Testing, inspection and certification services provider Socotec Group has introduced an employee shareholding initiative to its UK staff.
Its share scheme, known as Blue Alliance, was successfully launched for its French staff in 2024. Employees can invest in unlisted Soco1 shares at a 20% discount on current share value though Fonds Commun de Placement. This is a collective financial investment vehicle governed by French law containing shares in which employees can invest through a dedicated investment opportunity.
UK staff who hold permanent contracts and have three months of continuous service will be eligible to purchase shares in the global Socotec Group.
The initiative is part of Socotec’s Great Place to Work action plan, enhancing its benefits package and providing staff with a direct stake in its future growth and success.
The firm’s Spanish staff will also be able to benefit from the scheme, while its Irish employees will be invited to participate in Spring 2026.
Lisa Massey, HR director at Socotec UK and Ireland, said: “Bringing Blue Alliance to the UK has been a very exciting move for our staff. In achieving our Great Place to Work status, some of the feedback received was that an all-employee share ownership scheme would be welcomed. When it comes to our people, we have always had a ‘you say, we do’ mentality, so that’s exactly what we did, we went away and made it happen.
“We want to have the best employee value proposition within our sector, so we are constantly working on the improvement of our value proposition to employees, and developing solutions that make us the most attractive proposition for them in joining and staying with us at Socotec.”
Matthew Marriott, chief executive officer of Socotec UK and Ireland, added: “The tremendous success we have seen since Blue Alliance’s launch in France has reinforced our belief that employee ownership helps to create a stronger, more unified organisation. We’re excited to extend this opportunity to our UK employees and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our teams and throughout our business.”
