Document

Exhibit 4.3





ASCEND WELLNESS HOLDINGS, INC.
2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
(As Adopted June 29, 2021)
1.    Purpose.  The purpose of the Plan is to provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with an opportunity to purchase Common Shares through accumulated payroll deductions.  Subject to the Company obtaining shareholder approval of the Plan, it is the intention of the Company to have the Plan and the Offerings thereunder qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code.  The provisions of the Offerings, accordingly, will be construed so as to extend and limit Plan participation in a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the requirements of Section 423 of the Code.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and for greater certainty, the Plan may provide employees of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries with the opportunity to purchase Common Shares through accumulated payroll deductions, which need not qualify as an “employee stock purchase plan” under Section 423 of the Code, pursuant to separate sub-plans, appendices, rules or procedures as may be adopted by the Administrator and designed to achieve tax, securities law compliance or other objectives for Eligible Employees, the Company and the Designated Subsidiaries in locations outside of the United States. Except as otherwise provided herein or determined by the Administrator, such Non-Section 423 opportunities will operate and be administered in the same manner as the Section 423 opportunities.
2.    Definitions.
(a)    “Administrator” means the Board or any Committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan pursuant to Section 14.
(b)    “Applicable Laws” means the requirements relating to the administration of equity-based awards under U.S. state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Shares are listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any foreign country or jurisdiction where awards are, or will be, granted under the Plan.
(c)    “Black Out Period” means any period during which a policy of the Company prevents trading in the Common Shares.
(d)    “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(e)    “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.  Any reference to a section of the Code herein will be a reference to any successor or amended section of the Code.
(f)    “Committee” means a committee of the Board appointed in accordance with Section 14 hereof.








(g)    “Common Shares” means the common shares of the Company.
(h)    “Company” means Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
(i)    “Compensation” means an Employee’s base straight time gross earnings, exclusive of payments for overtime, shift premium, incentive compensation, incentive payments, bonuses and other compensation.
(j)    “Designated Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary that has been designated by the Administrator from time to time in its sole discretion as eligible to participate in the Plan or any Offering.
(k)    “Director” means a member of the Board.
(l)    “Eligible Employee” means any individual who is a common law employee of an Employer and is customarily employed for at least twenty (20) hours per week, provided that, the term “employee” shall not include any individual who performs services for the Company or any Designated Subsidiary pursuant to (i) an agreement (written or oral) that classifies such individual’s relationship with the Company or any Designated Subsidiary as other than an employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, regardless of whether such individual is at any time determined to be an employee of the Company or any Designated Subsidiary, or (ii) a collective bargaining agreement that provides for the exclusion of such individual from participation in this Plan.  For purposes of the Plan, the employment relationship will be treated as continuing intact while the individual is on sick leave or other leave of absence that the Employer approves.  Where the period of leave exceeds ninety (90) days and the individual’s right to reemployment is not guaranteed either by statute or by contract, the employment relationship will be deemed to have terminated on the ninety-first (91st) day of such leave.  The Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to the Offering Date of an Offering, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis) that the definition of Eligible Employee will or will not include an individual if he or she: (ia) has not completed a period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion (but not to exceed two (2) years of service since his or her last hire date), (ii) customarily works not more than twenty (20) hours per week (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), (iii) customarily works not more than five (5) months per calendar year (or such lesser period of time as may be determined by the Administrator in its discretion), or (iv) is a highly compensated employee under Section 414(q) of the Code with compensation above a certain level or who are Officers or subject to the disclosure requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.  Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan, the Administrator may in its sole discretion prior to the Offering Date of an Offering determine that citizens or residents of a foreign jurisdiction who are employed by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary shall not be Eligible Employees if, as of the Offering Date of the grant of an Option to citizens or residents of the foreign jurisdiction is prohibited under the laws of such jurisdiction; or compliance with the laws of the foreign jurisdiction would cause the 
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Offering to violate the requirements of Code Section 423.  For rules regarding participation of foreign Subsidiaries, Section 27 shall govern.
(m)    “Employer” means any one or all of the Company and its Designated Subsidiaries.
(n)    “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(o)    “Exercise Date” means the last Trading Day of each Purchase Period.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its discretion, from time to time may, prior to the Offering Date of an Offering, determine (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis) when the Exercise Dates will occur during a Purchase Period.
(p)    “Fair Market Value” means, with respect to Common Shares, the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Administrator.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares on a given date for purposes of the Plan shall be the volume weighted average price of the Common Shares on Canadian Stock Exchange (or such other exchange as applicable to the relevant Participant) for the five days on which Common Shares were traded immediately preceding the date in respect of which Fair Market Value is to be determined.  In all other cases, Fair Market Value shall mean the amount which is determined by the Administrator, in good faith, to be the fair market value of one Common Share.
(q)    “Fiscal Year” means the fiscal year of the Company.
(r)    “New Exercise Date” means a new Exercise Date set by shortening any Offering Period then in progress.
(s)    “Offering” means the grant of Options to purchase Common Shares under the Plan to Eligible Employees.  The terms of each Offering need not be identical; provided, however, that the rights and privileges established with respect to an Offering will apply in an identical manner to all employees of the Company and each Designated Subsidiary that are granted Options under the Offering.
(t)    “Offering Date” means the first Trading Day of each Offering Period.
(u)    “Offering Period” means, subject to Section 4, the period of time the Administrator may determine prior to an Offering Date, for Options to be granted on such Offering Date, during which an Option granted under the Plan may be exercised, not to exceed twenty-seven (27) months.  
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(v)    “Officer” means a person who is an officer of the Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(w)    “Option” means an option to purchase Common Shares during an Offering Period granted pursuant to the Plan.
(x)    “Parent” means a “parent corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(e) of the Code.
(y)    “Participant” means an Eligible Employee who holds an outstanding Option granted pursuant to the Plan.
(z)    “Plan” means this Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as set forth herein and as may be amended from time to time.
(aa)    “Purchase Period” means the period during an Offering Period during which Common Shares may be purchased on a Participant’s behalf in accordance with the terms of the Plan or Offering.  The duration and timing of Purchase Periods may be established or changed by the Administrator at any time, in its sole discretion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event may a Purchase Period exceed the duration of the Offering Period under which it is established.  Unless and until the Administrator provides otherwise, the Purchase Period will have the same duration and coincide with the length of the Offering Period.
(bb)    “Purchase Price” shall be determined by the Administrator (on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis) prior to an Offering Date for all Options to be granted on such Offering Date, subject to compliance with Section 423 of the Code and Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (or any successor rule or provision or any other Applicable Laws) or pursuant to Section 20.  Unless and until the Administrator provides otherwise with respect to an Offering, the Purchase Price will be equal to eighty-five percent (85%) of the Fair Market Value of a Common Share on the Offering Date or the Exercise Date, whichever is lower.  If such price contains a fraction of one tenth of one cent, the Purchase Price shall be increased to the next higher tenth of one cent.
(cc)    “Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
(dd)    “Subsidiary” means a “subsidiary corporation,” whether now or hereafter existing, as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code.
(ee)    “Trading Day” means a day on which the national stock exchange upon which the Common Shares are listed is open for trading.
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3.    Eligibility.
(a)    Offering Periods.  Any individual who is an Eligible Employee on a given Offering Date of any Offering Period will be eligible to participate in the Plan, subject to the requirements of Section 5.
(b)    Limitations.  Any provisions of the Plan to the contrary notwithstanding, no Eligible Employee will be granted an Option under the Plan (i) to the extent that, immediately after the grant, such Eligible Employee (or any other person whose stock would be attributed to such Eligible Employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code) would own capital stock of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company and/or hold outstanding options to purchase such stock possessing five percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes of the capital stock of the Company or of any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company, or (ii) to the extent that his or her rights to purchase stock under all employee stock purchase plans (as defined in Section 423 of the Code) of the Company or any Parent or Subsidiary of the Company accrues at a rate which exceeds twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) worth of stock (determined at the Fair Market Value of the Common Shares at the time such Option is granted) for each calendar year in which such Option is outstanding at any time.
4.    Offering Periods.  The Plan will be implemented by consecutive Offering Periods with a new Offering Period commencing on the first Trading Day on or after January 15 and July 15 each year, or on such other date as the Administrator will determine, and continuing thereafter until terminated in accordance with Section 20 hereof.  The first Offering Period under the Plan will be determined by the Administrator.  The Administrator will have the power to change the duration of Offering Periods (including the commencement dates thereof) with respect to future Offerings without shareholder approval if such change is announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter.
5.    Participation.  An Eligible Employee may participate in the Plan pursuant to Section 3 by (a) submitting to the Company’s payroll office (or its designee), on or before a date prescribed by the Administrator prior to an applicable Offering Date, a properly completed subscription agreement, substantially in the form of Exhibit A or such other form suggested by the Administrator, from time to time, authorizing payroll deductions in the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (b) following an electronic or other enrollment procedure prescribed by the Administrator.
6.    Payroll Deductions.
(a)    At the time a Participant enrolls in the Plan pursuant to Section 5, he or she will elect to have payroll deductions made on each pay day during the Offering Period in an amount not exceeding twenty percent (20%) of the Compensation which he or she receives on each pay day during the Offering Period; provided, however, that should a pay day occur on an Exercise Date, a Participant will have the payroll deductions made on such day applied to his or her account under the subsequent Purchase or Offering Period.  A Participant’s subscription agreement will remain in effect for 
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successive Offering Periods unless terminated as provided in Section 10 hereof.  Except as may be expressly provided in the Plan, pursuant to separate sub-plan, appendix, rule or procedure as may be adopted by the Administrator, an Eligible Employee may participate in the Plan only by means of payroll deduction.
(b)    Payroll deductions for a Participant will commence on the first pay day following the Offering Date and will end on the last pay day prior to the Exercise Date of such Offering Period to which such authorization is applicable, unless sooner terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10 hereof.
(c)    All payroll deductions made for a Participant will be credited to his or her account under the Plan and will be withheld in whole percentages only.  A Participant may not make any additional payments into such account. No interest shall be paid to any Participant or credited under the Plan (except as may be required by applicable local laws).
(d)    A Participant may discontinue his or her participation in the Plan as provided in Section 10 by (i) properly completing and submitting to the Company’s payroll office (or its designee), on or before a date prescribed by the Administrator, the form provided by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other procedure prescribed by the Administrator.  Unless the Administrator provides otherwise in applicable enrollment forms, a Participant’s payroll deductions will not continue for future Offering Periods unless the Participant makes an affirmative election to continue payroll deductions for such Offering Periods. Unless the Administrator determines otherwise prior to the beginning of an Offering Period, a Participant may not increase or decrease the rate of his or her payroll deductions during the Offering Period, other than a decrease due to a discontinuance of participation. To the extent the Administrator permits changes in payroll deductions, the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, limit the nature and/or number of payroll deduction rate changes that may be made by Participants during any Offering Period. 
(e)    Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent necessary to comply with Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b), or if the Administrator reasonably anticipates a Participant has contributed a sufficient amount to purchase a number of Common Shares equal to or in excess of the applicable limit for such Offering Period (as set forth in Section 7 or as established by the Administrator), a Participant’s payroll deductions may be decreased to zero percent (0%) at any time during an Offering Period.  Subject to Section 423(b)(8) of the Code and Section 3(b) hereof, for Participants who have had their contributions reduced due to the applicable limits on the maximum number of Common Shares that may be purchased in any Offering Period, payroll deductions will recommence at the rate originally elected by the Participant effective as of the beginning of the first Offering Period which is scheduled to end in the following calendar year, unless terminated by the Participant as provided in Section 10.
(f)    At the time the Option is exercised, in whole or in part, or at the time some or all of the Common Share issued under the Plan is disposed of, the Participant must 
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make adequate provision for the Company’s or the Employer’s federal, state, or any other tax liability payable to any authority, national insurance, Social Security or other tax withholding obligations, if any, which arise upon the exercise of the Option or the disposition of the Common Shares.  At any time, the Company or the Employer may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from the Participant’s compensation the amount necessary for the Company or the Employer to meet applicable withholding obligations, including any withholding required to make available to the Company or the Employer any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Shares by the Eligible Employee.
(g)    Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan, no payroll deductions may commence during an Offering Period unless the Common Shares to be issued upon exercise of the Options granted in the Offering are covered by an effective registration statement pursuant to the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or may be issued pursuant to an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.  If on an Offering Date the Common Shares are not so registered or no such exemption is available, no payroll deductions shall take effect on such Offering Date, and the Offering Date shall be delayed until the Common Shares are subject to such an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption is available.
(h)    Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan, if a Blackout Period is in effect, an Eligible Employee subject to the Blackout Period (a) may not enroll (as set forth in Section 5) until after the end of the Blackout Period, and (b) may not voluntarily discontinue his or her participation in this Plan (as set forth in Section 6) until after the end of the Blackout Period.
7.    Grant of Option.  On the Offering Date of each Offering, each Eligible Employee participating in such Offering will be granted an Option to purchase on each Exercise Date during the applicable Offering Period (at the applicable Purchase Price) up to a number of Common Shares determined by dividing such Eligible Employee’s payroll deductions accumulated prior to such Exercise Date and retained in the Eligible Employee’s account as of the Exercise Date by the applicable Purchase Price; provided that in no event will an Eligible Employee be permitted to purchase during each Offering Period more than ten thousand (10,000) Common Shares (subject to any adjustment made by the Administrator and announced prior to the scheduled beginning of the first Offering Period to be affected thereafter or pursuant to Section 19), and provided further that such purchase will be subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 13.  The Eligible Employee may accept the grant of such Option by electing to participate in the Plan in accordance with the requirements of Section 5.  The Administrator may, for future Offerings, increase or decrease, in its absolute discretion, the maximum number of Common Shares that an Eligible Employee may purchase during each Purchase Period or Offering Period.  Exercise of the Option will occur as provided in Section 8, unless the Participant has withdrawn pursuant to Section 10.  The Option will expire on the last day of the Offering Period.  Without limiting he generality of the foregoing and for greater certainty, the Administrator may limit the number or value of Common Shares available during any 12-month period by Participants in specified countries or working for specified Designated Subsidiaries, if 
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necessary to avoid securities law filings, achieve tax objectives or to meet other Company compliance objectives in particular non-U.S. jurisdictions.
8.    Exercise of Option.
(a)    Unless a Participant withdraws from the Plan as provided in Section 10, his or her Option will be exercised automatically on the Exercise Date, and the maximum number of full Common Shares subject to the Option will be purchased for such Participant at the applicable Purchase Price with the accumulated payroll deductions in his or her account.  No fractional Common Shares will be purchased; any payroll deductions accumulated in a Participant’s account which are not sufficient to purchase a full Common Share will be retained in the Participant’s account for the subsequent Offering, subject to earlier withdrawal by the Participant as provided in Section 10.  Any other funds left over in a Participant’s account after the Exercise Date will be returned to the Participant.  During a Participant’s lifetime, a Participant’s Option to purchase Common Shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her.
(b)    Notwithstanding any contrary Plan provision, if the Administrator determines that, on a given Exercise Date, the number of Common Shares with respect to which Options are to be exercised may exceed (i) the number of Common Shares that were available for sale under the Plan on the Offering Date of the applicable Offering Period, or (ii) the number  of Common Shares available for sale under the Plan on such Exercise Date, the Administrator may in its sole discretion provide that the Company will make a pro rata allocation of the Common Shares available for purchase on such Offering Date or Exercise Date, as applicable, in as uniform a manner as will be practicable and as it will determine in its sole discretion to be equitable among all Participants exercising Options to purchase Common Shares on such Exercise Date, and either (A) continue all Offering Periods then in effect or (B) terminate any or all Offering Periods then in effect pursuant to Section 20.  The Company may make a pro rata allocation of the Common Shares available on the Offering Date of any applicable Offering Period pursuant to the preceding sentence, notwithstanding any authorization of additional Common Shares for issuance under the Plan by the Company’s shareholders subsequent to such Offering Date.
9.    Delivery.  As soon as reasonably practicable after each Exercise Date on which a purchase of Common Shares occurs, the Company will arrange the delivery to each Participant, as appropriate, of the Common Shares purchased upon exercise of his or her Option in a form determined by the Administrator (in its sole discretion) and pursuant to rules established by the Administrator.  The Company may permit or require that Common Shares be deposited directly with a broker designated by the Company or to a designated agent of the Company, and the Company may utilize electronic or automated methods of Common Share transfer.  The Company may require that Common Shares be retained with such broker or agent for a designated period of time and/or may establish other procedures to permit tracking of disqualifying dispositions of such Common Shares.  All certificates for Common Shares delivered pursuant to the Plan and all Common Shares issued pursuant to book entry procedures 
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are subject to any stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator deems necessary or advisable to comply with U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, provincial or local securities or other laws, rules and regulations and the rules of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Common Shares are listed, quoted, or traded. No Participant will have any voting, dividend, or other stockholder rights with respect to Common Shares subject to any Option granted under the Plan until such Common Shares have been purchased and delivered to the Participant as provided in this Section 9. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or required by any applicable law, rule or regulation, the Company may, in lieu of delivering to any Participant certificates evidencing Common Shares issued in connection with any Option, record the issuance of Common Shares in the books of the Company (or, as applicable, its transfer agent or stock plan administrator).
10.    Withdrawal.
(a)    Pursuant to procedures established by the Administrator, a Participant may withdraw all but not less than all of the payroll deductions credited to his or her account and not yet used to exercise his or her Option under the Plan at any time by (i) submitting to the Company’s payroll office (or its designee) a written notice of withdrawal in the form prescribed by the Administrator for such purpose, or (ii) following an electronic or other withdrawal procedure prescribed by the Administrator.  The Administrator may impose a deadline before an Exercise Date for withdrawing.  All of the Participant’s payroll deductions credited to his or her account will be paid to such Participant as promptly as practicable after receipt of notice of withdrawal and such Participant’s Option for the Offering Period will be automatically terminated, and no further payroll deductions for the purchase of Common Shares will be made for such Offering Period.  If a Participant withdraws from an Offering, payroll deductions will not resume at the beginning of the succeeding Offering Period unless the Participant re-enrolls in the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 hereof.
(b)    A Participant’s withdrawal from an Offering will not have any effect upon his or her eligibility to participate in any similar plan which may hereafter be adopted by the Company or in succeeding Offerings which commence after the termination of the Offering from which the Participant withdraws.
11.    Termination of Employment.  Upon a Participant’s ceasing to be an Eligible Employee, for any reason, he or she will be deemed to have elected to withdraw from the Plan and the payroll deductions credited to such Participant’s account during the Offering Period but not yet used to purchase Common Shares under the Plan will be returned to such Participant or, in the case of his or her death, to the person or persons entitled thereto under Section 15, and such Participant’s Option will be automatically terminated.  For greater certainty and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the date of termination of the Participant's employment for purposes of this Section 11 shall be the date such termination is stated effective in the notice of termination provided by the Company or a Designated Subsidiary to the Participant, and shall not be extended by and shall not include any period during which the Participant is in receipt of, 
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or is eligible to receive, any statutory, contractual or common law notice or compensation in lieu thereof of severance payments following the actual date of termination.
12.    Interest.  No interest will accrue on the payroll deductions of a Participant in the Plan.
13.    Stock.
(a)    Subject to adjustment upon changes in capitalization of the Company as provided in Section 19 hereof, the maximum number of Common Shares which will be made available for sale under the Plan will be four (4) million Common Shares.
(b)    Until the Common Shares are issued (as evidenced by the appropriate entry on the books of the Company or of a duly authorized transfer agent of the Company), a Participant will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such Common Shares, and no right to vote or receive dividends or any other rights as a shareholder will exist with respect to such Common Shares.
(c)    Common Shares to be delivered to a Participant under the Plan will be registered in the name of the Participant.
14.    Administration.  The Plan will be administered by the Board or a Committee appointed by the Board, which Committee will be constituted to comply with Applicable Laws.  As of the date hereof, the Compensation Committee of the Board is the Administrator of the Plan.  The Administrator will have full and exclusive discretionary authority, subject to, and within the limitations of, the express provisions of the Plan:
(a)    To determine how and when Options to purchase Common Shares shall be granted and the provisions of each Offering of such Options (which need not be identical);
(b)    To designate from time to time which Subsidiaries of the Company shall be eligible to participate in the Plan as Designated Subsidiaries;
(c)    To construe, interpret and apply the terms of the Plan and, in the exercise of this power, correct any defect, omission or inconsistency in the Plan, in a manner and to the extent it shall deem necessary or expedient to make the Plan fully effective;
(d)    To determine eligibility and to adjudicate all disputed claims filed under the Plan;
(e)    To adopt rules or procedures relating to the operation and administration of the Plan, including, without limitation, rules and procedures regarding eligibility to participate in the Plan or any Offering, the definition of Compensation, handling of payroll deductions, making of contributions to the Plan (including, without limitation, in forms other than payroll deductions), establishment of bank or trust accounts to hold payroll deductions, payment of interest, conversion of local currency, obligations to pay 
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payroll tax, withholding procedures and handling of stock certificates which vary with local requirements and such other procedures as are necessary to accommodate the specific requirements of local laws and procedures for jurisdictions outside of the United States;
(f)    To adopt such procedures and sub-plans as are necessary or appropriate to permit participation in the Plan by Employees who are foreign nationals or employed outside the United States; and
(g)    Generally, to exercise such powers and to perform such acts as it deems necessary or expedient to promote the best interests of the Company and its Subsidiaries and to carry out the intent that the Plan be treated as a tax-qualified employee stock purchase plan.
Every finding, decision and determination made by the Administrator will, to the full extent permitted by law, be final and binding upon all parties.  The Board may retain the authority to concurrently administer the Plan with the Committee and may, at any time, revert to the Board some or all of the powers previously delegated.  Further, to the extent not prohibited by Applicable Laws, the Board or Committee may, from time to time, delegate some or all of its authority under the Plan to one or more officers of the Company or other persons or groups of persons as it deems necessary, appropriate or advisable under conditions or limitations that it may set at or after the time of the delegation. Whether or not the Board has delegated administration of the Plan to a Committee, the Board shall have the final power to determine all questions of policy and expediency that may arise in the administration of the Plan.
15.    Death of Participant.  In the event of the death of a Participant, the Company shall, subject to local law,  deliver any remaining cash balance to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such cash balance to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of the Participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company, then to such other person as the Company may designate.  All Common Shares held by a broker or designated agent of the Company shall be delivered, subject to local law, to such beneficiary named under the brokerage or agent account (or if there is no such beneficiary, as provided under the account).
16.    Transferability.  Neither payroll deductions credited to a Participant’s account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an Option or to receive Common Shares under the Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and distribution or as provided in Section 15 hereof) by the Participant.  Any such attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition will be without effect, except that the Company may treat such act as an election to withdraw from an Offering in accordance with Section 10 hereof.
17.    Use of Funds.  Except as otherwise required by local law and/or Section 18 herein, the Company may use all payroll deductions received or held by it under the Plan for any 
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corporate purpose, and the Company will not be obligated to segregate such payroll deductions.  Until Common Shares are issued, Participants will only have the rights of an unsecured creditor with respect to such Common Shares.
18.    Reports.  Individual bookkeeping accounts will be maintained for each Participant in the Plan.  Statements of account will be given to participating Eligible Employees at least annually, which statements will set forth the amounts of payroll deductions, the Purchase Price, the number Common Shares purchased and the remaining cash balance, if any.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, all payroll deductions received under the Plan shall be deposited with the general funds of the Company except where applicable law requires that contributions be deposited with an independent third party.
19.    Adjustments, Dissolution, Liquidation, Merger or Change in Control.
(a)    Adjustments.  In the event that any dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Common Shares, other securities, or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase, or exchange of Common Shares or other securities of the Company, or other change in the corporate structure of the Company affecting the Common Shares occurs, the Administrator, in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under the Plan, will, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust the number and class of Common Shares which may be delivered under the Plan, the Purchase Price per share and the number of Common Shares covered by each Option under the Plan which has not yet been exercised, and the numerical limits of Sections 7 and 13 hereof.
(b)    Dissolution or Liquidation.  In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, any Offering Period then in progress will be shortened by setting a New Exercise Date, and will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such proposed dissolution or liquidation, unless provided otherwise by the Administrator.  The New Exercise Date will be before the date of the Company’s proposed dissolution or liquidation.  The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing, at least ten (10) business days prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.
(c)    Corporate Transaction.  In the event of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, plan of arrangement, take-over bid or tender offer, repurchase or exchange of Common Shares or other securities of the Company or any other similar corporate transaction or event involving the Company, each outstanding Option will be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a Parent or Subsidiary of the successor corporation.  In the event that the successor corporation refuses to assume or substitute for the Option, the Offering Period with respect to which such Option relates will be shortened by setting a 
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New Exercise Date and will end on the New Exercise Date.  The New Exercise Date will occur before the date of the Company’s proposed corporate transaction.  The Administrator will notify each Participant in writing prior to the New Exercise Date, that the Exercise Date for the Participant’s Option has been changed to the New Exercise Date and that the Participant’s Option will be exercised automatically on the New Exercise Date, unless prior to such date the Participant has withdrawn from the Offering Period as provided in Section 10 hereof.
20.    Amendment or Termination.
(a)    The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan, or any part thereof, at any time and for any reason.  If the Plan is terminated, the Administrator, in its discretion, may elect to terminate all outstanding Offering Periods either immediately or upon completion of the purchase of Common Shares on the next Exercise Date (which may be sooner than originally scheduled, if determined by the Administrator in its discretion), or may elect to permit Offering Periods to expire in accordance with their terms (and subject to any adjustment pursuant to Section 19).  If the Offering Periods are terminated prior to expiration, all amounts then credited to Participants’ accounts which have not been used to purchase Common Shares will be returned to the Participants (without interest thereon, except as otherwise required under local laws) as soon as administratively practicable.
(b)    Without stockholder consent and without limiting Section 20(a), the Administrator will be entitled to change the Offering Periods, limit the frequency and/or number of changes in the amount withheld during an Offering Period, establish the exchange ratio applicable to amounts withheld in a currency other than U.S. dollars, permit payroll withholding in excess of the amount designated by a Participant in order to adjust for delays or mistakes in the Company’s processing of properly completed withholding elections, establish reasonable waiting and adjustment periods and/or accounting and crediting procedures to ensure that amounts applied toward the purchase of Common Shares for each Participant properly correspond with amounts withheld from the Participant’s Compensation, and establish such other limitations or procedures as the Administrator determines in its sole discretion advisable which are consistent with the Plan.
(c)    In the event the Administrator determines that the ongoing operation of the Plan may result in unfavorable financial accounting consequences, the Administrator may, in its discretion and, to the extent necessary or desirable, modify, amend or terminate the Plan to reduce or eliminate such accounting consequence including, but not limited to:
(i)    amending the Plan to conform with the safe harbor definition under FASB ASC ¶ 718-50-25-1, including with respect to an Offering Period underway at the time;
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(ii)    altering the Purchase Price for any Offering Period including an Offering Period underway at the time of the change in Purchase Price;
(iii)    shortening any Offering Period by setting a New Exercise Date or terminating any outstanding Offering Period and returning contributions made through such date to Participant, including an Offering Period underway at the time of the Administrator action;
(iv)    allocating Common Shares;
(v)    reducing the maximum percentage of Compensation a Participant may elect to set aside as payroll deductions; and
(vi)    reducing the maximum number of Common Shares a Participant may purchase during any Offering Period or Purchase Period.
Such modifications or amendments will not require stockholder approval or the consent of any Plan Participants.
21.    Notices.  All notices or other communications by a Participant to the Company under or in connection with the Plan will be deemed to have been duly given when received in the form and manner specified by the Company at the location, or by the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.
22.    Conditions Upon Issuance of Common Shares.   Common Shares will not be issued with respect to an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the issuance and delivery of such Common Shares pursuant thereto will comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including, without limitation, the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Common Shares may then be listed, and will be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect to such compliance.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the right to require any Participant to comply with any timing or other restrictions with respect to the settlement, distribution or exercise of any Option, including a window-period limitation, as may be imposed in the sole discretion of the Administrator.
As a condition to the exercise of an Option, the Company may require the person exercising such Option to represent and warrant at the time of any such exercise that the Common Shares are being purchased only for investment and without any present intention to sell or distribute such Common Shares if, in the opinion of counsel for the Company, such a representation is required by any of the aforementioned applicable provisions of law.
23.    California Provisions.  In addition to the other provisions of the Plan (and notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary), the following limitations and requirements will apply to any award granted to a Participant in reliance on Section 25102(o) of the California Corporations Code.
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(a)    The following rules shall apply to any Option in the event of termination of the Participant’s service to the Company:
(i)    If such termination was for reasons other than death, “Permanent Disability” (as defined below), or cause, the Participant shall have at least 30 days after the date of such termination to exercise his or her Option to the extent the Participant is entitled to exercise on his or her termination date.
(ii)    If such termination was due to death or Permanent Disability, the Participant shall have at least six months after the date of such termination to exercise his or her Option to the extent the Participant is entitled to exercise on his or her termination date.
“Permanent Disability” for purposes of this Section 23 shall mean the inability of the Participant, in the opinion of a qualified physician acceptable to the Company, to perform the major duties of the Participant’s position with the Company or any Affiliate because of the sickness or injury of the Participant.
(b)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, the Committee or the Board shall in any event make such adjustments as may be required by Section 25102(o) of the California Corporations Code.
(c)    Notwithstanding anything stated herein to the contrary, no Option shall be exercisable on or after the tenth anniversary of the date of grant and any subscription agreement shall terminate on or before the tenth anniversary of the date of grant.
(d)    Notwithstanding anything stated herein to the contrary, all Options must be granted within ten years from the date of adoption of the Plan or the date the Plan is approved by the shareholders of the Company, whichever is earlier.
(e)    The Company shall furnish summary financial information (audited or unaudited) of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, consistent with the requirements of applicable law, at least annually to each California Participant during the period such Participant has one or more awards outstanding, and in the case of an individual who acquired Common Shares pursuant to the Plan, during the period such Participant owns such Common Shares; provided, however, the Company shall not be required to provide such information if (i) the issuance is limited to key persons whose duties in connection with the Company assure their access to equivalent information or (ii) the Plan or any award agreement complies with all conditions of Rule 701 under the Securities Act; provided that for purposes of determining such compliance, any registered domestic partner shall be considered a “family member” as that term is defined in Rule 701 under the Securities Act.
24.    Term of Plan.  The Plan will become effective upon its adoption by the Board, but no Offerings will be treated as qualified under Section 423 of the Code unless the Plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, which approval shall be within twelve (12) 
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months before or after of its approval by the Board.  The Plan will continue in effect until terminated under Section 20 or until no Options are available for grants hereunder.
25.    Shareholder Approval.  The Plan’s qualified status under Section 423 of the Code will be contingent upon approval by the shareholders of the Company within twelve (12) months after the date the Plan is adopted by the Board.  Such stockholder approval will be obtained in the manner and to the degree required under Applicable Laws.
26.    Covenants of the Company.  The Company shall seek to obtain from each federal, state, foreign or other regulatory commission or agency having jurisdiction over the Plan such authority as may be required to issue and sell Common Shares upon exercise of the Options.  If, after commercially reasonable efforts, the Company is unable to obtain from any such regulatory commission or agency the authority that counsel for the Company deems necessary for the lawful issuance and sale of Common Shares under the Plan, the Company shall be relieved from any liability for failure to issue and sell Common Shares upon exercise of such Options unless and until such authority is obtained.
27.    Not a Contract of Employment.  The Plan and Offerings do not constitute an employment contract.  Nothing in the Plan or in any Offering shall in any way alter the at will nature of a Participant’s employment or be deemed to create in any way whatsoever any obligation on the part of any Participant to continue in the employ of the Company or a Subsidiary, or on the part of the Company or a Subsidiary to continue the employment of a Participant.
28.    International Participants.  The Committee shall have the power and authority to allow any of the Company’s Subsidiaries other than Designated Subsidiaries to adopt and join in a portion of this Plan for employees of any such Subsidiary who are generally not subject to income taxation by the United States, and such portion is not intended to comply with Section 423 of the Code (the “Non-U.S. Portion”).  If the Committee allows any Subsidiary other than a Designated Subsidiary to adopt the Non-U.S. Portion of the Plan, the Committee may allow certain employees of such Subsidiaries who work or reside outside of the United States an opportunity to acquire Common Shares in accordance with such special terms and conditions as the Committee may adopt from time to time, which terms and conditions may modify the terms and conditions set forth elsewhere in this Plan, with respect to such employees.  Without limiting the authority of the Committee, the special terms and conditions that may be adopted with respect to any foreign country need not be the same for all foreign countries; and may include but are not limited to the right to participate, procedures for elections to participate, the payment of any interest with respect to amounts received from or credited to accounts held for the benefit of such employees who elect to participate, the purchase price of any Common Shares to be acquired, the length of any Offering Period, the maximum amount of contributions, credits or shares that may be acquired by any such participating employees, procedures regarding handling of payroll deductions, conversion of local currency, payroll tax withholding procedures, tax reporting and handling of share certificates which vary with local requirements and a participating employee’s rights in the event of his or her death, disability, withdrawal from participation in the purchase of shares under the Non-U.S. Portion of the Plan, or termination of 
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employment.  Any rights granted under the Non-U.S. Portion of the Plan to must be limited to non-resident alien individuals employed by Subsidiaries that are not Designated Subsidiaries and operate outside the United States, such that the grant is treated under section 1.409A-1(b)(8) of the Treasury Regulations as not providing deferred compensation for such individuals.
29.    Tax Withholding. At the time of any taxable event that creates a withholding obligation for the Company, a Designated Subsidiary or a Subsidiary, the Participant will make adequate provision for any U.S. and non-U.S. federal, state, provincial and/or local taxes (including, without limitation, income tax, social insurance contributions, fringe benefit tax, employment tax, stamp tax and any employer tax liability which has been transferred to a Participant) for which a Participant is liable in connection with his or her participation in the Plan.. In their sole discretion, and except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, the Company or a Subsidiary that employs or employed the Participant may satisfy their obligations to withhold such tax-related items by (a) increased withholding from the Participant’s wages or other compensation, (b) withholding a sufficient whole number Common Shares otherwise issuable following exercise of the Option having an aggregate value sufficient to pay the aforementioned tax-related items required to be withheld with respect to the Option and/or shares, (c) withholding from proceeds from the sale of Common Shares issued upon exercise of the Option, either through a voluntary sale or a mandatory sale arranged by the Company, or (d) cash payments to the Company or a Designated Subsidiary or a Subsidiary, as applicable, by a Participant.
30.    Governing Law.  The internal law, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Delaware shall govern all questions concerning the validity, construction and effect of the Plan or any Option, and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan or any Option.
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EXHIBIT A to 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan
ASCEND WELLNESS HOLDINGS, INC.
2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
												
	☐	Original Application
	Offering Date:
	
	☐	Change in Payroll Deduction Rate
		


1.    I, _________________________, hereby elect to participate in the Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”), and subscribe to purchase the Company’s Common Shares in accordance with this Subscription Agreement and the Plan.
2.    I hereby authorize payroll deductions from each paycheck in the amount of ___% of my Compensation on each payday (from 0% to 20%)1 during the Offering Period in accordance with the Plan.  (Please note that no fractional percentages are permitted.)
3.    I understand that said payroll deductions will be accumulated for the purchase of Common Shares at the applicable Purchase Price determined in accordance with the Plan.  I understand that if I do not withdraw from an Offering Period, any accumulated payroll deductions will be used to automatically exercise my option and purchase Common Shares under the Plan.
4.    I have received a copy of the complete Plan and its accompanying prospectus.  I understand that my participation in the Plan is in all respects subject to the terms of the Plan.
5.    Common Shares purchased for me under the Plan should be issued in my name.
6.    I understand that if I dispose of any shares received by me pursuant to the Employee Stock Purchase Plan within two (2) years after the Offering Date (the first day of the Offering Period during which I purchased such shares) or one (1) year after the Exercise Date, I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having received ordinary income at the time of such disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time such shares were purchased by me over the price which I paid for the shares.  The Company may, but will not be obligated to, withhold from my compensation the amount necessary to meet any applicable withholding obligation including any withholding necessary to make available to the Company any tax deductions or benefits attributable to sale or early disposition of Common Shares by me.
7.    If I dispose of such shares at any time after the expiration of the two (2)-year and one (1)-year holding periods, I understand that I will be treated for federal income tax purposes as having received income only at the time of such disposition, and that such income will be 

1     AWH to determine minimum contribution amount.
1






taxed as ordinary income only to the extent of an amount equal to the lesser of (a) the excess of the fair market value of the shares at the time of such disposition over the purchase price which I paid for the shares, or (b) 15% of the fair market value of the shares on the first day of the Offering Period.  The remainder of the gain, if any, recognized on such disposition will be taxed as capital gain.
8.    I hereby agree to be bound by the terms of the Plan and the applicable Offering document.  The effectiveness of this Subscription Agreement is dependent upon my eligibility to participate in the Plan.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGHOUT SUCCESSIVE OFFERING PERIODS UNLESS TERMINATED BY ME.
						
	Dated:	
		Signature of Employee


[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
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EXHIBIT B to 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan 
ASCEND WELLNESS HOLDINGS, INC.
2021 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
The undersigned Participant in the Offering Period of the Ascend Wellness Holdings, Inc. 2021 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “Plan”) that began on _____________________ (the “Offering Date”), hereby notifies the Company that he or she hereby withdraws from the Offering Period.  He or she hereby directs the Company to pay to the undersigned as promptly as practicable all of the payroll deductions credited to his or her account with respect to such Offering Period.  The undersigned understands and agrees that his or her option for such Offering Period will be automatically terminated.  The undersigned understands further that no further payroll deductions will be made for the purchase of Common Shares in the current Offering Period and the undersigned will be eligible to participate in succeeding Offering Periods only by delivering to the Company a new Subscription Agreement.
						
	Name:	
	Address:	
		
	Signature:	
	Date: