GEO AWARD WINNERS

The Allianz Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) won the award for its innovative and comprehensive approach to employee financial education and share ownership. Judges praised the program for its multi-faceted strategy, which included creating accessible resources like the "Shares Made Simple" guide and offering curated financial courses through Allianz U. The introduction of Employee Investor Day (EID) in 2023 and its continued success in 2024, with 16,000 global participants, was highlighted as a standout initiative. The program’s reach extended across 46 countries, with localized actions addressing specific regulatory and tax challenges, which significantly boosted participation rates.

Judges also noted the program’s success in emerging markets, with notable participation increases in countries like Brazil and Italy. The use of multi-channel communication, including town halls, webinars, and a dedicated Employee Investor Hub, further contributed to its success. One judge remarked on the strong commitment to financial education and its impact on employee well-being, while another emphasized the program’s scalability and adaptability to local needs. Overall, Allianz's approach to fostering a shareholder culture among its employees was recognized as a model of long-term commitment to both financial education and employee engagement.

Sage was recognised with the 2025 GEO Award for Best in Financial Education and Wellbeing (10,000–25,000 employees) for their dynamic and human-centred approach to financial education, which puts employee empowerment at the core of their share plan strategy.

Judges were impressed by Sage’s multi-faceted programme, which successfully blended digital tools with personalised guidance to reach colleagues across 13 countries. The programme's structure was praised for being jurisdictionally tailored, accessible in multiple languages, and delivered in a range of engaging formats — including live webinars, peer-led storytelling, interactive tools, and on-the-ground champions.

One judge commended Sage for having “most angles thought about in the financial wellbeing programme to create a cohesive offering,” highlighting that “financial education is truly embedded in how they approach their share plan offering.” Another praised the “strong set of stats to measure success,” noting a meaningful increase in plan participation and a drop in support queries, pointing to a deeper understanding of the plans among employees.

Peer videos were a standout element, bringing authentic voices into the education process and connecting financial wellbeing with real-life goals. External partnerships with experts like Wealth at Work and communication specialists Stitch added further depth and credibility to the initiative.

While the programme’s primary focus remained on share plan education, judges appreciated its wider consideration of financial wellbeing — including efforts to boost awareness of tax implications, options at maturity, and long-term financial planning.

Sage’s commitment to creating a personalised, approachable and effective experience for employees navigating equity participation set a benchmark for others in the category.

Over a four-year period, Drax has significantly increased participation in its Sharesave program, achieving record levels of engagement. Despite challenges such as the impact of Covid-19 on share prices, Drax saw its highest participation rates in 2020, with notable involvement from under-represented groups, particularly younger women.

Central to Drax's success is its comprehensive financial education program, designed to help employees manage the complexities of their share options effectively. Partnering with financial wellbeing specialist WEALTH at Work, Drax implemented a series of events, online resources, and personalized guidance sessions. These efforts aimed to equip employees with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate topics such as Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and investment strategies.

Feedback from participants highlighted the program's effectiveness, with an overwhelming majority expressing satisfaction and improved understanding. Notably, within the first month of the program's implementation, a significant portion of employees exercised their share options and mitigated CGT liabilities.

The judges commended Drax for its proactive approach to financial education, particularly in addressing a topic often regarded as daunting - taxation. They praised Drax's meticulous planning and execution, spanning over four years, as well as its multi-faceted approach targeting all employees. Overall, Drax's initiative stands as a shining example of excellence in promoting financial literacy and empowering employees to make informed decisions about their share ownership.

Lululemon's Fund Your Future program is not just any ordinary financial literacy program - it's a holistic approach to promoting well-being among employees. 

The program provides a strong foundation in financial literacy, aiming to boost employees' confidence in their financial future, especially those in underrepresented communities. It offers comprehensive financial education, breaking down complex financial planning concepts into practical, actionable steps that employees can immediately implement. 

Collaborating with a financial literacy content creator, the program also features micro-learning videos on social media, that include its ESPP, and a Financial Literacy Hub on the intranet site. Optional financial education sessions with Plan Administrators have proven to be helpful and informative to employees. 

The judges found the program inclusive, using TikTok to reach out to employees and recognizing its efforts to understand its audience. The program's focus on promoting long-term financial well-being among employees, particularly those in underrepresented communities, also made it stand out and deserving of the award.

Employers are starting to recognize that financial worries can have a negative impact on employees' mental and physical health and are taking steps to address this through financial wellness policies and support. Even small companies with limited budgets are getting in on the act.

In response to this need, Sage decided to improve its existing ‘Save and Share’ plan to encourage employees to take control of their finances and participate in the plan. Feedback from employees highlighted that the reward and benefit information was difficult to navigate, so Sage made changes to its microsite, housing pay and reward, benefits, and recognition in one place and with a single sign-on.

The equity area of the microsite was rebranded as the ‘Discover Share Plan Hub’, providing easy access to existing resources such as plan information, interactive jargon and myth busters, FAQs and employee testimonial videos. New resources were introduced to help employees participate and consider the longer-term financial implications of being a shareholder.

Sage also introduced a modelling calculator to help employees understand the number of options they could purchase and calculate the share value and potential profit. A maturity page was also added, where staff could access their exercise choices, tax guides, and submit instructions for their maturing plans.

The microsite's relaunch saw Sage's plan participation increase from 23% to 31%, indicating that the new educational resources had improved uptake. The judges were impressed with Sage's focus on the user experience and the educational resources that improved employees' share ownership knowledge. The resources reached all colleagues across the organization, including new joiners, and the judges commended Sage for removing the stress of participating in the plan.