Employee share plans
Incentives in the form of shares are provided to employees under share option and share award schemes.
The fair values of these options and awards are calculated at their grant dates using a Black-Scholes option pricing model and charged to the income statement over the relevant vesting periods.
The Group provides finance to ESOP Trusts to purchase company shares to meet the obligation to provide shares when employees exercise their options or awards. Costs of running the ESOP Trusts are charged to the income statement. Shares held by the ESOP Trusts are deducted from other reserves. A transfer is made between other reserves and retained earnings over the vesting periods of the related share options or awards to reflect the ultimate proceeds receivable from employees on exercise.