{"id":3416,"date":"2021-02-08T09:28:40","date_gmt":"2021-02-08T14:28:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/blog\/?p=3416"},"modified":"2025-08-06T13:50:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T18:50:13","slug":"esop-the-benefits-of-printing-with-an-employee-owned-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/blog\/features\/esop-the-benefits-of-printing-with-an-employee-owned-company","title":{"rendered":"ESOP: What are the Benefits of Printing with an Employee-Owned Company?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--the_content--><!--block-empty--> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-8\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <p>An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) treats employees as assets because the employees are also owners, investors and shareholders of the company. While there are various legal and tax definitions of an ESOP business, the simplest explanation is that it allows a company to sell itself to its employees. <a href=\"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/\">Smartpress<\/a> and its parent company, <a href=\"https:\/\/thebernardgroup.com\/\">The Bernard Group<\/a>, exist as a <a href=\"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/pages\/about-us\" rel=\"noopener\">100% employee-owned company<\/a>.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>Why do business with an ESOP? As opposed to the traditional business model, where CEOs work for their shareholders &#8212; and those shareholders are institutional investors, hedge funds and large stockholders &#8212; an ESOP ensures a for-profit corporation benefits its employees without sacrificing profitability goals. Employees actively participate in the growth of their employer via company stock held in their retirement accounts.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-8\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <\/span><\/p> <h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2> <ul> <li><span data-sheets-root=\"1\"><a href=\"#q-&amp;-a-with-Matt-Chapman\">As a 100% employee-owned company, Smartpress ensures every team member is personally invested in the company\u2019s success, <\/a>fostering a culture of ownership, servant leadership and dedication to customer satisfaction. Compared to traditional or equity-backed corporations, ESOP structures more equitably distribute profits across the organization, helping to close the wage gap and ensuring employees benefit directly from the growth they help generate.<br \/> <\/span><\/li> <\/ul> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <!--block: 50-50-image --><div class=\"row center-xs blockOffset-bottom-sm\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-10\"><div class=\"row center-xs\"> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6 no-pad blockOffset-top-sm blockOffset-right-sm raisedLeft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/smartpressblog.imgix.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/people_laughing_galaxy_room_tbg1.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=900&s=e9d8b803020746e3fb392146d4879912\" alt=\"Three women sitting around a table with papers scattered on it and wall art of a bright space scene.\"   data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/div><\/p> <p><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6 no-pad blockOffset-bottom-md\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/smartpressblog.imgix.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/production_floor_worker_in_nike_hoodie.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=900&s=be80b1dafc9661757af15ad6431243da\" alt=\"A man wearing safety glasses and a black hoodie standing at a table in a production facility.\"   data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/div><\/p> <\/div><\/div><\/div> <!--\/block--><!--block-empty--> <!--graybar--><div class=\"ltGrayBkgd-md\"><\/div><!--\/graybar--> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-8\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <p>Think about it: When was the last time you heard a CEO of a public company discuss the value created for their employees? Or how they work for their employees and not the other way around? Simply put, CEOs of public companies focus on revenue, earnings and shareholder value, which all take priority over employees and customers alike.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>So what happens when a public or equity-backed company fails to meet their profit goals? Since shareholder value takes precedence over employees and customers, the common response is restructuring, reorganization or headcount reduction, aka layoffs. With an ESOP, shareholder value and employee impact are interconnected.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-10\"> <div class=\"row\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <h2 id=\"q-&amp;-a-with-Matt-Chapman\">Q&amp;A With Matt Chapman<\/h2> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-8\"> <div class=\"row\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <p>We asked Vice President Matt Chapman a few questions about the ESOP program here at Smartpress:<\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <!--block: 50-50 --><div class=\"row center-xs\" ><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"><div class=\"row\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6\"><!--[col]--> <p><strong>How does the ESOP program work at Smartpress?<\/strong><br \/> <em><strong>Matt Chapman:<\/strong><\/em> \u201cEvery employee\u2019s security badge has \u2018Co-owner\u2019 under their name and photo. All full-time employees automatically join the ESOP program after their first year of employment and are 100% vested after six years of service. Money is contributed to our accounts every year and dependent on the value of the company.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>\u201cAs Smartpress grows, the value of our ESOP accounts grows with it. It\u2019s set up as a retirement savings account, so it\u2019s part of our long-term compensation strategy, with a vision to help our employees fund a better life for themselves. What\u2019s great is that, in addition to the ESOP program, we also have a 401(k) and company matching benefit. It\u2019s all part of our total rewards approach.\u201d<\/p> <!--[\/col]--><\/div> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6\"><!--[col]--> <p><strong>How do employees at an online printer like Smartpress benefit from the ESOP?<\/strong><br \/> \u201cWe are all invested in the long-term success of the company, and continued success is returned to the employees with a financial benefit. Every major decision we make considers what\u2019s best for our customers, the company and our employee owners. We find that the best decisions benefit all three stakeholder groups.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>\u201cI believe it also creates a culture of servant leadership from our management team. As a senior leader in our online printing business, I recognize that the teams I manage are also my shareholders. My goal is to help empower teams to make decisions and improvements that they can own themselves, since after all, they\u2019re owners of the company!\u201d<\/p> <!--[\/col]--><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div> <!--\/block--><!--block-empty--> <div class=\"row center-xs blockOffset-bottom-sm pullQuote\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-10\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10\"> <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a Smartpress customer, please know that you are contributing to something bigger than a corporate entity or a stock symbol.<\/span><\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><!--block-empty--> <!--graybar--><div class=\"ltGrayBkgd-md\"><\/div><!--\/graybar--> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <div class=\"row center-xs blockOffset-bottom-sm\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-10\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"> <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/smartpressblog.imgix.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/smiling_employees_meeting.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&ixlib=php-3.3.0&w=900&s=5017765389b57211ef01428d2922aa33\" alt=\"Three men and a woman smiling around a meeting table with a laptop, markers and speaker.\"   data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--> <!--block: 50-50 --><div class=\"row center-xs\" ><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-8\"><div class=\"row\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6\"><!--[col]--> <p><strong>How do customers benefit from purchasing products from an ESOP company like Smartpress?<\/strong><br \/> \u201cCustomers absolutely benefit from doing business with an ESOP company. First, they can be assured that employees across the organization take additional pride in their work, and we\u2019re big believers in minimizing the impact of that work on the environment with a strong sense of <a href=\"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/pages\/social-responsibility\">corporate social responsibility<\/a>.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>\u201cWe think we can make a difference in people\u2019s lives by distributing profits back to our employees, the same people who make our customers happy day in and day out, through high-quality products and online printing services, plus world-class customer service. As a Smartpress customer, please know that you are contributing to something bigger than a corporate entity or a stock symbol. Together, we will make a meaningful difference in our community and the future of our employees and their families.\u201d<\/p> <!--[\/col]--><\/div> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-6\"><!--[col]--> <p><strong>What else would you like to share about the ESOP program?<\/strong><br \/> \u201cAfter working in public companies, venture-backed organizations and under large private equity holdings, I wish more companies would embrace the ESOP culture and approach. I\u2019m concerned about the growing gap between executive compensation and the average worker\u2019s salary and its contribution to wealth inequality in our country.<\/p> <p>&nbsp;<\/p> <p>\u201cWith an ESOP, I feel that our success is more broadly shared across the company from top to bottom. And while an ESOP isn\u2019t perfect, I\u2019m very happy to be part of a company and culture that cares deeply about its customers, its employees and the broader community in which we serve.\u201d<\/p> <!--[\/col]--><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div> <!--\/block--><!--block-empty--> <div class=\"row center-xs blockOffset-bottom-sm\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-11 col-md-10\"> <div class=\"row center-xs\"> <div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-10 col-md-6\"> <p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/ESOP-LOGO-2018-Black2.jpg\" alt=\"ESOP in big black bold letters next to The Bernard Group's blue logo and I Own It underneath it.\"   \/><\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <!--block--><div class=\"row center-xs\"><div class=\"col-xs-12 col-sm-8\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-xs-12\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Hint:<\/strong> <\/em>Want to learn more about the way we do business? You can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/features\/sustainable-printing-smartpress-carbon-neutral-program\">Sustainable Printing: Smartpress\u2019 Carbon Neutral Program<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/blog\/features\/green-goals-an-inside-look-at-our-environmental-management-system\">Green Goals: An Inside Look at Our Environmental Management System<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/smartpress.com\/blog\/features\/why-were-different-see-smartpress-brilliant-print-process\">Why We\u2019re Different: See Smartpress\u2019 Brilliant Print Process<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><!--\/block--><!--\/the_content-->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) treats employees as assets because the employees are also owners, investors and shareholders of the company. While there are various legal and tax definitions of an ESOP business, the simplest explanation is that it allows a company to sell itself to its employees. Smartpress and its parent company, The Bernard Group, exist as a 100% employee-owned company.","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":3423,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3416","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>ESOP: The Benefits of Printing with an Employee-Owned Company<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Smartpress and its parent company, The Bernard Group, are a 100% employee-owned company. 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