ADEO, the global leader in home improvement and parent company of Leroy Merlin South Africa, has announced a significant new value-sharing scheme, ALL ADEO, designed for its 115,000 employees worldwide.
This landmark initiative aims to make every employee a shareholder by allocating the same amount of free shares to each person, regardless of their role or location.
This move is deeply rooted in ADEO’s distinctive culture of sharing, which unites its employees across the globe. With the support of its family shareholder, the Mulliez Family Association (AFM), the ALL ADEO scheme strengthens this dynamic.
“I sincerely believe that progress truly matters when it is shared and benefits everyone fairly,” says Thomas Bouret, ADEO CEO.
“Allowing each employee to become a shareholder gives concrete form to our culture of sharing, a legacy of our history that is lived every day across all our companies. ALL ADEO reflects this conviction: recognising everyone’s contribution equally, worldwide, and giving all employees the opportunity to engage sustainably in a common project.”
How the “ALL ADEO” Scheme Works
Launched in September 2025, the program provides each employee with a free allocation of ADEO shares, with the amount calculated according to the group’s value growth. The key features of the scheme include:
- Vesting Period: Shares become fully vested after an employee has been with the company for three years.
- Investment Option: Employees may invest their shares in the VALADEO employee shareholding fund, which comes with a 20% company contribution.
- Global Reach: The program was launched simultaneously in Europe, Brazil, China, Vietnam, and South Africa, impacting 115,000 employees across 13 countries.
- Long-Term Vision: ADEO has the ambition to grant free shares each year, affirming its goal of making 100% of its employees shareholders.
This initiative builds on a strong foundation of employee ownership, where 80,000 employees are already shareholders, collectively owning 13% of the company’s capital.
The ALL ADEO project complements existing mechanisms like profit-sharing and bonus schemes, further recognising collective engagement.
Local Impact in South Africa
In South Africa, the ALL ADEO program directly benefits 806 employees from Leroy Merlin stores.
Reflecting on this milestone, Leroy Merlin, South Africa CEO, Frank Dufourq states, “We now join 115,000 colleagues across the world in a historic milestone for Adeo. For the first time, every South African employee will share in the value we create together.
At Leroy Merlin South Africa, this is more than a financial initiative; it is proof that our people are at the heart of our performance, that sharing builds trust, and that together we secure our future. We are proud to belong, to be recognised, and to truly be ALL ADEO.”
