LAUNCHING A GLOBAL EMPLOYEE SHARE OPTION SCHEME

As part of a corporate rebranding exercise, the client had decided to give share options to all employees of the company worldwide. The grant was an essential part of corporate strategy. It would emphasise that all employees in different parts of the group and in different countries worked for one company, and that all had a stake in its future financial performance.

Working alongside the client team and their professional advisers, a communication programme and visual branding for the scheme was developed.

Lengthy, legal text was edited and replaced with plain, punchy writing and graphs, tables and flowcharts. . Design was used to increase effectiveness and impact.

Booklets, forms, certificates and presentations were produced, explaining both conventional options and shadow options.

Standard questions and answers were also put together.

Representatives of the target audience were involved in testing materials and in reviewing translations - materials were produced in 13 languages. The launch of the scheme kindled a real interest in share ownership and employees became actively and personally interested in the financial success of the company. The communication received a commendation at the Proshare Awards.