AUSTRALIA CHAPTER

Employee Stock Ownership Plans and other forms of equity compensation have become essential tools for attracting, retaining, and aligning top talent. Once limited to senior executives, these programs are now widely used across job levels and geographies, reflecting a broader shift toward long-term incentives and ownership driven culture.

But for all the attention paid to plan design, grant size, and vesting schedules, a critical part of the employee experience often goes unnoticed: dividend income, and more specifically, how much of it is silently lost to Dividend Withholding Tax (DWT).

In this whitepaper, you’ll explore:
• What DWT is and why it’s often overlooked in ESOP administration
• How recovery works and what’s legally reclaimable
• The strategic upside of integrating DWT recovery into your total rewards model
• Practical implementation options that minimize administrative burden
• A powerful DWT reclaim impact study, demonstrating the scale of opportunity
 

CONTRIBUTED BY SPRINTAX DIVIDENDS

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As countries implement new regulations affecting global equity and executive compensation for 2026, multinational companies should review their equity plans and grant materials to ensure compliance with updated tax, securities, and employment laws. Key developments include the removal of certain reporting and forced-sale requirements in China, expanded securities exemptions in Japan, new pay transparency obligations in the European Union, updated SEC requirements in the Philippines, and clarified national insurance sourcing rules in the United Kingdom, along with broader global trends such as rising tax rates and limits on restrictive covenants. Proactive coordination among legal, tax, payroll, and equity teams is essential to manage compliance, reporting obligations, and strategic planning in the year ahead.

The employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) market is growing rapidly, expected to rise from $2.12B in 2025 to $3.32B by 2030 at a ~9.4% CAGR, driven by increased adoption in startups and SMEs, stronger tax incentives, and a growing focus on employee ownership and retention. Key growth drivers include rising demand for succession planning, wealth-building for employees, digital ESOP administration tools, and broader adoption of employee ownership models across industries and regions, with North America currently leading and Asia-Pacific growing fastest. Major trends include more use of ESOPs in mid-sized firms, innovative share-based incentive programs, leveraged ESOP structures, and M&A activity among ESOP service providers, alongside increasing use of ESOPs as a tool for talent attraction, alignment, and long-term corporate culture development.

Rolling out a global share plan requires careful planning, significant coordination across internal teams, and collaboration with external advisors to navigate legal, tax, securities, payroll, and labour law complexities in multiple countries. Companies must ensure clear communication, tax-efficient design, compliance with local regulations, equal treatment of employees, and practical considerations such as document translation and payroll restrictions to avoid pitfalls. When executed thoughtfully, global share plans can provide real value to both the business and its employees while supporting long-term engagement and compliance.

Stellantis completed the 2025 edition of its “Shares to Win” employee share purchase plan on November 25, marking the third consecutive annual offering since 2023 and spanning 20 countries with over 235,000 eligible employees. The plan features a 20% share price discount and generous matching contributions, helping drive broad participation and reinforcing employee engagement and ownership. Since launch, employees have subscribed to 22 million shares, investing €209 million in total, and now collectively hold 2.8% of Stellantis’ share capital.

ESG metrics have become a mainstream component of executive compensation at public companies, with roughly three-quarters of S&P 500 firms now tying pay to environmental, social, or governance outcomes. Investor pressure, regulatory action, and workforce and consumer expectations are driving this shift, as companies are increasingly judged on how results are achieved, not just financial performance. While ESG-linked pay appears here to stay, compensation teams face the challenge of designing metrics that are material, measurable, auditable, and clearly aligned with business strategy to avoid greenwashing and maintain credibility.

Australian tech startups can use Employee Share Schemes (ESS) to attract and retain skilled talent by offering employees equity that aligns their interests with the company’s growth, especially when cash is tight. The ESS startup concessional regime makes this tax-effective by taxing employees only at a liquidity event and allowing shares to be offered at a discount, giving employees real ownership and potential upside. Eligible companies and employees must meet specific criteria, and when set up correctly, ESS can turn staff into true partners in growth, helping startups move from early-stage survival to long-term success.

An SMSF generally cannot acquire shares issued under a remuneration-based employee share scheme, except in limited circumstances such as when the shares come from a listed company and meet related-party rules. Experts warn that these arrangements often create compliance risks, including breaches around asset acquisition, valuation at market value, and potential non-arm’s-length income issues if discounts apply. Trustees are urged to assess eligibility and compliance upfront, as problems commonly arise when transactions are completed before proper advice is sought.