1. Name, Objective and Term of the Plan
1.1 This Employee Stock Option Plan shall be called ‘Foods and Inns Employee Stock Option Plan 2021’ (“ESOP 2021”/ “Plan”).
1.2 The objectives of the Plan are to reward the Employees for their association with the Company, their performance as well as to attract, retain and reward Employees to contribute to the growth and profitability of the Company. The Company intends to use the Plan to attract and retain talent in the Company. The Company views Employee Stock Options as an instrument that would enable the Employees to get a share in the value, they create for the Company in the years to come.
1.3 The Plan is established with effect from 29/09/2021 on which the shareholders of the Company have approved it and shall continue to be in force until (i) its termination by the Company as per provisions of Applicable Laws, or (ii) the date on which all of the Options available for issuance under the Plan have been issued and exercised, whichever is earlier.
2. Definitions and Interpretation
2.1 Definitions
2.2 Interpretation
3. Authority and Ceiling
3.1 The shareholders of the Company by way of special resolution dated 29/09/2021 approved the Plan authorizing the Committee to grant not exceeding 25,16,913 (Twenty Five Lakhs Sixteen Thousand Nine Hundred Thirteen Only) Options to the eligible Employees in one or more tranches, from time to time, which in aggregate exercisable into not more than 25,16,913 (Twenty Five Lakhs Sixteen Thousand Nine Hundred Thirteen Only) Shares of face value of Re.1 each fully paid up, with each such Option conferring a right upon the Employees to apply for one Share in the Company in accordance with the terms and conditions as may be decided under the Plan.
3.2 The maximum number of Options under Plan that may be granted to each Employee in any year shall in aggregate not more than 4,50,000 (Four Lakhs Fifty Thousand Only) Options at the time of Grant of Option.
3.3 If the number of Options that may be offered to any specific Employee shall be equal to or more than 1% (one percent) of the issued equity Share capital (excluding outstanding warrants & conversion) of the Company at the time of Grant of Options, then the Company shall take prior approval of members of the Company by way of a special resolution.
3.4 If an Option expires, lapses or becomes un-exercisable due to any reason, it shall be brought back to the Options pool as mentioned in Sub-clause 3.1 and shall become available for future Grants, subject to compliance with all Applicable Laws.
3.5 Where Shares are issued consequent upon exercise of an Option under the Plan, the maximum number of Shares that can be issued under Plan as referred to in Clause 3.1 above shall stand reduced to the extent of such Shares issued.
3.6 In case of a consolidation, if the revised face value of the Share is more than the current face value as prevailing on the date of coming into force of this Plan, the maximum number of Shares available for being granted under Plan as specified above shall stand modified accordingly, so as to ensure that the cumulative face value (No. of Shares X Face value per Share) prior to such consolidation remains unchanged after such consolidation. Thus, for example, if the prevailing face value of each Share is Re.1 per Share and the revised face value after the Share consolidation is Rs.2 per Share, the total number of Shares available under Plan would be (Shares reserved at Sub-Clause 3.1/ 2) Shares of Rs.2 each.
4. Administration
4.1 The Plan shall be administered by the Committee. All questions of interpretation of the Plan or any Option shall be determined by the Committee and such determination shall be final and binding upon all persons having an interest in the Plan or in any Option issued thereunder.
4.2 The Committee shall in accordance with this Plan and Applicable Laws determine the following:
4.3 The Committee shall also frame suitable policies and systems to ensure that there is no violation of (a) Securities and Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015 (as amended from time to time) (b) Securities and Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to the Securities Market) Regulations, 2003 (as amended from time to time) and (c) any other regulation as may be notified by the Securities and Exchange Board of India or any other authority from time to time, by the Company and any Employee.
5. Eligibility and Applicability
5.1 Only Employees are eligible for being granted Option under Plan. The specific Employees to whom the Option would be granted, and their Eligibility Criteria shall be determined by the Committee.
5.2 The Plan shall be applicable to the Company, and any successor company thereof and Options may be granted to the Employees of the Company, as determined by the Committee at its sole discretion.
5.3 Appraisal process for determining the eligibility of the Employees will be based on designation, period of service, performance linked parameters such as work performance and such other criteria as may be determined by the Committee at its sole discretion, from time to time.
6. Grant and Acceptance of Grant
6.1 Grant of Options
6.2 Acceptance of the Grant
Any eligible Employee who wishes to accept the Grant made under this Plan must deliver to the Company a duly signed acceptance of the letter of Grant on or before the date (“Closing Date”) which shall not be more than 45 days from the date of the Grant, as specified in the letter of Grant. On receipt by the Company of the signed acceptance, the eligible Employee will become an Option Grantee.
6.3 Any eligible Employee, who fails to deliver the signed acceptance of the letter of Grant on or before the Closing Date stated above, shall be deemed to have rejected the Grant unless the Committee determines otherwise.
7. Vesting Schedule and Vesting Conditions
7.1 Option granted under the Plan shall vest not earlier than minimum period of 1 (one) year and not later than maximum period of 4 (four) years from the date of Grant.
Provided that in case where Options are granted by the Company under the Plan in lieu of options held by a person under a similar Plan in another company (“Transferor Company”) which has merged or amalgamated with the Company, the period during which the options granted by the Transferor Company were held by him may be adjusted against the minimum Vesting Period required under this Sub-clause.
7.2 Vesting of Option would be subject to continued employment with the Company. In addition to this, the Committee may also specify certain performance criteria subject to satisfaction of which the Options would vest.
7.3 As a prerequisite for a valid vesting, an Option Grantee is required to be in employment or service of the Company on the date of Vesting and must neither be serving his notice for termination of employment/ service, nor be subject to any disciplinary proceedings pending against him on such date of Vesting. In case of any disciplinary proceedings against any Option Grantee, the relevant Vesting shall be kept in abeyance until disposal of the proceedings and such Vesting shall be determined accordingly.
7.4 The Vesting schedule and specific Vesting Conditions subject to which Vesting would take place shall be specified in the letter issued to the Option Grantee at the time of Grant.
7.5 Vesting of Options in case of Employees on long leave
The period of leave shall not be considered in determining the Vesting Period in the event the Employee is on a sabbatical. In all other events including approved earned leave and sick leave, the period of leave shall be included to calculate the Vesting Period unless otherwise determined by the Committee.
8. Exercise
8.1 Exercise Price
8.2 Exercise Period
S. No. | Events of separation | Vested Options | Unvested Options |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Resignation/ Termination (Other than due to Misconduct) |
All the Vested Options as on the date of submission of resignation/termination shall be exercisable by the Option Grantee by his/her last working day in the Company. | All the Unvested Options as on date of submission of resignation/termination shall stand cancelled with effect from date such resignation/termination. |
2 | Termination due to Misconduct | All the Vested Options at the time of such termination shall stand cancelled with effect from the date of such termination. | All the Unvested Options at the time of such termination shall stand cancelled with effect from the date of such termination. |
3 | Retirement | All the Vested Options as on the date of Retirement can be exercisable by the Option Grantee within a period of 6 (six) months from the date of retirement. | All the Unvested Options as on date of Retirement shall vest immediately in the Option Grantee and can be exercised in the manner defined for Vested Options. |
4 | Death | All Vested Options may be exercised by the Option Grantee’s nominee or legal heir immediately after, but in no event later than 12 (twelve) months from the date of Death of the Option Grantee. | All the Unvested Options as on date of death shall vest immediately in the Option Grantee’s nominee or legal heir and can be exercised in the manner defined for Vested Options. |
5 | Permanent Incapacity | All Vested Options may be exercised by the Option Grantee, immediately after, but in no event later than 12 (twelve) months from the date of such Permanent Incapacity. | All the Unvested Options as on date of incurring of such incapacity shall vest immediately in the Option Grantee and can be exercised in the manner defined for Vested Options. |
6 | Abandonment of employment | All the Vested Options shall stand cancelled with effect from such date as determined by the Committee. | All Unvested Options shall stand cancelled with effect from such date as determined by the Committee. |
7 | Termination due to reasons apart from those mentioned above | The Committee shall decide whether the Vested Options as on that date can be exercised by the Option Grantee or not, and such decision shall be final. | All Unvested Options on the date of such termination shall stand cancelled unless otherwise required by Applicable Laws. |
8.3 The Options shall be deemed to have been exercised when an Employee makes an application in writing to the Company or by any other means as decided by the Committee, for the issue of Shares against the Options vested in him, subject to payment of Exercise Price and compliance of other requisite conditions of Exercise.
8.4 The Options not exercised within the Exercise Period shall lapse and the Employee shall have no right over such lapsed or cancelled Options.
8.5 Lapse of Options
The Options not exercised within the respective Exercise Periods prescribed in Sub-clauses of Clause 8 shall lapse and be deemed to cancelled on expiry of such Exercise Period. The Option Grantee shall have no right or recourse over such lapsed/ cancelled Options.
9. Lock-in
The Shares arising out of Exercise of Vested Options shall not be subject to any lock-in period from the date of allotment of such Shares under Plan.
Provided that the Shares allotted on such Exercise cannot be sold for such further period or intermittently as required under the terms of Code of Conduct for Prevention of Insider Trading of the Company framed under Securities and Exchange Board of India (Prohibition of Insider Trading), Regulations, 2015.
10. Exit route in case of de-listing
If the Company gets de-listed from all the recognized Stock Exchanges, then the Committee shall have the powers to set out terms and conditions for the treatment of Vested Options and Unvested Options in due compliance of the Applicable Laws.
11. Restriction on transfer of Options
11.1 The Option shall not be pledged, hypothecated, mortgaged, or otherwise alienated in any other manner.
11.2 Options shall not be transferable to any person except in the event of death of the Option Grantee, in which case provisions at sub-clause 8.2(b) would apply.
11.3 No person other than the Employee to whom the Option is granted shall be entitled to Exercise the Option except in the event of the death of the Option Grantee holder, in which case provisions at sub- clause 8.2(b) would apply.
12. Rights as a shareholder
12.1 The Employee shall not have a right to receive any dividend or to vote or in any manner or enjoy the benefits of a shareholder in respect of Options granted, till Shares underlying such Options are issued by the Company up on Exercise of such Option.
12.2 Nothing herein is intended to or shall give the Option Grantee any right or status of any kind as a shareholder of the Company (for example, bonus shares, rights shares, dividend, voting, etc.) in respect of any Shares covered by the Grant unless the Option Grantee exercises the Option and becomes a registered holder of the Shares of the Company.
12.3 If the Company issues bonus shares or rights shares, the Option Grantee shall not be eligible for the bonus or rights shares in the capacity of an Option Grantee. However, an adjustment to the number of Options or the Exercise Price or both would be made in accordance with sub-clause 4.2 (f) of the Plan.
13. Deduction/Recovery of Tax
13.1 The liability of paying taxes, if any, in respect of Options granted pursuant to this Plan and the Shares issued pursuant to Exercise thereof shall be entirely on Option Grantee and shall be in accordance with the provisions of Income Tax Act, 1961 read with rules issued thereunder and/or Income Tax Laws of respective countries as applicable to eligible Employees of Company working abroad, if any.
13.2 The Company shall have the right to deduct from the Employee’s salary or recover any tax that is required to be deducted or recovered under the Applicable Laws. In case of non–continuance of employment, the outstanding amount of the tax shall be recovered fully on or before full and final settlement.
13.3 The Company shall have no obligation to deliver Shares until the Company’s tax deduction obligations, if any, have been satisfied by the Option Grantee in full.
14. Authority to vary terms
14.1 For the purpose of efficient implementation and administration of the Plan but subject to the Applicable Laws and approval of the shareholders of the Company by way of a special resolution, Committee may revise any of the terms and conditions in respect of existing or any new grant of Options provided that the variation is not prejudicial to the interest of the Employees.
14.2 The Committee may also re-price the Options which are not exercised, whether or not they have vested, if Plan is rendered unattractive due to fall in the price of the Shares.
15. Miscellaneous
15.1 Government Regulations
This Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Laws, and approvals from government authorities. The Grant and the allotment of Shares under this Plan shall also be subject to the Company requiring Employees to comply with all Applicable Laws.
15.2 Inability to obtain authority
The inability of the Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, or under any Applicable Laws, for the lawful issuance and sale of any Shares hereunder shall relieve and wholly discharge the Company from any and all liability in respect of the failure to issue or sell such Shares.
15.3 Neither the existence of this Plan nor the fact that an individual has on any occasion been granted an Option shall give such individual any right, entitlement or expectation that he has or will in future have any such right, entitlement or expectation to participate in this Plan by being granted an Option on any other occasion.
15.4 The rights granted to an Option Grantee upon the grant of an Option shall not afford the Option Grantee any rights or additional rights to compensation or damages in consequence of the loss or termination of his office or employment with the company for any reason whatsoever (whether or not such termination is ultimately held to be wrongful or unfair).
15.5 The Option Grantee shall not be entitled to any compensation or damages for any loss or potential loss which he may suffer by reason of being unable to exercise an Option in whole or in part.
15.6 General Risks
Participation in the Plan shall not be construed as any guarantee of return on the equity investment. Any loss due to fluctuations in the price of the equity and the risks associated with the investments is that of the Option Grantee alone.
16. Accounting and Disclosures
The Company shall follow the IND AS 102 on Share-based payments and/ or any relevant accounting standards as may be prescribed by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India or any other appropriate authority, from time to time, including the disclosure requirements prescribed therein, in compliance with relevant provisions of SEBI SBEB Regulations.
17. Certificate from Auditors
The Committee shall at each annual general meeting place before the shareholders a certificate from the auditors of the Company that the Plan has been implemented in accordance with the SEBI SBEB Regulations and in accordance with the resolution of the Company in the general meeting.
18. Governing Laws
18.1 The terms and conditions of the Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the Applicable Laws including the Foreign Exchange Laws mentioned below.
18.2 Foreign Exchange Laws
In case any Options are granted to any Employee being resident outside India belonging to the Company working outside India, the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 and rules or regulations made thereunder as amended and enacted from time to time shall be applicable and the Company has to comply with such requirements as prescribed from time to time in connection with Grant, Vest, Exercise of Options and issue of Shares thereof.
19. Notices
19.1 All notices of communication required to be given by the Company to an Option Grantee by virtue of this Plan shall be in writing. The communications shall be made by the Company in any one or more of the following ways:
19.2 All notices of communication to be given by an Option Grantee to the Company in respect of Plan shall be sent to the address mentioned below:
Ms. Samiksha Shivalkar
Head HR
Mrs. Randeep Kaur
Company Secretary, Compliance Officer and Nodal Officer
Foods and Inns Limited
Address: Foods and Inns Limited, J. N. Heredia Marg, Hamilton House, 3rd floor, Ballard Estate, Mumbai – 400038
E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]
20. Nomination
The Employee has to nominate a person as his/her nominee. The nominee in case of death or legal incapacity of Employee shall be the legal representative recognized by the Company as the inheritor of the Employee in respect of all rights and liabilities for the purposes of this Plan.
21. Jurisdiction
21.1 The Courts in Mumbai, India shall have jurisdiction in respect of any and all matters, disputes or differences arising in relation to or out of this Plan.
21.2 Nothing in this Sub-clause will however limit the right of the Company to bring proceedings against any Employee in connection with this Plan:
22. Listing of the Shares
Subject to the approval of the Stock Exchange(s), the Shares issued and allotted on Exercise of the Options shall be listed on the recognized Stock Exchange(s) on which the Shares of the Company are listed or proposed to be additionally listed.
23. Severability
In the event any one or more of the provisions contained in this Plan shall for any reason be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect the other provisions of this Plan, but the Plan shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provision had never been set forth herein, and the Plan shall be carried out as nearly as possible according to its original intent and terms.
24. Confidentiality
24.1 An Option Grantee must keep the details of the Plan and all other documents in connection thereto strictly confidential and must not disclose the details with any of his peer, colleagues, co-employees or with any employee and/ or associate of the Company or that of its affiliates. In case Option Grantee is found in breach of this confidentiality Clause, the Company has undisputed right to terminate any agreement and all unexercised Options shall stand cancelled immediately. The decision and judgment of the Company regarding breach of this confidentiality Clause shall be final, binding and cannot be questioned by Option Grantee. In case of non-adherence to the provisions of this clause, the Committee shall have the authority to deal with such cases as it may deem fit.
24.2 On acceptance of the Grant of Option offered by the Company, it shall be deemed that as if the Option Grantee has authorized the Company to disclose information relating to the Option Grantee during the process of implementation of the Plan or while availing any consulting or advisory services thereof or any other incidental services to its officers, professional advisors, agents and consultants on a need to know basis.
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