Nominating a business for one of 2018 awards is easy – simply follow the instructions below and your nominated business will be in the running to be judged and recognised as a leading business in the employee ownership space. You only need to nominate via one of the following methods.
How to nominate via google form
> 1. Fill in the form below. If you are unable to access the google form on our website you can find the form by clicking here: https://goo.gl/forms/HyENRovFyFVD9rIF2
> 2. Fill in the required details and press submit. Award nominations have been extended – submit your nomination below!
How to nominate via interactive .pdf
> 1. Download the interactive .pdf nomination form by clicking here.
> 2. Fill out the nomination form in full and save the file.
> 3. Send completed form to info@employeeownership.com.au
> 4. You will receive a confirmation email to let you know we have received your nomination.
> 5. Book your ticket to the 2018 EOA Conference (includes ticket to Awards Night).
More detailed information on the eligibility criteria for each award can be found at the bottom of this page.
About the EOA “ESOP of the Year Awards”
Each year, EOA holds the “ESOP of the Year Awards” at the Awards Night before our Annual Conference. Our awards recognise the achievements of those companies who have successfully introduced broad-based employee share ownership plans. The awards have the objective of promoting and publicising the benefits of broad based employee share ownership in Australia.
For complete information on judging, scoring and rules, click this link EOA ESOP of the Year Awards Brochure.
Eligibility
Entries are invited from:
- Organisations (public and private companies) operating an employee share ownership plan
- Individuals nominating such a company, eg, as an employee or ex employee of a company
- ESOP specialists practitioners nominating a client company with permission from the client company
Entry Criteria
1. Most Effective and Innovative Communications Program
This award is for the company that has the most effective and innovative communication program for their share plans. You will need to describe how the materials have encouraged employees to increase their understanding of the plan and to create a closer identity of interest between employees and the Company. The judges will assess entries against quantitative and qualitative criteria:
- Clarity and design of documentation.Provide examples of booklets, circulars, posters, and so on. (these do not have to be hard copies i.e. they can be submitted online as pdfs, screen grabs etc).
- Innovation and variety in communication methods. Describe or provide examples of intranets, financial modelling tools, telecoms, audio, video, face-to-face briefings, use of new forms of technology, use of social media and effective technology use.
- Involvement of employees in the design of the communication programme at the time of offering participation and when dealing with queries and follow-up.Describe how employees were involved before, during and after the launch and at the time of making subsequent offers under one or more employee share plans.
- Quantifiable success as measured by the proportion of employees at all levels who have participated in the plan. If relevant, give reasons for what may appear to be a low level of participation.
2. Best New Employee Share Plan
This award is open to any company that has launched one or more employee share plans during the last 12 months or extended an existing plan to a significant number of employees in countries other than the home country. The independent panel of judges will assess entries against the following criteria:
- Plan design so that it links clearly with business or corporate objectives Outline your share plan(s) and how they meet those objectives. Include details of any areas of innovation.
- Effective communication of the plan to encourage participation Describe or exhibit communication methods that make the plan attractive to potential participants.
- Ease of participation for employees Describe what employees have to do to participate in the plan.
- Quantifiable success as measured by the proportion of employees at all levels who have participated. If relevant, give reasons for what may appear to be a low level of participation.
3. Best Performance in Fostering Long Term Share Ownership (Less than 1,000 employees)
4. Best Performance in Fostering Long Term Share Ownership (More than 1,000 employees)
These awards are for companies that have shown they are committed to long term broad based employee share ownership. Companies would be expected to show the length of time that the plan has operated for in different forms as well as the gradual improvement in the plan design, participation rates, employee engagement and communication to employees
- Plan design so that it links clearly with business or corporate objectives. Outline your share plan(s) and how they meet those objectives. Also include details of how the plan design was intended to focus on long term employee owners.
- Increasing the benefits and longevity of the plan. Describe how your Company has focused on year on year improvements and how the design and length of the plan has sought to create long term employee share owners.
- Effective communication of the plan to encourage participation.Describe or exhibit communication methods that make the plan attractive to potential participants and encourage them to continue to participate and stay in the plan.
- Ease of participation for employees. Describe what employees have to do to participate in the plan.
- Quantifiable success as measured by the proportion of employees at all levels who have participated. If relevant, give reasons for what may appear to be a low level of participation.
5. Best International Share Plan
This award is for companies that operate their share plans internationally. Companies operating an employee share plan on a global basis face a number of challenges. This category recognises those companies that, in spite of the challenges faced, operate their employee share plan(s) internationally. To win this Award you will need to offer your share plan(s) in at least three countries outside of Australia or New Zealand. The judges will assess entries against the following criteria:
- Plan design so that it links clearly with business or corporate objectives. Outline your share plan(s) and how they meet those objectives. Also include details of any innovation used in plan design.
- Challenges of operating an international share plan. Describe how you dealt with regulatory requirements and any challenges that this presented. Also describe how you overcame any challenges that arose due to cultural differences. Include information on how you dealt with exchange rate issues, language barriers and employee engagement across borders.
- Effective communication of the plan to encourage participation. Describe or exhibit communication methods that make the plan attractive to potential participants.
- Ease of participation for employees Describe what employees have to do to participate in the plan.
- Quantifiable success as measured by the proportion of employees at all levels who have participated. If relevant, give reasons for what may appear to be a low level of participation.
6. Best SME/Succession Plan
This award is open to any company that has less than 100 employees or less than $100 million turnover and has recently launched an employee share ownership plan that is focused on making the employees full or part time owners of the business. If the founder of the business has used this help with future succession planning please describe this process. The independent panel of judges will assess entries against the following criteria:
- Plan design so that it links clearly with broad based employee ownership or succession planning. Outline your share plan(s) and how they meet those objectives. Include details of any areas of innovation.
- Effective communication of the plan to encourage participation. Describe or exhibit communication methods that make the plan attractive to potential participants.
- Employee ownership and engagement. Describe what employees have to do to participate in the plan.
- Quantifiable success as measured by the proportion of employees at all levels who have participated. If relevant, give reasons for what may appear to be a low level of participation.
