As one of the world’s most iconic brands, Mastercard is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Understanding how equity compensation increases shareholder value by motivating performance, the company turned to Morgan Stanley at Work for help in launching a global employee stock purchase plan (ESPP).
The Search for Answers
Following conversations with the company’s board and executive committee, Mastercard’s equity team received approval to move forward with a strategy to create a more effective ownership culture. Their first order of business was to conduct an in-depth employee survey geared specifically to their employee experience and rewards. In late 2021, roughly 34,000 global employees were asked to identify their reward preferences. Over 70% chose an ESPP as either the first or second item in their personal perception of value. Guided by these results, Mastercard launched an ambitious multiyear and multiphase initiative to implement a global ESPP on Morgan Stanley at Work’s Shareworks platform.
