2021 ESOP STARS
There are certain years which we all come to remember. 1066 was the year when the Normans invaded us. 1666 was the date when the great fire destroyed the city of London. 1945 saw the end of the Second World War.
There is no doubt that for most of us the year 2021 will soon join those dates we can never forget. It was the year when all our lives were changed, often personally as well as our business lives. And that is why for this year only these awards have been differently judged and take a different format.
Normally we are guided by an expert panel of people who from their experience can judge the ingenuity and skills of employee share plans. In 2021 all plans were affected by the pandemic and we decided to look in preference at how companies achieved success in adaptation to the temporary new world.
And so for this year, Esop Centre founder, Malcolm Hurlston CBE, guided by Centre colleagues, Fred Hackworth, the editor of newspad and Juliet Wigzell, manager of the Centre, exceptionally, turned our awards into Esop Stars.
The Centre is grateful to all who submitted entries.
In addition to the stars for entries received, Mr Hurlston made special awards to two people on the world scale who have given outstanding examples for the way forward.
The first award was to the chairman of the Chinese company Tencent, Pony Ma. He not only installed share schemes in the company for all employees but in addition gave equity to all employees from his personal holding. Malcolm will be sending his award to the China Development Centre in Shenzhen.
The second special award went to John Menke who was a colleague of Louis Kelso who created the Esop in California.
Accepting his Esop Star, John said that he was honoured to accept the award, and that he felt blessed to have been involved in Esops from the beginning. He told how Esops evolved from a pet project of Louis Kelso, to the two of them being able to work with Congress to draft the Esop provisions – nearly 50 years ago – to seeing the enormous economic and social consequences of Esops in the US and around the world.
He added that it is very pleasing to see the concept is still growing and expanding, as witnessed by the recent announcement that 50-60 private equity firms have embarked on a new project to spend $20billion over the next decade, to implement Esops in private equity owned companies, where Esops have yet to play a significant role.
He hopes Esops will become five, or even ten times bigger over the next 50 years.
The major awards – the Esop Stars – were awarded to:
Ceres Power
In recognition that the Ceres Sharesave 2021 plan showed rare success in adaption to the covid year, in reference to its effective communications of the plan to a multi-national workforce.
Kindred Group
In recognition that the K2 AESP plan showed rare success in adaption to the covid year, referring to the plan’s international and inclusive reach.
Nigel Le Quesne
The CEO of JTC was awarded the Esop Star for outstanding company leader, in recognition of his effective promotion of all-employee equity with rare enthusiasm.
Winch Designs
In recognition that the Winch Employee Ownership Trust plan showed rare success in adaption to the covid year, referring to the success of the EOT, which owns 100 percent of the company on behalf of all 140 employees.
Wise plc
In recognition that the Wise All-Employee Global Long-Term Incentive Plan was commended for its inclusive equity in a covid world.
Previous winners
2020
Best all-employee international share plan*
* Participants in at least three countries.
winner: BAE Systems
highly commended: BT
special commendation: Gamesys
special commendation: LPKF Laser & Electronics
Best executive/managerial equity reward plan (more than 100 employees)
winner: Imperial Brands
Best share plan communications
winner: Marks & Spencer
highly commended: Sky
Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science in employee share plans
winner: BT
Best share plan adaption to the Covid crisis
winner: Daily Mail & General Trust
Outstanding company leader (for chairman or ceo personally associated with company plans)
winner: Liv Garfield ceo of Severn Trent
Company whose employee share ownership impacts most on company success
Winner – Siemens Energy
2019
Best all-employee international share plan*
* Participants in at least three countries.
winner: Reckitt Benckiser
highly commended: Airbus
Best share plan communications
winner: easyJet
highly commended: Tesco
commended: Mitie
Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science in employee share plans
winner: Marks & Spencer
The most creative solutions
winner: Dixons Carphone
Best employee share plan practitioner
winner: Rm2 Partnership
2018
Best all-employee international share plan*
* Participants in at least three countries.
winner: easyJet
Best UK centred all-employee share plan †
ᶧParticipants in no more than two countries.
winner: Xtrac
Best share plan communications
winner: Micro Focus
highly commended: Non-Standard Finance
Best use of video communication
winner: Unilever
Best use of technology in employee share plans
winner: BP
highly commended: Paddy Power Betfair
The most creative solutions to employee cultural, jurisdictional or social diversity issues when launching international all-employee share plans
winner: BAE Systems
2017
Most Creative Solution
Winner: Google
Best all-employee international share plan *
* Participants in at least three countries.
Winner: Nokia
Highly commended: Sage Group
Best all-employee share planᶧ
ᶧParticipants in no more than two countries.
Winner: Valero
Best share plan communications
Winner: Telefónica
Highly commended: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
Best use of video communications
Winner: Amadeus IT Group
2016
Best all-employee share plan in a company with more than 1,500 employees
Winner: Computershare
Highly commended: Just Eat
Best all-employee share plan in a company with fewer than 1,500 employees
Winner: Chess Ltd
Best international all-employee share plan
Winner: Nokia
Very highly commended: Rio Tinto
Best all-employee share plan communications
Winner: Aviva
Best financial education of employees
Winner: Henderson
2015
Best international all-employee share plan in a company with more than 1,500 employees in at least three countries
Winner: Amadeus IT Holding
Best all-employee share plan in a company with fewer than 1,500 employees
Commended: Henderson Global Investors
Winner: Abzena
Best all-employee share plan communications
Winner: Royal Dutch Shell
Best in financial education for employees
Henderson Global Investors
Best integration of an all-employee share plan into a wider programme of employee engagement
No award in 2015
Best use of video in share plan communications
Winner: Telefonica
Best employee equity intervention by a major company chairman or ceo
Sacha Romanovitch, ceo of Grant Thornton
2014
Best international all-employee share plan in a company with more than 1,500 employees in at least three countries
Winner: Shell
Best all-employee share plan in a company with fewer than 1,500 employees
Winner: Conviviality
Best all-employee share plan communications
Commended: BSkyB
Winner: Rio Tinto
Special Award
BT, for its £1.1bn ShareSave payout
2013
Best employee share ownership plan (more than 1,500 employees)
Winner: Edwards Group
Best employee share ownership plan (fewer than 1,500 employees)
Winner: Igas Energy
Best all-employee share plan communications
Commended: W M Morrison Supermarkets
Winner: Pearson
Esop Institute student of the year
Stuart Clarke of RBC cees
2012
Best employee share ownership plan for a company with over 1,500 employees
Commended: Diageo
Winner: Royal Dutch Shell
Best employee share ownership plan for companies with fewer than 1,500 employees
Commended: The London Stock Exchange
Highly Commended: Imagination Technologies Group
Winner: Henerson Global Investors
Best communications supporting an all-employee share plan
Commended: Whitbread Group
Highly Commended: Flybe Group
Winner: J Sainsbury
2011
Best employee share plan in a company with more than 1,500 employees
Commended: Pearson
Joint Winners: Barclays and Ericsson
Best employee share plan in a company with fewer than 1,500 employees
Highly Commended: Telecity
Winner: Innospec
2010
Best employee share ownership scheme (More than 1,500 employees)
Highly Commended: BT
Winner: Shell International
Esop Institute student of the year
Anne-Louise Flowers, formerly of Sanne Group
2009
Best international employee share plan
Highly Commended: Diageo and RSA Insurance Group
Winner: Serco Group
Best small company international employee share plan
Winner: Telecity Group
Esop Institute student of the year
Winner: Charlie Germain from Ogier
2008
Best international employee share ownership plan for smaller companies
Winner: Telecity
Best international employee share ownership plan for larger companies
Winner: RSA
Esop Institute student of the year
Kristopher Poulton of Deloitte