RB Global Maximized Value While Minimizing Expense With Cashless Participation

Problem

RB Global, a leader in omnichannel marketplace solutions serving customers worldwide, faced growing challenges in maintaining its historically generous Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP). With a rapidly expanding global workforce spread across more than twenty countries, offering a company-sponsored matching program became increasingly costly and difficult to sustain effectively. Despite its popularity among employees, the traditional matching structure of the ESPP was proving economically burdensome for the company.

With a global team spanning various geographic locations, RB Global needed an innovative solution to continue providing attractive, competitive employee benefits without sacrificing financial efficiency. The critical challenge was finding a balanced approach that would maintain high employee engagement and satisfaction while significantly reducing the operational expenses associated with the ESPP.

Solution

RB Global collaborated closely with Carver Edison to introduce Cashless Participation into their Employee Stock Purchase Plan. This innovative alternative replaced the traditional company match with a more economical yet equally appealing benefit structure. The new ESPP design eliminated upfront payroll deductions, immediately expanding access to the plan for employees globally, regardless of their compensation level.

The rollout of Cashless Participation was paired with a robust education and communication strategy tailored specifically to the diverse, international workforce at RB Global. A dedicated ESPP platform was developed to provide employees with essential educational resources, interactive calculators, and personalized tools to simplify decision-making and encourage active participation. Frequent and targeted communications were disseminated, ensuring that employees understood the new plan’s value and the potential financial gains available to them.

Results

RB Global’s shift to a Cashless ESPP was met with enthusiastic employee response, significantly enhancing both participation and economic efficiency. Global adoption of Cashless Participation reached an impressive 90%, underscoring widespread employee approval and enthusiasm. Employees using Cashless Participation embraced the opportunity, enjoying immediate and meaningful financial returns.

From a corporate perspective, the transition delivered substantial cost savings, reducing per-share expenses by 79% compared to the previous matching model. Beyond immediate financial savings, Cashless Participation also significantly boosted RB Global’s paid-in capital, enhancing corporate financial strength and flexibility.

This strategic shift demonstrated RB Global’s ongoing commitment to employee financial wellness and corporate responsibility, positioning the company as an innovative leader in employee benefits. By prioritizing employee engagement alongside financial prudence, RB Global successfully transformed its ESPP into a highly effective tool for talent attraction, retention, and employee satisfaction worldwide.

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