Solarsense short-listed for Employee Owned Rising Star of the Year Award

Solarsense, a leading provider of renewable energy solutions, has been announced as a finalist in the Employee Ownership Awards 2024. Short-listed in the Rising Star category, the prestigious award recognises the success of an organisation that has become employee owned in the last three years. The winners will be revealed at a gala dinner celebration on Tuesday 26th November at the Telford International Centre as part of the EOA Annual Conference.

Solarsense, which was founded in 1995, has completed more than 20,000 clean energy installations nationwide. The transition to an employee owned business model was driven by the founders when faced with the challenge of delivering a succession plan that put their vision for the company’s future and the people who worked for them ahead of a remunerative buy out. Solarsense opted for a hybrid structure of employee ownership which sees a controlling interest in the company transferred to an all-employee Trust which is then held for the benefit of the team, while the two founders retain shares with 12.5 per cent ownership each. It’s recognised in EOT structures that this leaves the business more heavily reliant on the founders than the employees, who in turn know the founders retain a targeted incentive to grow the business and make it a success.

“We sense a strong ambition that our employees see the opportunity we saw when we started to grow Solarsense – a company that can be a force for good while creating a sustainable, strong livelihood, instead of a company just after the endless pursuit of high profit and a quick sell on. Most people join Solarsense for more than putting food on the table. When CVs arrive, there is a clear ambition to work in renewables. These applicants have bought into the idea of clean energy and the urgency of mitigating climate change. We think every company would benefit from having nature and community as their key priorities.” Stephen Barrett, Founder of Solarsense.

As an employee owned B Corporation, Solarsense has demonstrated both a strong financial performance and a dedication to environmental responsibility, whilst fostering a workplace culture rooted in employee ownership and collaboration. The company empowers its employees by providing opportunities for growth, actively involving them in decision-making, and sharing responsibilities, successes, and rewards. The company’s focus on ethical business practices, community impact, and employee well-being sets it apart as an exemplary model of what an employee-owned company can achieve.

“In the current climate it’s easy to put the focus on the number at the bottom right-hand side of the spread sheet, but if that becomes the only focus, businesses can end up serving investors or cutting costs and compromising what they set out to do. When I first sat down with Stephen I knew this was a different model. It felt dead on target, combining corporate positivity with a clear plan for growth and a strong view on how everyone in the company can be a part of it. And you can see from the get-go how everyone is engaged and rewarded for their input.” Ashley Wood, Commercial Director of Solarsense.

Since becoming employee-owned, Solarsense has adopted numerous processes to improve communication, collaboration, and engagement among its staff members. Being announced as a finalist is a testament to the entire team, who are powering the company from one success to the next.

“The calibre of applications show the remarkable accomplishments of employee-owned businesses at various stages of EO from regions and industries across the UK. These proudly employee-owned businesses are leading the way in developing great EO practices, delivering increased employee wellbeing and business performance, and contributing to people-powered growth in the UK.” James de le Vingne, Chief Executive of the EOA.