Steward ownership is a global movement with local roots. It’s growing, but it’s still early, and uneven in different geographies. One organisation deserves to be named before the list: Purpose (Germany). They (Armin Steuernagel, Achim Hensen, Adrian Hensen and Alexander Kühl) coined the term steward ownership in 2016, translated the idea into replicable legal frameworks, and have been building momentum across Europe ever since through advocacy, fund building, consulting, and a global community of practice
Key organisations active in the space:

• Steward-Owned Belgium: active in Belgium, focuses on education, advisory, and field-building
• We Are Stewards (Netherlands): network of steward-owned companies and supporting investors
• Purpose UK: UK-based field building
• Zebras Unite: the founder perspective; the “zebra” as an alternative to the unicorn narrative
• Karma Kapital
• Oost NL
• Triodos Regenerative Money centre
• Fair Capital
• Doen Foundation
• RSF (US)
• Common Trust

What’s important to note: steward ownership is not one legal form. It’s a principle that can be implemented through many different legal structures depending on the country and context. The legal landscape varies significantly. Some countries (Germany, Netherlands) have supportive frameworks; others are still developing them.