Navigating Capital Gains Tax (CGT) can be a daunting challenge for UK employees, but NatWest Group is turning complexity into clarity. This session will explore how NatWest supports employees throughout the CGT journey—from initial awareness to understanding available options, such as ISA, pension, or spousal/civil partner transfers, through to confidently completing tax returns. Central to this approach is NatWest’s bespoke CGT base cost calculator, which simplifies calculations across multiple share plans while serving as an educational resource. Attendees will discover how effective tools, resources, and guidance can transform a complex tax scenario into an engaging and empowering employee experience, increasing appreciation for the value of share ownership across the organization.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How to provide employees with practical tools and guidance to navigate CGT across multiple share plans. 
• The impact of effective CGT support on employee engagement, confidence, and overall experience. 
• Lessons from NatWest’s approach to transforming complex tax scenarios into accessible and educational experiences.

This session explores the transformative power of one-off employee share plan grants and their role in aligning the workforce with a company’s success. Attendees will learn how to engage diverse, global populations—including employees without personal or work email addresses and those in remote environments—ensuring inclusivity across all levels of the organization. 

The discussion will cover strategies for achieving board approval, communicating vesting events, helping employees make informed choices, and influencing behaviours that support company goals. By sharing real-world examples, the session highlights how inclusive, well-designed share plans can drive engagement, foster alignment, and enable employees to share in the organization’s growth journey.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Strategies for engaging a diverse, global workforce, including employees without traditional communication channels. 
• How to educate and empower employees to understand vesting events and make informed share plan decisions. 
• Approaches to influence positive behaviours and build a culture of alignment and engagement through share plans.

Tax withholding on equity awards can be a major challenge, particularly for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions with differing rules. This session will uncover the “crown jewels” of global withholding, offering practical insights, strategic approaches, and legal considerations to navigate both common and complex challenges. Our expert panel will address key issues including determining withholding rates and taxable amounts, selecting appropriate methods for different equity vehicles, managing obligations for employees and non-employees, and the role of brokers in covering taxes. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to stay compliant, avoid pitfalls, and optimize their withholding processes.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How to determine the correct withholding rate, taxable amount, and method for various equity plans. 
• Practical approaches to managing withholding obligations across multiple jurisdictions and employee types. 
• Strategies to mitigate risks, address failures to withhold, and leverage brokers effectively.

This session will explore the latest GEO Global Share Plan Ranking Report, which evaluates the “share friendliness” of 30+ countries. Developed in collaboration with leading experts in the design, implementation, and administration of employee share schemes, the report examines operating environments, adoption rates, and employee participation levels. Attendees will discover which countries lead the way in fostering employee share plans and learn how these practices can drive organizational growth while enhancing employee prosperity.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Insights into the global landscape of employee share schemes and which countries are leading the way. 
• How operating environments, adoption, and participation rates influence the success of share plans. 
• Practical takeaways for leveraging international best practices to enhance your own equity programs.

Get ready for a fresh, interactive take on the ever-evolving world of global stock plan administration. This high-energy session blends valuable learning with fast-paced fun and a little friendly competition. Participants will explore the latest updates and trends in global equity while testing their knowledge through a lively trivia challenge with fellow equity professionals. Along the way, you’ll tackle real-world scenarios, gain insights on topics ranging from global mobility strategies and ESPPs to 10b5-1 planning, Section 16 & Rule 144 filings, tax withholding, payroll optimization, 409A valuations, and financial reporting best practices. Expect practical learning, peer connection, and maybe even a prize—plus bragging rights for the trivia champs.
 

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Stay current on emerging trends, regulatory changes, and best practices in global equity.
• Strengthen technical knowledge across compliance, administration, and reporting.
• Apply learning in real-time through an interactive, game-based trivia format.

U.S. pay transparency laws are rapidly evolving, bringing one of the last workplace taboos—discussing salaries—into the open. New and proposed legislation requires employers to disclose compensation details to both prospective and existing employees, including posting salaries in job listings. While long-established in the public sector, these laws represent a major shift for private companies, with variations across states and jurisdictions. Some regions, such as Massachusetts, are expected to extend reporting requirements to all forms of compensation, including equity from company stock plans. This panel will provide an overview of current and emerging pay transparency requirements, explore how equity reporting is affected, and address challenges such as implications for remote workers across multiple jurisdictions. Attendees will leave with practical insights and foundational tools to ensure compliant and efficient reporting.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Understanding the evolving landscape of U.S. pay transparency laws and their impact on private sector employers.
• How equity compensation reporting is affected, including jurisdictional and remote work considerations.
• Practical strategies to implement compliant reporting processes and address challenges proactively.

ProShare’s annual SAYE and SIP report provides a unique lens on the performance of UK tax-approved plans. This year’s data reveals declining participation rates and reduced company interest in launching new plans, alongside evidence that cost-of-living pressures are influencing employees’ investment behaviours and decisions at maturity. In this session, we’ll explore these trends through case studies from issuers and hear directly from ShareGift on how such shifts in employee behaviour also affect charitable giving through share donations. Together, the panel will examine what companies need to consider for the success of their plans in today’s changing environment—from generational shifts and the AI revolution to the ongoing challenges of recruitment, retention, and motivation. Attendees will gain insight into the future of UK-approved plans and how they can continue to support both employee and corporate success.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• What current participation and maturity trends in SAYE and SIP mean for employers, employees, and charities such as ShareGift. 
• How external factors like cost-of-living, workforce demographics, and technology are shaping the future of UK share plans. 
• Practical considerations for designing and positioning SAYE and SIP plans to drive engagement, retention, and shared success.

The turbulence of recent years has placed equity plan administrators at the center of economic and organizational challenges—from market volatility to corporate restructuring. This interactive roundtable will feature administrators who have successfully navigated diverse disruptions, sharing real-world experiences, lessons learned, and strategies for staying prepared. Participants will explore practical preparation checklists for handling market down-cycles, regulation changes, plan amendments, M&A, and restructuring, ensuring that the next wave of turbulence doesn’t catch them off guard.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• Proven strategies administrators have used to navigate volatility, corporate actions, and regulatory change. 
• How to prepare for and respond to disruptive events with actionable checklists. 
• Lessons learned from real-world case studies to build resilience into equity plan administration.

Centrica’s relaunch of Sharesave—after a five-year gap—has delivered record-breaking employee engagement and participation. This real-life case study will showcase how Centrica used financial education, clear communication, and relatable storytelling to help colleagues understand the value of saving directly from pay, plan for the future, and experience those “lightbulb moments” about the benefits of share plans. With 2025 marking a milestone year—profit share vesting, a Sharesave maturity, and a Sharesave relaunch—this session will bring to life the strategies and results that made the initiative such a success.

KEY LEARNINGS:

• How financial education can demystify Sharesave and make the benefits tangible for employees. 
• Practical communication approaches that drive engagement and record take-up rates. 
• Lessons from Centrica’s case study that issuers can apply to their own share plan relaunch or refresh.