The results of the 18th edition of the newspad All-Employee Share Plan Awards were announced at the Centre's Share Plans Symposium on 26 March 2026, and presented by Malcolm Hurlston CBE, Founder and Life President.

We thank judges, Damian Carnell (Founder Director, Corpgro), Kevin Lim (Independent employee share plans consultant) and John Hoffmire (Research Associate at the Centre for Mutual and Co-owned Business at University of Oxford’s Kellogg College; curator Oxford Employee Ownership Symposium) for generously giving their time and expertise. They were joined in their deliberations by Centre founder and life president, Malcolm Hurlston CBE and chairman Robert Pay.

Judges were impressed by the high-quality of this year’s entries, though this did make picking an outright winner challenging!

Nine companies in all were shortlisted for the awards over the following categories:

1. Best all-employee share plan
2. Best share plan communications 
3. Best use of technology, AI or behavioural science
4. Best share plan response to significant changes or challenging situations 

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Shortlisted for Category 1 – Best all-employee share plan, were:

Diageo; The Magnum Ice Cream Company; Jet2; and RS Group

For this category judges compared the effectiveness in bringing together a diverse workforce in large multi-national companies to help achieve key corporate goals, extending employee engagement in smaller organisations and judged on how successfully the share plan meets the company’s objectives.

The winning company’s All-Employee Share Plan was linked it to its DE&I messaging, supported by the CEO who said that the plan was to help staff feel they belong, which expresses well that employees are valued and within the company and will learn more about how the stock price moves etc. This along with the company’s philosophies of Super Simplicity, and “Transcreation” made a strong impression. And, even though this company has only 8,000 employees, it still decided to do a worldwide plan, in 36 markets. The judges wanted to recognise this as it showed the group’s strong dedication to the value employee share ownership.

WINNER: RS Group

As the standard of the shortlisted entries was so high, the judges recognised TWO further companies.

The first was praised for its commitment to continuing employee ownership in its new focus after its recent de-merger (indeed, judges were surprised not to see a nomination in the best share plan response to significant changes or challenging situations category, seeing as this was a major corporate event and change). Its “Celebration Reward” was offered to staff in no less than 80 countries.

Highly commended: The Magnum Ice Cream Company

The second commendation is for a plan which was very well done, offering shares to a large global workforce, with a great communication programme that reflected its disparate employees. Statistics showed that 80 percent of all those eligible took part in the plan.

Highly commended: Diageo

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Shortlisted for Category 2 – Best all-employee share plan communications, were:

Associated British Foods; BT Group; Centrica; Diageo; easyJet; Jet2; and RS Group.

The high quality of share plan communications in this year’s submissions is reflected in the number of entrants shortlisted.

Judges liked that the communications from the winning company explained why employees should participate and the continued “hand holding” offered after launch of scheme. This and the impact of ‘front end’ comms on increased participation, the judges felt, made its communication programme stand out from the field.

WINNER: BT Group

Another entry was particularly commended as the advantages of participating in its ShareSave plan was very well communicated, and though it was to a relatively small population of employees, it focused on maturity of a large gain showing meaningful quantitative impact.

Highly commended: Jet2

Honourable mentions:

The judges did not wish to leave this category without mentioning other shortlisted entries which impressed them almost as much. So honourable mentions go to:

Associated British Foods: Given the very brief window for communication, its launch’s success with over 50 percent take-up amazed the judges.

Diageo: Its comms resulted in 80 percent of their non-management employees participating.

easyJet: went to great lengths to enable its mobile workforce to take part in the schemes.

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Category 3 – Best use of technology in employee share plans

This award category recognises innovative uses of technology to manage, communicate and administer share schemes in a fast-changing world.

Judges were impressed that the technology behind the winning company’s saveshare Maturity included a ‘first of its kind’ share plan to ISA transfer through a mobile app, plus AI-powered video guidance. It was its flexible responses to specific requests, which impressed. And that this resulted in an 89 percent uptake by the end of the first month.

WINNER: BT Group

The judges recognised another company’s share plan technology, commending the inclusion of a maturity map, videos, CGT calculator, key dates guide, choices guide, which were very good and its impact showed in an uptick in participation.

Highly commended: Centrica

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Category 4 – Best share plan response to significant changes or challenging situations

This award is designed to recognise ingenuity in either adapting a share plan or creating a special plan to fit the rapidly shifting landscape or help alleviate some of the pressures that arise from extraordinary situations.

When a plan issuing company was faced with acquisition, a speedy response was needed. This company used a Share Incentive Plan, to ensure its ongoing cultural commitment to share ownership. “Despite the complexity of the transaction and the demands of early integration, the management team recognised the strategic importance of employee share ownership. The SIP had played a vital role in fostering engagement and loyalty across the issuer’s workforce, and the acquiring company was keen to preserve that culture.”

It was this commitment to share ownership, even under a changed ownership, that impressed the judges.

WINNER: Carlsberg Britvic

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Many congratulations to the winners, commended and all shortlisted for the 18th newspad All-Employee Share Plan Awards.

In recognition of their success, all shortlisted entrants will receive a newspad star which they will be free to display.

A full report of the judges’ comments will be published in the next issue of newspad.