Employee share purchase program in Norway

 

 

Yara International: A Model for Ownership Culture

            Yara International, a Norwegian chemical organization headquartered in Oslo, has set a global               benchmark for cultivating an ownership culture. As one of the world’s leading producers of                     nitrogen-based fertilizers and industrial products, Yara operates with a clear vision that values                responsibility and inclusivity across every level of its organization.

Empowerment is central to Yara’s vision, guiding how the organization engages its employees to take initiative and make impactful contributions. A prime example of how Yara demonstrates its dedication to empowerment is by creating pathways for underrepresented groups to take on leadership roles. Programs like Black Leadership Development and Women in Agronomy are designed to break barriers and provide the tools and support needed for these groups to thrive in leadership positions. These initiatives are not just about representation; they are about giving individuals ownership to drive meaningful change. In doing so, Yara not only strengthens its internal workforce but also enriches the broader agricultural ecosystem with innovative thinking and fresh, diverse perspectives.

Leadership plays a critical role in embedding empowerment into Yara’s culture. The organization has moved away from a rigid, rule-based approach, adopting a more flexible, value-driven philosophy. Regional management teams are now entrusted with the authority to lead compliance efforts, a shift that has enhanced communication and encouraged collaborative problem-solving across all levels.

        (Yara International, 2023)

   A REVIEW

           The relationship between employee empowerment and productivity needs to be critically analyzed. Empowered employees are more motivated and engaged, which leads to higher productivity and innovation (Spreitzer, 2008). According to Seibert, Wang and Courtright (2011), empowerment fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, resulting in increased job satisfaction and reduced turnover intentions. These findings become more practical in a context where a highly intelligent employees are present. A sense of belonging appears only when there is a learning culture prevails. 

  In a case like YARA International where shares are open for its employees it's obvious that each an every employee there, owns the capacity to buy its own shares. In a third world country like Sri Lanka, it is assumed that even top layer managers alone couldn't afford his/her company shares. Although a sense of belonginess is well established in Sri Lankan DNA is a true factor establishing an ownership culture needs more strategy. In Sri Lankan apparel sector this type of ownership culture is created by practicing corporate social responsibilities altogether irrespective of designations. There they cultivate the idea "Quality girls Quality work "attitude as a catch phrase. Training and development also become very important in creating the ownership culture. The workers are prepared to be proactive in their work through constant skill improvement in problem-solving, process improvement, and data-driven decision-making. The visual management tools, like performance dashboards in the production floors, can assist employees in monitoring their outcomes and areas of improvement. Further, reward systems, which appreciate initiative, innovation, and teamwork, encourage the behavioral reinforcement of the ownership principles (Cheong et al., 2019).

Therefore, it is obvious that Ownership culture is productive sense it gives the sense of belonginess to each employee. However, the extent to which the business can accommodate the concept "Ownership" depends on three factors such as country's economy, employees' learning mindset and the type of business.

References

Cheong, M., Yammarino, F.J., Dionne, S.D., Spain, S.M. and Tsai, C.Y. (2019) ‘A review of the effectiveness of empowering leadership’, The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), pp. 34–58.

Seibert, S.E., Wang, G. and Courtright, S.H. (2011) ‘Antecedents and consequences of psychological and team empowerment in organizations: A meta-analytic review’, Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(5), pp. 981–1003.

 Spreitzer, G.M. (2008) ‘Taking stock: A review of more than twenty years of research on empowerment at work’, The Handbook of Organizational Behavior, pp. 54–72.

Yara International (2023) Empoweing people: Our culture of ownership and leadership. Oslo: Yara International ASA. Available at: https://www.yara.com (Accessed: 30 October 2025).