The project investigates how governance and ownership structures impact economic outcomes for stakeholders of publicly traded companies, including economic benefits for members of cooperatives, mutual organizations, and other member-led institutions. This study is part of our broader effort to promote transparency. accountability, and stakeholder representation in economic decision-making.

Member-owned institutions play a critical role in many sectors, from energy, retail, real estate, healthcare, agriculture and other sectors. These organizations are built on the principle of stakeholder ownership and democratic governance.

Through this project, we aim to explore:

• How does this form of governance affect the stewardship of publicly traded portfolio companies?

• Do companies controlled by member-owned orgaizations delivering financial value and long-term benefits to key stakeholders?

• How do these institutions compare to other ownership structures?

Our study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including:

1. Member Surveys:
   We are gathering anonymous survey responses from co-op members, stakeholders, and governance participants across Europe.

2. In-Depth Interviews:
   Our team is conducting structured interviews with directors, board members and other decision makers to understand their views on governance, stewardship and economic outcomes.

3. Comparative Analysis:
   We are benchmarking governance models and member outcomes across a range of cooperatives and mutual organizations.

4. Academic & Policy Review:
   We will review existing studies and policy frameworks to contextualize our findings.

All data collected will be anonymized and used exclusively for academic and analytical purposes.

If you are a member of a cooperative, mutual organization, or other member-owned institution, we invite you to participate in our research.

• Volunteer for an interview → Email us at inquiries@igmresearch.org