Do employees actually own the company in an EOT?

Yes — but through indirect ownership rather than individual shares.

The trust owns the business on behalf of the employees, so no one holds personal shares they can sell. Instead, the team benefits collectively through the trust’s guidelines: who participates, how decisions are made, and how profits are shared.

For employees, this often looks like:

• Profit-sharing or other incentives tied to business performance.
• A stronger voice in governance.
• Stability that comes with protecting company values.