How Employee Ownership Works at Tullis Russell: An Inside Look
24th February 2026 by Hannah Marsden
Last year we celebrated 40 years of being employee owned. Being employee owned is something we’re proud of as a company. We believe it’s what makes our company stand out from our competitors. Its structure and processes are beneficial to everyone-including our customers.
So, what does it mean to be employee owned?
Employee ownership is a business model where employees hold a significant stake in the company they work for, either directly through shares or indirectly through an employee ownership trust. Being an employee-owned business means the company is run for the long-term benefit of its employees, who share in its success and often have a stronger voice in how it operates. This structure helps align business performance with employee engagement, accountability, and shared reward.
How did Tullis Russell become employee owned?
In 1985, the Russell family made the decision to become an employee-owned business, with shares transferred into the ownership of the employees. Today, the shareholding structure consists of 70% owned by employees and 30% held by a trust run by the Russell family, which supports charities, schools and community projects.
What are the benefits of being employee owned?
It benefits both us as a company and our employees. As a company, we benefit in many ways: responsibilities are shared, we have a higher employee-engagement rate, and better long-term decision-making. We have a strong sense of culture and greater resilience when faced with challenges.
Our open-book management allows for democratic decision-making and greater transparency across the business.
Our employees benefit by feeling heard and part of the bigger picture. The structure allows them to build an ownership mindset, take greater responsibility, and develop leadership skills at all levels.
With each employee having a share in the company, this ensures a higher level of commitment from our team and enables quicker, more responsive decision-making for our customers.
How do our employees feel about being employee owned?
Alicia joined us late last year as our new People and Cultures Manager. Here is what she had to say about our EO structure.
“When I joined the business, employee ownership was something I was really curious about, as it was new to me. What stood out quite quickly was how much people care about the bigger picture and about doing the right thing for the long term, not just the short term.
There’s an openness around what’s happening across the business and a genuine effort to share information and ask for views and feedback, which creates a strong sense of involvement and trust, this is evident with both our works committee and employee ownership board.
What I’ve noticed is how collaborative it feels. People are approachable, and there’s a sense of shared responsibility for how the business performs.
For me, it’s motivating in a different way. It’s less about individual targets and more about contributing to something collective, where success benefits everyone. That shared sense of ownership makes you want to do things well and be part of the journey.”
We find the employee ownership structure works well for us and look forward to continuing this way of working for many years to come, building a business that is collaborative, transparent and focused on long-term success.
Project 2035: Tullis Russell’s Vision for the Future
20th January 2026 by Hannah Marsden
We recently brought colleagues together at the Concorde Centre to launch Project 2035…our strategic runway that will guide Tullis Russell through to 2035 and beyond.
As an employee-owned business, involving our people in shaping our future is fundamental. The day focused on sharing our long-term vision, aligning priorities and ensuring everyone felt informed, engaged and part of the journey ahead.
We chose the Concorde Centre as the setting for this launch because Concorde is a powerful symbol of ambition, innovation and long-term thinking. These are values that closely align with those of Tullis Russell as we look to the future. It provided an inspiring backdrop for meaningful conversations around progress, performance and what it will take to succeed over the next decade.
The event opened with our Managing Director setting the strategic direction, followed by interactive sessions where each director outlined the key “must-dos” for their area of the business. Colleagues were also encouraged to share their own perspectives on the actions critical to achieving our goals by 2035.
These conversations will continue through a series of internal workshops as we build on the ideas and momentum created.
We closed the day with a tour of the iconic Concorde, an inspiring reminder of what can be achieved with a clear vision and bold thinking.
We’re excited about the road ahead and the opportunities the next 10 years will bring. Watch this space.
Tullis Russell Reflects on the Past Year as It Looks Ahead to 2026
18th December 2025 by Hannah Marsden
As another year comes to an end, we thought we would dedicate this blog to reflecting on all the hard work that’s gone on this year, here at Tullis Russell.
This year has been another busy one at our Bollington site. As always, our NPD team has been working hard behind the scenes, creating and developing new initiatives that help maintain our position as one of the leading coating companies in the industry.
Events and conferences
As a company we believe it’s important to attend as many events and conferences as possible. They help us grow as a business by allowing us the opportunity to network with others, learn from industry experts, and share our own knowledge in the hope that it will help and inspire others. These events also give us vital visibility within our sector and help us stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies.
We have been fortunate enough to attend many this year. In April we were proud to be named runners-up at the British Business Awards, a recognition that highlighted our continued commitment to innovation and service excellence. In June, Ann (Head of Customer Service) and Kylie (Key Account Manager for TRSecurity) attended Security Document World, where they explored the latest advancements in document authentication and strengthened relationships with key partners.
September was a big month for us as we exhibited at Label Expo, giving us the opportunity to showcase our capabilities to a global audience and connect with prospective clients. Shortly after, we attended Making Vinyl, an important event for staying current with developments in vinyl production and understanding the evolving needs of the industry. In addition to this, we attended London Packaging Week and Sustpack, both of which allowed us to explore new packaging innovations and gather insights that will inform our future product development.
Our final event of the year was the Vinyl Alliance Annual Meeting, where we engaged in strategic discussions with industry leaders and contributed to shaping the direction of the vinyl sector going into next year.
Certificates/ accreditation
One of the highlights of 2025 for Tullis Russell was being awarded an improved AA+ rating in our BRCGS Global Standard Packaging Materials Certification, the highest accolade in food packaging safety and quality standards. This follows a successful unannounced audit and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering the highest levels of product safety and quality for our customers.
In addition to this, we also increased the proportion of FSC® certified paper in our supply chain, meaning more of the materials we coat are sourced from responsibly managed forests. By taking this step, we are helping to protect forests and reduce climate impact, while encouraging our customers and suppliers to share in this responsibility through their own commitment to FSC certification.
Sustainability
2025 marks our third year of working towards our sustainability goals. We are encouraged by the progress outlined in our latest sustainability report, which shows that we remain on track and continue to make meaningful improvements year on year.
This year, we have also invested in several on-site sustainability projects. At the start of the year, we planted eight acres of trees our Bollington site, creating 3.35 hectares of new woodland within our local area. This initiative was undertaken not only to support reductions in our carbon footprint, but also to strengthen our commitment to social responsibility. We recognise our privileged position and are committed to using it to create positive environmental and community impact. In addition, we have invested in rainwater storage tanks with a total capacity of up to 100,000 litres. These tanks allow us to collect, store and maintain water supplies around the clock, enabling their use within our manufacturing processes. As our industry is water-intensive, this investment helps us operate more efficiently while reducing our reliance on mains water and supporting more sustainable production practices.
New additions to the team
At our company, we are always on the lookout for fresh talent that can bring new ideas and help drive our growth and innovation. This year, we have welcomed new team members across multiple sectors, including Marketing and HR, as well as NPD, technical and more. These new team members bring a range of skills and experience; we are confident that their knowledge and expertise will help take our company to the next level.
We are also proud to have welcomed apprentices to our team. This initiative not only modernises our workforce but also injects youthful energy and fresh perspectives. By providing opportunities to young people, we are investing in the future of our industry while taking advantage of our resources and facilities to support the next generation of talent.
Charity/ Local events
As a company, we believe it’s important to stay actively involved in our local community and support charitable projects whenever we can. At the start of the year, we donated £2,000 to East Cheshire Hospice to help fund the incredible care they provide. As the year draws to a close, we’ve continued to strengthen our relationship with the hospice by taking part in Christmas Jumper Day in their honour and several of our employees have also volunteered to distribute Christmas Tree collection leaflets around Bollington.
We’ve also supported local sports clubs and community groups, including donations to Broughton Rugby Club and the Jumpers for Goalposts Charity Football initiative. In addition, we proudly sponsored Castle Sports and Social Club, who went on to win the Brunner Cup for the fourth year in a row!
Beyond our local contributions, we’ve donated to the Rotherham Hospice Trust, The Christie Charity and contributed £200 to support Isobell Moss, daughter of our Supply Chain Manager Steve, who completed a skydive this year in aid of Breast Cancer Support charities.
With new projects already lined up and many opportunities on the horizon, we’re looking ahead with real optimism. Here’s to another year of growth, innovation and continued success for everyone at Tullis Russell.
