Awards
Newspad Awards 2024
Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations for the 17th edition of the newspad All-Employee Share Plan Awards.
The results were announced at the Esop Centre's Share Plans Symposium on Thursday, 5 June 2025 and presented by Quoted Companies Alliance CEO, James Ashton.
Congratulations to all shortlisted entries: AstraZeneca, Bakkafrost, Beazley, JTC, Kier Group, Lloyds Banking Group, National Grid, Rathbones Group, Sage Group, Serco, STEF Langdons, TISE Private Markets, and Vestd.
Results:
Best all-employee share plan
- Winner: JTC Group
- Highly Commended: STEF Langdons
Best share plan communications
- Winner: Sage Group
- Highly Commended: Serco
Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science in employee share plans
- Winner: AstraZeneca
- Highly Commended: Lloyds Banking Group
Best share plan response to significant changes or challenges
- Winner: National Grid
- Highly Commended: Bakkafrost
A report of the announcements, including citations was published on the Esop Centre's website.
The newspad awards recognise the achievements of companies which offer employee share plans and hold up best practice models for other companies to follow.
Previous winners
2023
Best all-employee share plan
- Winner: Drax
- Highly commended: LEO Pharma
Best share plan communications
- Winner: Diageo
- Commended: Generali
Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science
- Winner: Vestd
- Commended: Diageo
Best share plan response to significant changes or challenging situations
- Winner: Generali
- Highly commended: Drax
2022
Best all-employee share plan in a large company (more than 2,500 employees)
Winner: Centrica
Highly commended: Solvay
Best share plan communications
Winner: Dr. Martens
Highly commended: Jet2
Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science
Winner: Kier Group
Best share plan response to significant changes or challenging situations
Winner: National Grid
Highly commended: AstraZeneca
2021 ESOP STARS
The first special 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.
The second special award went to John Menke who was a colleague of Louis Kelso who created the Esop in California.
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.
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 plan ** Participants 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 SupermarketsWinner: 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
GroupWinner: 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
