Voys is steward owned, now what?

You might remember: in 2024, we made a bold move. Voys officially became steward owned. After two decades of building the company, the owners Mark and Ben decided to donate it, not to another owner, but to its mission.

Why? Because the world faces some serious challenges, and we believe businesses can, and should, be part of the solution. 

In a nutshell: in a steward-owned structure, decision-making power and financial ownership are split. This allows us to make choices that stay true to our mission, while still creating healthy financial outcomes. Instead of profits being the end goal, they become a means to support meaningful, long-term impact.

By moving away from a traditional shareholder model, where financial ownership and decision-making power are tied together, we’ve made sure the mission of Voys stays front and center. The traditional shareholder model can create pressure to prioritize profits, even when it’s not in line with a company’s values. We wanted something different. 

So, Voys is steward owned. That’s it, right? Mission accomplished? Not quite. We’re just getting started. 

March 2025: It’s official, we’re an ANBI

In March, we reached an exciting milestone in our steward ownership journey: the Voys Social Return Foundation was officially granted ANBI status, a Dutch designation for Public Benefit Organization. 

This doesn’t mean Voys has become a charity, that’s an important distinction. Voys remains a commercial company, focused on creating value and running a healthy, profitable business. What’s changed is where part of the profit goes. 

The ANBI status means the Voys Social Return Foundations is formally recognized as an organization working for the common good. It ensures that the profits allocated to the foundation are used for initiatives that serve society. 

With this milestone, the paperwork is done. Now, the real work begins: making sure our structure actually lives and breathes at Voys every day.

Introducing the Voys Social Return Foundation

One way we’re bringing our purpose to life? Through the Voys Social Return Foundation. This brand-new foundation receives a portion of our profits. Those support initiatives that make the world more just, inclusive, and sustainable.

Thanks to steward ownership, we can now channel our success directly into projects that build long-term, systemic impact. Think: social justice, climate action, and initiatives that support digital and economic access.

We’re still defining exactly how the foundation will operate, and we’ll share more about this in the future. But here’s the heart of it:

The Voys Social Return Foundation supports and encourages initiatives that generate sustainable positive change and system value, and facilitate a more equal world.

Sharing our journey

Along the way, we’ve gained a wealth of knowledge about steward ownership, and we’re not keeping it to ourselves. From the PYM Impact Days to the stage at SXSW in London, we’ve shared both the practical side of our transition and the deeper “why” behind it. Because this shift isn’t just about changing how one company operates, it’s about rethinking how business can serve people, planet, and purpose. 

As colleague Pollien reflected during one of these events; “Are we crazy, or is the world crazy?” For us, the move to steward ownership felt like a logical, values-driven step. But from the outside, it’s sometimes seen as unconventional. That contrast only deepens our enthusiasm to share our journey. 

We’re excited to contribute to a growing movement of entrepreneurs and change makers who believe companies can do better for society, not just shareholders.

What’s next?

The journey is far from over. While the legal structure is in place, we’re still working on setting up and shaping the new foundation as part of solidifying steward ownership at Voys. That means setting up clear decision making processes with our steward ownership board, so we can keep our mission front and center, even as we grow and evolve. 

We’re also preparing to put the golden share into action. This special share is not about day-to-day decisions, it’s a safeguard that protects the core purpose of Voys in the long run. It ensures that key decisions always align with the mission we’ve committed to. 

Even though being steward owned hasn’t drastically changed how we do our daily work, it’s reinforced what makes Voys, Voys: self-managed, purpose-driven, and focused on using our growth for good. We’re proud to be building a company that serves its mission.

Want to follow our journey?

You can read our previous blogs about steward ownership, or subscribe to Mark’s newsletter to stay updated on what’s next.

• I’m giving away my multi-million dollar company and this is why
• This is how we protect our mission: steward ownership makes Voys future-proof