Recognizing and Celebrating
The Industry's Best
in Share Plans

The GEO Awards recognize and celebrate the commitment of employee ownership and inclusive workplaces; rewarding the teams and individuals who are leading the way in unique, effective and creative ways.
The Awards are pivotal to the promotion of share ownership around the globe; and highlight the positive impact that great plan execution can have on employee engagement, retention, productivity, and corporate profitability. Each successful submission represents an answer to a common issue, uniting and aligning companies around the globe who are trying to overcome the same challenges.

If you are an experienced issuer company representative or a member of academia, you can apply to become a Judge. The application window for the 2023 Awards will open in the fall of 2022. 

To qualify for an award, the submitting company must offer one or more global share plans and/or the submitted plan must: 

• Be unique in concept, design or performance. 
• Be cutting edge and potentially the first of its kind. 
• Be different from other products or services already in the market. 
• Be an original application of a new or existing product or service. 
• Use new technology or bring new techniques to the industry. 
• Clearly communicate the plan benefits and actively encourage participation. 

Find out more about the submissions process.

If you would like to apply for a GEO Award, the submission period is typically open from October to January each year. The application window for the 2023 GEO Awards will open in the fall of 2022.  Find out more about the submissions process. 

Applications for a GEO Award may be made by a representative of a company or by nomination from a third-party service provider. All applicants will be asked to explain and demonstrate their efforts and progress in the designated category. Any company with a stock or stock-based program is eligible and encouraged to apply for an award. There is no fee to apply, and applicants can apply for any, or all, of the award categories. If you would like to complete a practice application template before completing the online application, you may download a Practice Application Template.

You will only be entered into the GEO Awards once your application is fully complete and submitted online before the closing date. It  is your responsibility to ensure that the application is completed, supporting documents included, and that the submit button has been pressed on the online application form. Entrants will be emailed to notify them that their application has been accepted.

Yes, applications for a GEO Award may be made by a representative of a company or by nomination from a third-party service provider. The answers need to be written in the words of the entrant. Third-party partners will be recognized as part of the winner announcements. 

You may enter as many categories as you wish, although make sure your entries are relevant to each category's criteria. Find out more about the submissions process here. 

No, once you have registered, the application process is simple and straightforward. You can save and return to your application at any stage before finally submitting your form. 

Yes, each question has a maximum number of words. You should plan your response and provide as much evidence as possible to support the claims made within your answers. Use plain English and avoid jargon to help the judges understand your responses. 

Yes, to ensure the process is consistent and fair, all applications must be filled in online. 

Winners will be announced at the annual GEO Awards gala dinner which is held as part of GEO’s Annual Conference. 

There are a number of different sponsorship opportunities available for the Awards.
Please contact us  for further information.

If you have questions about the GEO Awards or submitting your materials, please contact Pam Stetson at pam.stetson@globalequity.org or +1-714-630-2908 ext 102.