Remuneration Information • Mar 21, 2024
Remuneration Information
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OF THE
| Board adoption: | [date] |
|---|---|
| Shareholders' approval: | [25 April 2024] |
| Expiry date: | The date of the Company's annual general meeting in 2034 |
| HMRC registered: | [date] |
| HMRC reference: | [INSERT] |

| 1. | Meaning of words used1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Purpose3 | |
| 3. | Eligible Employees3 | |
| 4. | Issuing invitations3 | |
| 5. | Applications for Options 5 | |
| 6. | Expected Repayments6 | |
| 7. | Scaling down6 | |
| 8. | Granting Options7 | |
| 9. | Share dilution limit8 | |
| 10. | Exercise of Options8 | |
| 11. | Lapsing9 | |
| 12. | Settlement of Options 9 | |
| 13. | Leaving10 | |
| 14. | Takeovers and restructurings 11 | |
| 15. | Exchange of Options13 | |
| 16. | Variations in share capital15 | |
| 17. | Tax 15 | |
| 18. | Terms of employment 16 | |
| 19. | General 16 | |
| 20. | Administration 18 | |
| 21. | Changing the Plan and termination 18 | |
| 22. | Governing law and jurisdiction19 |
In these rules:
"Appropriate Period" means the relevant period referred to in paragraph 38(3) of Schedule 3;
"Board" means the board of directors of the Company or a duly authorised committee thereof. For the purposes of Rules 14 (Takeovers and restructurings) and 15 (Exchange of Options), it means those persons who were members of the Board immediately before the relevant event;
"Bonus Date" means the date on which any Bonus becomes payable, which will only occur after all the Contributions have been made;
"Bonus" means the bonus (if any) payable under a Savings Contract linked to an Option;
"Business Day" means a day on which the London Stock Exchange is open for the transaction of business;
"Company" means Drax Group plc with registered number 05562053;
"Contribution" means the monthly contribution under a Savings Contract;
"Control" has the meaning in section 719 of ITEPA;
"Dealing Restrictions" means any internal or external restrictions on dealings or transactions in securities;
"Eligible Employee" means a person who is eligible to participate in the Plan under Rule 3.1 (Eligibility) at the relevant time;
"Employee" means any employee or director of any Member of the Group and, for the purposes of Rule 18 (Terms of employment) it includes a former employee or director;
"Expected Repayment" has the meaning given in Rule 6.1 (Meaning of Expected Repayment);
"Grant Date" means the date on which an Option is granted;
"Group" means the Company and any company that is a subsidiary of the Company (within the meaning of section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006), and "Member of the Group" will be understood accordingly;
"HMRC" means His Majesty's Revenue & Customs;
"Invitation Date" means the date an invitation to apply for an Option is issued under the Plan;
"ITEPA" means the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003;
"Market Value" on any day means:
and if Shares are subject to a Restriction, Market Value will be determined as if the Shares were not subject to the Restriction;
"Maximum Contribution" means the maximum permitted Contribution determined in accordance with Rule 4.9;
"Minimum Contribution" means the minimum permitted Contribution determined in accordance with Rule 4.8;
"Option" means a right to acquire Shares granted under, and exercisable in accordance with, the Plan;
"Option Price" means the amount payable for each Share on the exercise of an Option, determined in accordance with Rule 4.5 (Option Price);
"Participant" means a person holding an Option or, after death, that person's personal representatives;
"Participating Companies" means the Company and any company that is a subsidiary of the Company (within the meaning of section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006), of which the Company has Control and that is:
"Plan" means the plan constituted by these Rules and known as the Drax Group plc 2024 Sharesave Plan, as amended from time to time;
"Qualifying Period" means a qualifying period of continuous service with a Participating Company, in accordance with Rule 3.2 (Qualifying Period);
"Restriction" means a restriction within the meaning of paragraph 48(3) of Schedule 3;
"Rules(s)" mean the respective rules set forth herein;
"Savings Arrangement" means a certified SAYE savings arrangement within the meaning of section 703(1) of the Income Tax (Trading and Other Income) Act 2005 that has been approved by HMRC for the purposes of Schedule 3 and is linked to a Schedule 3 SAYE Option Scheme;
"Savings Contract" means a savings contract under a Savings Arrangement linked to this Plan;
"SAYE Code" means the relevant parts of the tax legislation governing the Plan as specified in section 516(3) of ITEPA;
"Schedule 3" means Schedule 3 to ITEPA;
"Schedule 3 SAYE Option Scheme" means a sharesave plan that meets the legislative requirements of Schedule 3, as set out in paragraph 1(A1) of Schedule 3; and
"Share" means an ordinary share in the capital of the Company that satisfies paragraphs 18 to 20 (inclusive) and 22 of Schedule 3.
In this Plan, the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular. References to any enactment or statutory requirement will be understood as references to that enactment or requirement as amended or re-enacted and they include any subordinate legislation made under it.
Words and expressions used in the Plan will have the meanings given in the SAYE Code unless the context requires otherwise. The Plan will be interpreted consistently with Schedule 3.
The Plan is intended to operate as a Schedule 3 SAYE Option Scheme. The Company has established the Plan to provide benefits to Eligible Employees in the form of Options, and these benefits will only be provided in accordance with Schedule 3.
A person is an Eligible Employee if that person:
The Board may also permit any other person who satisfies Rule 3.1.1(i) to participate in the Plan as an Eligible Employee.
The Board may decide to impose a Qualifying Period. The Qualifying Period will be the period the Board decides from time to time but must not exceed five years prior to the Grant Date or such other maximum period under Schedule 3.
The Board has discretion to decide whether the Plan will be operated. When the Plan is operated, the Board must invite all Eligible Employees to apply for an Option.
Where invitations are issued under the Plan, all Eligible Employees must be invited to participate on similar terms.
Invitations under the Plan may only be issued within 42 days starting on any of the following:
No invitations may be issued after the termination of the Plan.
An invitation under the Plan will be in a form approved by the Board. The invitation must specify:
The Option Price must:
as measured on the Invitation Date.
When calculating the Option Price, any date used to determine Market Value must be a date when invitations could be issued under Rule 4.3 (Time of invitation).
The Board will specify the deadline for receiving applications for Options, which must not be less than 14 days after the Invitation Date.
The Board will decide whether the Savings Contract will be for three years or five years (or any other standard periods available for Savings Contracts from time to time). Alternatively, the Board may decide that the Eligible Employee can choose either or both of a three-year and a five-year Savings Contract.
The Minimum Contribution will be £10, or such lower amount decided by the Board which is not below £5, or an amount within such other range as is permitted by Schedule 3.
The Maximum Contribution will be an amount decided by the Board. The Maximum Contribution must not exceed £500 (or such other amount specified in Schedule 3). An Eligible Employee's contributions under all Savings Arrangements must not exceed £500 (or such other amount specified in Schedule 3).
An invitation to apply for an Option must be accompanied by an invitation to enter into a Savings Contract.
The application must:
If an application for a Savings Contract specifies a Contribution that exceeds any amount in Rule 5.1.2, the application will be deemed to have been made in such a way that the relevant maximum will not be exceeded.
The Expected Repayment is the total of:
Unless the Board decides otherwise on or prior to the Grant Date, the Expected Repayment will include the maximum Bonus payable.
Each Eligible Employee's application will be for an Option over the largest whole number of Shares that the Eligible Employee could acquire at the Option Price using the Expected Repayment. The Expected Repayment must, as nearly as possible, equal the total Option Price payable if the Option was exercised in full.
The Board will scale down applications if Options would otherwise be granted in excess of any Share limits specified in the invitation or Rule 9 (Share dilution limit).
The Board will scale down applications by applying the following successive steps until Options will be granted over a total number of Shares that does not exceed the limits:
If the limits would still be exceeded, the Board may then apply Rule 7.3 (Cancel grant or choose by lot).
The Board may either decide not to grant any Options or will select by lot the applications that will be accepted. Applications selected by lot will be deemed to:
Where the Board scales down applications, each application will be deemed to have been modified or withdrawn accordingly, and the Expected Repayment will be adjusted accordingly.
Where Options are to be granted, the Company will grant an Option to every Eligible Employee whose valid application has been received by or on behalf of the Company, subject to Rule 7 (Scaling down).
An Option cannot be granted to a person who is not an employee or director of a Participating Company on the Grant Date. Any attempt to do so will be ineffective.
Where Options are granted under the Plan, all Eligible Employees who participate in the Plan must do so on similar terms.
Options will be granted:
Options will be granted by the Company in any way which ensures they are contractually enforceable.
Where required by HMRC's guidance, the Grant Date must be:
At the Grant Date, the Board will specify:
The Board will notify Participants of the grant of Options as soon as reasonably practicable.
A Participant is not required to pay for the grant of an Option.
If the Board grants an Option which is inconsistent with any provisions in this Plan, it will take effect only to the extent permissible under the Plan.
An Option may not be granted that would cause the total number of Shares that have been Allocated in the previous ten years (or could still be Allocated by virtue of rights granted) under the Plan and under any other employee share plans operated by the Company to exceed 10% of the ordinary share capital of the Company in issue.
For the purposes of this Rule 9 (Share dilution limit):
An Option will become exercisable from the Bonus Date of the Savings Contract. An Option will not be exercisable before the Bonus Date, except in accordance with Rules 13 (Leaving) or 14 (Takeovers and restructurings).
An Option will lapse six months after the Bonus Date, subject only to Rule 13.5 (Death).
An Option can only be exercised when the Participant is an employee or director of a Participating Company, except where the Option is exercisable under Rule 13 (Leaving).
Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, a Participant who is subject to tax in the United States of America may not exercise an Option after the 15th day of the third month following the end of the Taxable Year in which the Option first becomes exercisable. The Option will lapse at the end of this period.
For these purposes, "Taxable Year" means the calendar year or, if it ends later than the relevant calendar year, the 12-month period for which the company that employs the Participant is obliged to pay tax.
A Participant may exercise an Option by giving notice in the manner decided by the Board. The notice must:
The exercise of the Option is effective on the date of receipt of the notice and the payment or direction.
An Option may be exercised in whole or in part but may not be exercised on more than one occasion. Where an Option is exercised in part, the remainder of the Option will immediately lapse.
A Participant may only exercise an Option over the number of whole Shares that can be purchased with the total Contributions actually made, and any interest and Bonus.
Unless an Option is already capable of exercise, it will lapse when a Participant gives or is deemed to give notice under the relevant Savings Contract that the Participant intends to permanently stop paying Contributions.
To the extent an Option lapses, it cannot be exercised under any provision of the Plan. To the extent the Option lapses, the Participant has no right to receive the Shares comprised in the Option.
If an Option is exercised, the Board will arrange for the delivery of Shares to the Participant as soon as reasonably practicable after exercise.
Shares may be delivered to and held by a nominee on behalf of the Participant.
If delivering or arranging delivery of Shares would be prohibited by Dealing Restrictions, delivery will not occur until after the Dealing Restrictions cease to apply.
Shares issued in connection with this Plan will rank equally in all respects with the Shares in issue on that date.
Participants will only be entitled to rights attaching to Shares from the date of the allotment or transfer to them.
The Board will arrange payment of any share transfer taxes on settlement.
For the purposes of this Rule 13 (Leaving), "Leaving" means:
and "Leaves" will be interpreted accordingly.
A Participant's Option will lapse on the date the Participant Leaves, unless other provisions of this Rule 13 (Leaving) apply.
If a Participant Leaves for a Good Leaver Reason, the Participant may exercise the Option for a period of six months from Leaving. The Option will then lapse.
For the purposes of this Rule 13.3 (Good leavers), "Good Leaver Reason" means:
to be an associated company of the Company by reason of a change of control (within the meaning of sections 450 and 451 of the Corporation Tax Act 2010);
13.3.6 the business or part of the business in which the Participant works being transferred to a person who is not an associated company of the Company (within the meaning of paragraph 47 of Schedule 3) where the transfer is not a relevant transfer (within the meaning of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006).
If a Participant Leaves for any reason other than a Good Leaver Reason and the Participant's Option was granted more than three years before Leaving, the Participant may exercise the Option for a period of six months from Leaving, except where the Participant Leaves in circumstances of misconduct as described within the Drax Disciplinary Policy (as amended from time to time). The Option will then lapse.
If a Participant dies before exercising an Option, the Participant's Option may be exercised at any time on or after the date of death, but not later than 12 months after:
13.5.1 the date of death, if the Participant dies before the Bonus Date; or
13.5.2 the Bonus Date, if the Participant dies on or within six months after the Bonus Date.
The Option will then lapse.
This Rule 13.5 (Death) applies notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan.
If a Participant is, on the Bonus Date, an employee or director of a company which is:
the Participant may exercise the Option for a period of six months after the Bonus Date. The Option will then lapse.
None of the periods for exercise set out in this Rule 13 (Leaving) will allow an Option to be exercised more than six months after the Bonus Date, except where this is permissible under Rule 13.5 (Death).
For the purposes of this Rule 14 (Takeovers and restructurings) and Rule 15 (Exchange of Options):
Where a person obtains Control of the Company as a result of making a general offer:
Options can be exercised within six months after the person has obtained Control and any condition subject to which the offer is made has been satisfied. The Options will then lapse.
For these purposes it does not matter if the general offer is made to different shareholders by different means and any shares already held by the person making the offer (or a person connected with that person) are not taken into account.
Options become exercisable where a person becomes bound or entitled to acquire shares in the Company under sections 979 to 982 or 983 to 985 of the Companies Act 2006 and can be exercised at any time when that person is so bound or entitled. Options will lapse when that person ceases to be so bound or entitled.
When a court sanctions a compromise or arrangement under section 899 or section 901F of the Companies Act 2006, applicable to or affecting:
Options can be exercised within six months after the date the court sanctions the compromise or arrangement. Options will then lapse.
If a resolution is passed for the voluntary winding-up of the Company, Options can be exercised within six months after the date the Company passes the resolution. Options will then lapse.
Where a non-UK company reorganisation arrangement, as defined in paragraph 47A of Schedule 3, that is applicable to or affects:
becomes binding on the shareholders covered by it, Options can be exercised within six months after the date the arrangement becomes binding on those shareholders. Options will then lapse.
Where the Board reasonably expects a Corporate Event Rule will apply, Options can be exercised during the period of 20 days ending with the date the Options would otherwise become exercisable under the Corporate Events Rule. Where exercised, the Options will be treated as having been exercised under the Corporate Event Rule.
If an Option is exercised under this Rule 14.7 (Conditional exercise – 20 days before) in anticipation of a Corporate Events Rule applying but:
by the end of the period of 20 days beginning with the date the Option is exercised, the exercise is treated as having no effect.
Options may be exercised no later than 20 days after a person obtains Control of the Company by virtue of a Corporate Event Rule, if the shares subject to the Options no longer meet the requirements of Part 4 of Schedule 3 as a consequence of that change of Control.
This Rule 14.8 (Alternative exercise period – 20 days after) does not allow exercise outside the permissible period under the applicable Corporate Events Rule.
For the purposes of this Rule 14 (Takeovers and restructurings), a person will be treated as obtaining Control of the Company if that person and others acting in concert together obtain Control of it.
None of the periods for exercise set out in this Rule 14 (Takeovers and restructurings) will allow an Option to be exercised more than six months after the Bonus Date.
Where an acquiring company:
then:
Where this Rule 15.2 applies:
Where this Rule 15.3 applies, a Participant may exchange an Option for a new option where:
and where an agreement for the exchange of an Option is not made during the Appropriate Period the Option shall lapse at the end of the Appropriate Period.
A new option must:
For these purposes, the market value will be determined as if shares were not subject to any Restrictions and using a methodology agreed by HMRC.
The new option will be subject to the Plan as it had effect immediately before the exchange and the Plan will be interpreted so that:
15.5.1 references to Shares are references to the shares subject to the new option (and references to the Company are interpreted accordingly, except where references to the Company relate to the Company that established the Plan); and
15.5.2 the new option will be treated as having been granted at the same time as the Option that the new option replaced.
An event causing the grant of new options under this Rule 15 (Exchange of Options) will not also trigger the exercise of the new options.
If there is a variation in the share capital of the Company (of which the Shares form part), the Board may adjust:
so far as the Board considers, in its reasonable opinion, necessary to take account of the variation. Any adjustment must satisfy the requirements of Rule 16.2 (Requirements for adjustments).
Any adjustment to an Option must meet the following requirements:
Any adjustment to an Option must not result in the requirements of Schedule 3 not being met in relation to the Option.
For these purposes, market value will be determined as if shares were not subject to any Restrictions and using a methodology agreed by HMRC.
The Board will notify affected Participants of any adjustment made under this Rule 16 (Variations in share capital).
Any Member of the Group, any employing company, the trustee of any relevant employee benefit trust or any third-party provider nominated by the Board may make withholding arrangements to meet any liability to Tax.
A withholding entity may make such withholding arrangements as it considers necessary or desirable in order to comply with requirements for the withholding or recovery of Tax from a Participant, including making deductions from any cash payment owed to the Participant.
Withholding arrangements may include the sale on behalf of the Participant of some or all of the Shares to which the Participant is entitled under the Plan.
For these purposes, "Tax" means any tax and social security charges (and/or any similar charges), wherever arising, in respect of a Participant's Option or otherwise arising in connection with that Participant's participation in the Plan.
This Rule 18 (Terms of employment) applies during an Employee's employment and after the termination of an Employee's employment, whether or not the termination is lawful.
Nothing in the rules of the Plan or the operation of the Plan forms part of an Employee's contract of employment or alters it. The rights and obligations arising from the employment or former employment relationship between the Employee and the relevant Member of the Group are separate from, and are not affected by, the Plan. Participation in the Plan does not create any right to, or expectation of, employment (continued or otherwise).
Participation in the Plan or the grant of Options on a particular basis in any year does not create any right to or expectation of participation in the Plan or the grant of Options on the same, or any other, basis (or at all) in the future.
The terms of the Plan do not entitle the Employee to the exercise of any discretion in the Employee's favour.
No Employee has any right to compensation or damages for any loss (actual or potential) in relation to:
Participation in the Plan will be subject to:
All allotments, issues and transfers of Shares will be subject to the Company's articles of association (from time to time) and any necessary consents or filings required in any relevant jurisdiction. The Participant will be responsible for complying with any requirements needed in order to obtain, or to avoid the necessity for, any such consents or filings.
Options may be settled using newly issued Shares, Shares transferred from treasury and Shares purchased in the market.
If, and as long as, the Shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange, the Company will apply as soon as reasonably practicable for the listing and admission to trading of any Shares issued in connection with the Plan.
Any notice or other communication required under this Plan will be given in writing, which may include electronic means.
Any notice or other communication to be given to an Employee or Participant may be delivered by electronic means (including by email, through the Group's intranet or a share plan portal), personally delivered or sent by ordinary post to such address as the Board reasonably considers appropriate.
Any notice or other communication to be given to the Company or its agents may be delivered or sent to its registered office or such other place and by such means as the Board or the Company's agents may specify and notify to Employees and/or Participants, as relevant.
Notices or other communications:
unless there is evidence to the contrary.
Except as otherwise expressly stated to the contrary, nothing in the Plan confers any benefit, right or expectation on any person other than an Employee, Participant or Member of the Group. No third party has any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (or any similar legislation in an overseas jurisdiction) to enforce any rule of this Plan.
A Participant's Option will lapse if the Participant becomes bankrupt or enters into a compromise (or any overseas equivalent) with the Participant's creditors generally, other than where the compromise (or overseas equivalent) is entered into by the Participant voluntarily and at the Participant's complete discretion.
None of the benefits that may be received under the Plan are pensionable.
A Participant must not transfer, assign, charge or otherwise dispose of an Option or any rights in respect of it. If the Participant does, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, the Option will immediately lapse.
This Rule 19.9 (Not transferable) does not prevent the transmission of an Option to a Participant's personal representatives on death.
The Plan will be administered by the Board, which has authority to make such rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan as it considers necessary or desirable. The Board may delegate any and all of its rights and powers under the Plan.
All decisions of the Board in connection with the Plan and its interpretation and the terms of any Options (including in any dispute) will be final and conclusive.
The Board will decide whether and how to exercise any discretion in the Plan. When making any decisions, the Board will act fairly and reasonably.
Each person will have regard to Dealing Restrictions when operating, interpreting, administering, participating in and/or taking any other action in relation to the Plan.
The Board may change the Plan in any way and at any time.
Whilst the Plan is intended to be a Schedule 3 SAYE Option Scheme, no change may be made to a Key Feature if the requirements of Schedule 3 would cease to be met.
For these purposes, a "Key Feature" means a provision of the Plan that is necessary in order for the requirements of Parts 2 to 7 of Schedule 3 to be met in relation to the Plan.
The Board will obtain prior approval of shareholders by ordinary resolution for any change to the Plan which is to the advantage of present or future Participants and which relates to any of the following:
The Board need not obtain shareholder approval for any changes to the Plan which are:
If a proposed change would be to the material disadvantage of one or more Participants in respect of existing rights under the Plan, then the Board must invite every relevant Participant to give an indication as to whether or not they approve the change and the change will only take effect if it is approved by a simple majority of those Participants who have given such an indication.
The Board need not obtain Participant consent for any changes which are:
The Board may establish plans based on the Plan, but modified to take account of any local tax, exchange control or securities laws in other jurisdictions, provided that:
The Plan will terminate on the date of the Company's annual general meeting in 2034 (or on such earlier date as the Board decides). Termination will not affect existing rights under the Plan.
The laws of England and Wales govern the Plan and all Options. The courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction in respect of any disputes arising in connection with the Plan or any Option.
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