gusto Group in 1992, with his brother Jerome, and with a focus on pursuing sustainable processes and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship.

Gusto Group is formed of several purpose-driven B Corp accredited companies operating in the manufacturing, construction and architecture sectors, including Gusto Construction, Rototek, and Studio-G.

All employees, from new starters to those that have been with the company for many years, have now been allocated growth shares, and over the next nine to 12 months, any new starters joining the company will also be entitled to shares.

They will also all have the opportunity to sit on the trust board, ensuring that there is representation and perspectives from all parts of the business as to how the company is run.

The group will officially transition to an employee ownership trust on March 31, 2027.

An employee from architecture firm Studio G said: “Being part of an employee ownership trust means we're not just employees — we're co-owners.

“We all have a say and a reason to make the company a success. The extra income from the shares means that I can treat the family that bit more, meaning it's not just me who benefits from being part of the business — it's another incentive to make a company we can take pride in being part of.”

A Gusto Construction employee added: “Becoming part of an employee ownership trust has been a positive change for me.

“I feel it's a brilliant setup for everyone working here, as it makes us all feel more like we own a piece of the company. Personally, the financial side of the employee ownership trust is a huge bonus. I'm looking forward to using those payments to save up for a deposit on a house, or if I've already bought one, they'll be a massive help with the mortgage repayments.”

Steff added: “By putting people at the forefront of our business, we are not only investing in the future of our company but also the people who make it function.

“A vast number of employees are very disconnected from the businesses that they work for.

“Resolving this disconnect has become part of our broader purpose as a business, as has ensuring that people feel invested in our collective success.

“The journey that we've been on as a company has been to engage with and empower employees and then align our benefits to them. And our decision to issue growth shares and become employee owned, presented the ultimate alignment of benefit and responsibility to our employees.

“We can’t wait to see the business go from strength to strength.”