In February 2022, our founder, Nick Brown, broke new ground in the outdoor industry and transferred his ownership of Nikwax to us, his employees. Not only are we all now ‘Partners’, with an equal share in a thriving business, but our collective years of service and expertise means you can always trust us to take care of your outdoor clothing and gear, however big or small your adventure.
Our employee-owned business has offices in the UK, USA, Poland, and the Netherlands, and our products are sold in over 50 countries. Nikwax is a truly international company, and we have elected employee representatives from around the world to form a Staff Council, ensuring all Partners can input into how our company is run, and reinforcing our dedication to sharing the responsibility of doing the right thing. This means that we share in collective success, as well as an ongoing commitment to build on our founding principles.
We are a values-oriented organisation that champions transparency and treats the people we work with fairly and equally. We offer flexible working arrangements across all levels of the business and are proud that so many of our Partners have worked with us for decades.
We are inspired to make a positive contribution to the world and communities we operate in, by ensuring the sustainable development and production of our products is placed above pure and short-term financial gain. Every step of the way, our Partners are helping to ensure that Nikwax’s social and ecological founding values are maintained for many more years to come.
- Clean Chemistry: we will only ever manufacture water-based and PFAS-free products.
- Conservation: we will continue nurturing our partnerships with the European Outdoor Conservation Association and the World Land Trust to help conserve the natural world, and are committed to donating 1% of our turnover to ecological and social causes, which are intrinsically linked.
- Circularity: we will always champion a circular economy – from helping your outdoor gear last longer, to eliminating single-use plastic in our operations, and more…
- Climate Action: we are committed to becoming Net Zero by 2040.
- Community: we support both local and global initiatives to embody the spirit of Employee Ownership.
Employee-owned businesses are typically more socially responsible, with individuals becoming more engaged as they are provided with unique opportunities for personal and professional growth; as well as possessing the ability to share in the wealth that they create. But don’t just take it from the author of this blog, read some of our Partner’s views below…
“Being part of an employee-owned company makes things feel that bit more ‘special’ because it creates a stronger sense of unity – not just here in the UK but including our colleagues across the world. As Partners, we can voice ideas or ask questions and contribute to Nikwax’s future, and I personally feel more invested to help maintain the company’s integrity and core values”. Kim Paterson, Executive Assistant to the CEO
“Being employee-owned means having a voice in shaping the future of the company I’m part of. It’s not just about ownership, but about international community, shared success, and the pride of knowing that my contribution, and the contribution of every other Partner, directly impacts our collective growth and shapes the future we are working towards”. Tomek Sepowicz,Export Sales Account Manager
“Employee ownership truly connects both myself and my fellow Partners to Nikwax’s success. Our personal contributions impact both our individual futures as well as that of our colleagues, and I am immensely proud of all we have achieved so far. As a Partner in the business, I am fully invested in what we all do, progressing towards an even greater future”. Laura Ball, Director of Marketing
Nikwax has always been a close-knit community, ever since we were founded in 1977, and our new phase as an employee-owned business cements our bond further. We are excited for what the future holds!
