GEO's Global Equity Insights Survey is Open - Participate Today!
GEO's Global Equity Insights Survey plays a key role in assessing current market practice and trends in equity-based compensation and is used by hundreds of companies worldwide to structure their employee and executive share plans.
Inclusion of your data will ensure a diverse complement of intelligence, resulting in a report that features insightful analysis on global long-term incentive plans, including plan types and design and linkages to company performance and employee satisfaction.
Visit the
GEIS Website for more information.
The 2019 survey is open for response until 10 February.
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Our very best discounts on registration and sponsorships are NOW available and only for a limited time! Visit the GEO
website for more details.
Hotel space is already filling up -
book now to avoid disappointment!
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 Welcome New GEO Team Members!
GEO has announced the appointment of three new additions to its senior team. These critical hires mark a strategic push to support the organization's offer of best-in-class member services, education and events, worldwide.
Danyle Anderson, Executive Director said, "We are thrilled to welcome Debbie, Britta and Huub to the GEO team. Their appointments solidify our commitment to enhancing our products and services and will allow GEO to provide industry-leading services to the global share plan and executive compensation community. Their collective expertise is already delivering tangible benefits to our global membership base."
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Debbie Tsoi-A-Sue, CEP
Senior Director, Global Strategic Initiatives |
Britta Puschendorf
Senior Director, Programs and Member Services |
Huub Olthof
Business Relationship Consultant |
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 2019 GEO Membership
Stay current, connected, and effective in the profession by renewing your GEO membership today!
Learn more about GEO membership
and member benefits. Your renewal provides you access to the most exclusive educational and professional events. If you have any questions or would like to renew your corporate or group membership, please contact
michele.holly@globalequity.org.
We appreciate your membership!
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Winner Spotlight
Celebrating excellence in global stock plans!
The submission period for the 2019 GEO Awards closes today. Each month GEO is turning the spotlight on some of the winners from the 2018 awards ceremony. Will you be the next GEO Award winning company?
Best Plan Effectiveness
Share plans help companies achieve their corporate mission and goals. This award category is designed to highlight companies that have spent time and resources developing share plans that work well towards meeting key corporate objectives. The criteria for this category are based on the assessment of plan participation and other ways of involving employees in the successful operation of the company. An essential component of assessing effectiveness is a clear statement of the goals of the plan in addition to a demonstrated measurement technique to gauge progress in achieving those goals.
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Recognized in the size category of companies
up to 20,000 employees
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Recognized in the size category of companies
Between 20,000 and 100,000 Employees
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Essilor International S.A. (France)
Recognized in the size category of companies
between 20,000 and 100,000 employees
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Trending Discussions
Russian Non-employee Equity Income Reporting - 1099 Equivalent?
Posted by:
Debbie Tsoi-A-Sue, CEP, GEO
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Career Opportunities
HR Compensation Manager
at Bryn Mawr Trust
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA, US
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Posting for a colleague... I'd assume there is some kind of Russia non-employee 1099 equivalent reporting necessary but since I haven't dealt with Russian non-employees before - thought I'd throw this one out to the community. Any pointers in the right direction appreciated!
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The Human Resources Compensation Manager is responsible for managing, updating and creating compensation plans for the Bank. The Compensation Manager will serve as a liaison for all lines of business within the Bank. This role provides subject matter expertise and a high level of...
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Do you have a Job Posting you would like us to feature?
Contact Us
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For more discussions and career opportunities,
join our global Communities in GEOconnect:
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 Spotlight - GEO Member of the Month
Hans de Jong
Subject Matter Expert Long-Term Variable Plans
LM Ericsson AB
Hans is the Subject Matter Expert for Long-Term Variable pay at LM Ericsson AB. In his role Hans is responsible for all Long-Term Variable (LTV) Plans. In addition, Hans is group administrator for the all-employee Stock Purchase Plan with 20.000+ employees in 100+ countries as well as other types of Global LTV plans.
As SME he manages the plan within the internal operational Ericsson organization, from the stakeholders at Headquarters in the respective group functions to the external service providers.
Hans is accountable for the operational performance and administration, as well as ensuring governance of the Plan rules and company directives. Regulatory (SOX) and tax compliance are also part of his scope.
In addition, he provides input to related global projects in the LTV arena, analysis on the plan effectiveness, and is a key contributor and provides executive support related to the plans. Hans has over 25 years of experience in Finance and HR and 10 years of experience in Total Rewards at the headquarter level. Hans works closely with external service providers on plan execution, financial reporting and tax administration.
He is acknowledged for his efficient and effective drive for globalization. Hans has contributed to many cost-saving initiatives by implementing successful setups. Hans is a Qualified Treasurer and holds a Bachelor's in Business Economics.
A strong supporter of GEO, Hans has been a participant with the Issuer Council for many years. Always willing to share his experiences and projects with a wider audience, Hans has spoken at several GEO annual conferences. We expect to hear from him in Amsterdam at the
GEO's 2019 Annual Conference as a valuable issuer contributor as well. In addition, he regularly attends service provider conferences to share his knowledge on specific developments which are ongoing in the industry.
Hans was nominated by a colleague for this month's member spotlight! If you would like to nominate a colleague for the spotlight, email
ProgramServices@globalequity.org for consideration.
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Smart Quote
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"Character is much easier kept than recovered."
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Thomas Paine
Author
(United States)
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Make the Most of Your Membership - Tip of the Month
This month's tip:
Reference benchmark data at the end of a mouse click! New to GEO? Or getting a refresher on the many benefits of GEO membership? Well, did you know GEO runs an annual Global Equity Insights Survey (GEIS)? It's an annual survey that measures key benchmark data on global equity practices and design from GEO's member firms. The survey aims to provide insight on how companies around the world operate their share plans globally and what challenges they are facing. It covers a wide range of aspects, from the design of the plan (What type of awards should you be using? What is the typical vesting period? Do you include malus/clawback?), the financing of the plan (Do you recharge the costs to the local employing entities?) to the practical aspects of dealing with the taxation of mobile employees and much more! Access our Surveys for more information!
This feature to our newsletter is meant to help you discover all the benefits that GEO membership offers. If you have a tip that you'd like to share with other GEO members on how to maximize their membership with GEO, please send it to ProgramServices@globalequity.org.
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Business Intelligence - Best Practices
This month's best practice:
Seven Strategies for Enhancing Your Professional Style
- Use a greeting and form of thanks in the first 12 words you speak. "Good morning, Mr. Smith. Thank you for taking time to meet with me today."
- Make the connection by asking individuals something they shared with you the last time the two of you spoke. "How was your trip to Seattle last week?"
- Be proactive rather than reactive by being the first to say hello.
- Acknowledge people when they are within three feet of you with eye contact, a smile, a nod or a verbal thank you.
- Remember the power of a handshake at the beginning of a conversation and when departing.
- As you leave a conversation, mention something you heard the other person say during your encounter. "It's been nice talking to you. Have a safe trip back to Chicago."
- Anytime you visit with someone for more than 15 minutes, send a thank you. It will demonstrate your attention to detail and will be the beginning of your relationship development process with that person.
Compliments of Ann Marie Sabath, Author, Business Etiquette: 101 Ways To Conduct Business With Charm and Savvy and founder of At Ease Inc., the 31-year-old business etiquette training firm. Sabath recently presented at GEO's 2018 Annual Conference in Orlando, FL and at the 9th Annual GEO Northern California Forum. Her ninth book, What Self-Made Millionaires Do That Most People Don't is available now for purchase on Amazon.
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21-23 October 2019
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Americas Regional Conference
Huntington Beach
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Save the Date
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07 February 2019
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GEO's San Francisco Chapter Happy Hour Meeting
San Francisco
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20 February 2019
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GEO's Toronto Chapter Meeting
Toronto
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29 January 2019
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In the Spotlight: What Do Participants Really Think About Equity Compensation?
Online
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10-12 April 2019
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GEO's 20th Annual Conference
Amsterdam
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Registration Open
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BELGIUM
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New Employer Income Tax Withholding Obligation on Stock Compensation Taxable as of January 1, 2019
Source: PwC
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The anticipated Belgium
"Jobs Deal"
agreement has proposed significant changes to the treatment of equity compensation by the Belgian tax authorities, including imposing an employer
withholding obligation on all equity awards granted by foreign-based companies which are taxable as of January 1, 2019.
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Further Clarification on the NSSO's Adjusted Position on The Applicability of Social Security Contributions to Equity Award Income
Source: PwC
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In the published Administrative Instructions for the 3rd quarter of 2018, the Belgian National Social Security Office (NSSO) adjusted its position to assert that equity compensation is subject to social security contributions regardless of whether the local entity is charged with the cost of the equity compensation or if there is any involvement by the local entity.
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CANADA
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Gender Pay Gap Widest at Top of the Corporate Ladder, New Report Says
Source: Keremeos Review
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A new report on the country's highest-paid CEOs is adding evidence to the argument that women face a "double-pane glass ceiling" at the top of Canada's corporate ladder - first in getting to the executive suite and, once there, earning as much as their male counterparts.
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GERMANY
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Multinational Investment Bank Plans to Cut Bonuses: Report
Source: Fortune
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Deutsche Bank AG's management board plans to cut the bonus pool by around 10 percent as the German lender juggles cost pressures while trying to retain key employees, according to people familiar with the matter.
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INDIA
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Large Public Sector Lender to Raise Rs 600 Cr Through Employee Share Purchase Scheme
Source: Business Standard
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Public sector lender Union Bank of India plans to raise up to Rs 600 crore through "Employee Share Purchase Scheme", subject to shareholders' approval.
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ISRAEL
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Israeli Tax Authority
Requires Filing of Restated Tax Returns Following Recent Israeli Supreme Court Ruling on Inclusion of Stock-Based Compensation in Cost Base for Transfer Pricing
Source: EY
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Following the Israeli Supreme Court ruling published recently in Kontera Technologies Ltd
(Kontera) and Finisar Israel Ltd
(Finisar) cases,
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which confirmed that expenses incurred by an Israeli Research and Development (R&D) subsidiary of a United States (US) parent relating to employee stock option plans should be included in the cost base for calculating the cost plus remuneration,
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LUXEMBOURG
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Luxembourg Warrant Plan Regime Amended
Source: ATOZ Tax Advisers
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On 29 November 2017, the Luxembourg tax authorities;
released the highly anticipated circular on stock
option/warrant
plans (the "Circular"). The publication of the Circ
ular follows the announcement made by Finance Minis
ter Gramegna
during his presentation of the 2018 budget, accordi
ng to which the regime of stock option/warrant plan
s would be
amended soon.
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POLAND
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Further Discussion on the Changes in the Polish PIT Taxation of
Employee Incentive Programs
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As reported in our
December 2017 alert
, amendments to the Personal Income Tax (PIT) Act in effect from January 1, 2018, extended the availability of favorable tax treatment (i.e. the possibility to defer taxation of the acquisition of shares until sale) for equity compensation programs.
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UNITED KINGDOM
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Almost all Firms Claim They Are Fixing Gender Pay, Survey Finds
Source: People Management
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An overwhelming majority of British businesses say they are taking concrete action to close their gender pay gaps, according to an influential new survey - but by focusing their efforts to address diversity on entry level recruitment, many may find their next round of reporting contains a nasty surprise.
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Gender Pay Gap: Approaching the Second Reporting Date
Source: Charles Russell Speechlys
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The second deadline of 4 April 2019 for employers to report on their gender pay gap is fast approaching.
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Fat Cat Friday Marks Widening of CEO-worker Pay Gap
Source: HR Magazine
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The UK's top bosses make more in three days than a typical full-time worker will make in a year, according to research from the High Pay Centre and the CIPD.
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UNITED STATES
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Women Hold onto Stock Options Longer - and Reap the Benefits
Source: Fortune
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Women hold onto their stock options longer than men-which means, at least on this one metric, that women make their employers (or ex-employers) pay out more than their male counterparts do, according to a forthcoming study.
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IRS Issues Initial Guidance on Deferral Option for Qualified Equity Grants
Source: The National Law Review
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On December 22, 2017, President Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") into law.
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Reminder: Employers Must Report 2018 ISO and ESPP Transactions
Source: Latham & Watkins
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Deadlines are approaching for employers to report last year's employee exercises of incentive stock options and employee stock purchase plan purchases.
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Details on the SEC's Final Rules on Hedging Policies
Source: Winston & Strawn
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As I blogged at the end of last year, the SEC has adopted final rules implementing Dodd-Frank Act Section 955, "Disclosure of Hedging by Employees and Directors
," which added new Section 14(j) to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The final rules add a new Section 407(i) to Regulation S-K.
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Keeping Compensation Fresh in 2019
Source: SHRM
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With the U.S. unemployment rate at its lowest level since 1969
, employers are adjusting pay-raise budgets for 2019 and raising their wage and salary offers to attract needed talent.
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ISS Clarifies Changes to U.S. Compensation Policies with Newly Released FAQs
Source: Willis Towers Watson
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On December 20, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) released its complete frequently asked questions (FAQ) document regarding U.S. compensation policies. Overall, the changes for 2019 are limited in scope:
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WORLDWIDE
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Men 'Face MORE Discrimination Than Women': Global Study Claims Males Receive the Raw End of the Deal with Harsher Punishments for the Same Crime, Compulsory Military Service and More Deaths at Work
Source: Daily Mail
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Women are better off in more countries than men are, a new study has found.
A method that assesses the forms of hardship and discrimination facing men and women has revealed males have it harder in 91 countries out of 134.
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Global Equity Services: Annual Equity Awards Filings Chart
Source: Baker McKenzie
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Baker McKenzie's Global Equity Services team design, implement, and maintain global equity-based compensation plans for multinational issuers that maximize tax benefits while satisfying local securities, labor, exchange controls and data privacy laws in applicable jurisdictions. (scroll down to #70)
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Role of Share-Based Compensation for Gender Pay Gap/Pay Equity
Source: The Employer Report
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Gender pay gap and pay equity are big discussion topics for companies around the world as more and more countries enact laws intended to close the gender pay gap and as case law develops involving discrimination claims related to pay equity.
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Shareholders are increasingly focused on measuring non-financial performance indicators of a company's health.
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STAY CONNECTED
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