Are EOTs and Perpetual Purpose Trusts (PPTs) the same?

A Perpetual Purpose Trust (PPT) is a legal structure. Originally introduced for trust and estate planning purposes, business owners have recently turned to PPTs as an instrument for continuity beyond a single owner, maintaining a business' independence and enshrining its mission in a legal structure designed to endure over the long term. Sometimes, these design principles are referred to as steward ownership.

An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is a specific type of Perpetual Purpose Trust that has been designed to incorporate aspects of employee ownership, such as sharing the economic upside of the business and governance rights for employees. Depending on the goals of the transition, an EOT can incorporate principles of both steward ownership and employee ownership — they're not mutually exclusive.