Jo Undrell: New Independent Trustee at Torchbox - Insights from 25 Years at John Lewis Partnership

Jo Undrell, who recently joined 100% employee-owned digital agency Torchbox as an Independent Trustee, brings a wealth of experience from her 25-year tenure at the John Lewis Partnership (JLP), one of the UK’s most renowned employee-owned businesses. Her career there spanned various departments, from retail to supply chain, and culminated in her leadership of JLP's Partnership Council, a governing body of over 50 elected employee representatives.

Key Learnings from Jo Undrell's JLP Experience

Jo brings a wealth of practical insights from her journey at the JLP, where she's witnessed employee ownership in action at scale. Her experience has given her deep understanding of how to make co-ownership work in practice.

The Power of Genuine Listening One of Jo's standout insights is the importance of truly listening to co-owners. As she puts it, "the answers are almost always in the room." This isn't just about consultation - it's about recognizing that employees closest to the work often have the best solutions. Her experience shows that effective employee ownership requires creating structured ways for voices to be heard and acted upon.

Ownership as Both Privilege and Responsibility Jo emphasizes that ownership isn't just about benefits - it comes with responsibilities. She's learned that successful employee-owned businesses need to actively challenge each other around these responsibilities. It's about fostering a culture where people care more because "it's theirs," rather than working to enrich faceless shareholders.

Culture Over Strategy Drawing on the phrase "culture eats strategy for breakfast," Jo highlights that thriving ownership cultures are built on daily interactions, trust, and respect rather than elaborate plans. She sees ownership culture as something that should continually evolve, never reaching a fixed end state.

What Others Can Learn Jo's approach to mentoring Torchbox's employee trustees offers broader lessons for other organizations. She focuses on enabling people to find their voices and creating conditions where governance bodies can make real impact. Her experience navigating challenging moments—including press attention and internal tensions—shows the importance of maintaining focus on long-term partner interests.

Her journey also demonstrates that employee ownership can be deeply personal and career-sustaining. She didn't initially join JLP for its co-ownership model, but it's what kept her there for 25 years, seeing her through major life changes and career growth.

For emerging employee-owned businesses, Jo brings the valuable perspective of someone who's seen both the potential and the pitfalls of scaling ownership culture in a large organization.