Document:

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                                                                        EX-10.16

                  NON-MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR COMPENSATION SUMMARY

As described in detail below, our non-management directors ("Outside Directors")
are compensated through a combination of cash and equity grants:

1.   CASH RETAINER:

     Each director receives $12,500 after each regularly scheduled Board
     meeting.

2.   EQUITY GRANTS:

     Each director receives a grant of options to purchase 15,000 shares of
     Staples common stock upon his or her initial election to the Board. Each
     director also receives grants of options to purchase 3,000 shares of
     Staples common stock and 400 shares of restricted Staples common stock for
     each regularly scheduled meeting day attended, with each director subject
     to an annual maximum aggregate grant of options for 15,000 shares of
     Staples common stock and 2,000 shares of restricted stock.

3.   LEAD DIRECTOR/CHAIRPERSONS

     The lead director receives 200 shares of restricted Staples common stock
     for each regularly scheduled meeting day attended, with a maximum of 1,000
     shares annually. Committee Chairs receive 200 shares of restricted Staples
     common stock for each regularly scheduled committee meeting day attended,
     with a maximum of 800 shares annually.

Stock options are granted at an exercise price equal to the fair market value at
the time of grant and vest ratably over four years. The restricted stock grants
cliff vest at the end of three years.<Page>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.23

                                  STAPLES, INC.

                      LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE PLAN SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

This plan provides you with long-term care insurance coverage which is fully
paid by the company while you remain an employee of Staples. The coverage
includes a maximum daily benefit of $150 per day, $54,750 per year, adjusted
annually. Your participation begins the 1st calendar quarter following 6 months
of service. There is a 90-day elimination period and an initial policy limit of
$273,750, also adjusted annually. Voluntary coverage can be purchased for a
spouse, domestic partner, children, grandparents/in-laws and/or parents/in-laws
at favorable rates. This coverage is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance
Company and the plan name is John Hancock Custom Care II. For a more
comprehensive description of your policy benefits refer to the Outline of
Coverage.

INITIAL DAILY BENEFIT AMOUNT: $150

The daily benefit amount is the maximum daily reimbursement level your policy
will pay for covered expenses at home, in an adult day care center, assisted
living facility or nursing home.

BENEFIT PERIOD: 5 YEARS

The benefit period is the initial minimum period of time your benefits will
last. Any unused benefits remain in your policy for future use.

INITIAL POLICY LIMIT: $273,750

The policy limit is the total pool of money available to pay for your covered
expenses. This is equal to the daily benefit multiplied by the number of days in
your benefit period.

ELIMINATION PERIOD: 90 DAYS

The elimination period is similar to a deductible - it is the number of days you
pay for long term care before the policy begins to pay for eligible expenses.
The elimination period need only be satisfied once during the life of your
policy.

INFLATION PROTECTION: 5%/3% COMPOUND INFLATION

To keep up with the rapidly increasing costs of long term care services, each
year your daily benefit will automatically increase by 5% and the policy limit
will increase by 3% on an annual compound basis.

DOUBLE COVERAGE FOR ACCIDENT BENEFIT:

This is a built-in feature that will reimburse for actual expenses incurred up
to two times the current daily benefit for the duration of the claim (or until
depletion of the total policy limit) when your claim is a result of an
accidental injury that occurs prior to age 65.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR BENEFITS

You may receive benefits under the policy when you need substantial (stand-by or
hands-on) assistance with at least two activities of daily living, which include
bathing, continence, dressing, transferring, toileting and eating - or when you
need substantial supervision due to a cognitive impairment. The policy covers
skilled, intermediate and custodial care received at home, in an adult day care
center, assisted living facility or nursing facility.

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As with all tax-qualified long term care insurance policies, a licensed health
care practitioner must certify that you need substantial assistance with the
activities of daily living for a period expected to last 90 days, or that you
need substantial supervision due to a cognitive impairment.<Page>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.24

                       STAPLES, INC. SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION  1 -   STATEMENT OF PURPOSE                            2

SECTION  2 -   DEFINITIONS                                     2

SECTION  3 -   PLAN ADMINISTRATION                             3

SECTION  4 -   ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION                   5

SECTION  5 -   PRE-RETIREMENT SURVIVOR BENEFIT                 5

SECTION  6 -   AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE                     5

SECTION  7 -   COMPANY-OWNED LIFE INSURANCE  ("COLI")          5

SECTION  8 -   ADMINISTRATOR                                   6

SECTION  9 -   AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION                       6

SECTION 10 -   MISCELLANEOUS                                   7

SECTION 11 -   CONSTRUCTION                                    8

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SECTION 1 - STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

This Plan is designed and implemented for the purpose of providing to a
designated group of key management or highly compensated employees of the
Company who are significantly responsible for the Company's success, a survivor
benefit, payable to the employee's designated beneficiary(ies) in the event of
the employee's untimely death. This benefit is intended to provide Participants
with additional financial security.

SECTION 2 - DEFINITIONS

2.1     "Administrator" means the person(s) or entity designated by the Board to
administer the Plan on behalf of the Company.

2.2     "Beneficiary" means any person or persons, or the Participant's estate,
designated by a Participant in writing on a form satisfactory to the Company. In
the absence of any designated beneficiary surviving the Participant and the
Participant not having designated his or her estate, a deceased Participant's
Beneficiary shall be the deceased Participant's then living spouse, if any, for
his or her life; if none, or from and after such spouse's death, then the living
children of the deceased Participant, if any, in equal shares, for their joint
and survivor lives; and if none, or after their respective joint and survivor
lives, the estate of the deceased Participant.

2.3     "Board" means the Board of Directors of Staples, Inc., or any committee
of such Board that is authorized to oversee, administer and amend the Plan.

2.4     "the Company" means Staples, Inc. a Delaware corporation, including any
subsidiaries, successors and assigns thereto.

2.5     "Consent to Insurance" means the written consent by the Participant to
be the proposed insured under a life insurance policy owned by the Company or a
trust established pursuant to Section 11.8.

2.6     "Effective Date" means October 1, 2004.

2.7     "Employee" means an employee of the Company or subsidiaries.

2.8     "Participant" means an Employee of the Company eligible to participate
in the Plan in accordance with Section 4 hereof, and who has not for any reason
become ineligible to participate further in this Plan. An individual or his or
her beneficiaries shall be deemed to continue as a Participant until all
benefits payable to the Participant or his or her beneficiaries under this Plan
have been distributed.

2.9     "Plan" means the Staples, Inc. Survivor Benefit Plan as contained in
this document, including all amendments thereto.

2.10    "Recognized Compensation" means an amount equal to the sum of
Participant's current base salary plus current target bonus.

2.11    "Survivor Benefit Agreement" means a written agreement between a
Participant and the Company in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit
A.

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SECTION 3 - PLAN ADMINISTRATION

3.1     POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE ADMINISTRATOR. The Board shall appoint the Plan
Administrator, who shall administer the Plan for the exclusive benefit of the
Participants and their Beneficiaries, subject to the specific terms of the Plan.
The Administrator shall administer the Plan in accordance with its terms and
shall have the power and discretion to construe the terms of the Plan and to
determine all questions arising in connection with the administration,
interpretation, and application of the Plan. The Administrator may establish
procedures, correct any defect, supply any information, or reconcile any
inconsistency in such manner and to such extent as shall be deemed necessary or
advisable to carry out the purpose of the Plan; provided, however, that any
procedure, discretionary act, interpretation or construction shall be done in a
nondiscriminatory manner based upon uniform principles consistently applied. The
Administrator shall have all powers necessary or appropriate to accomplish its
duties under this Plan.

The Administrator shall be charged with the duties of the general administration
of the Plan, including, but not limited to, the following:

        (a)   The discretion to determine all questions relating to the
        eligibility of Employees to participate or remain a Participant
        hereunder and to receive benefits under the Plan;

        (b)   To compute and make determinations with respect to the amount of
        benefits to which any Participant shall be entitled hereunder;

        (c)   To authorize and make nondiscretionary or otherwise directed
        disbursements to Participants;

        (d)   To maintain all necessary records for the administration of the
        Plan;

        (e)   To interpret the provisions of the Plan and to make and publish
        such rules for the regulation of the Plan as are consistent with the
        terms hereof;

        (f)   To prepare and implement a procedure to notify employees that they
        have been selected as eligible to participate in the Plan;

        (g)   To assist any Participant regarding his rights, benefits, or
        elections available under the Plan.

The Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend the Administrator from any
liability which the Administrator may incur in connection with the performance
of his or her duties in connection with this Plan, so long as the Administrator
was acting in good faith and within what the Administrator reasonably understood
to be the scope of his or her duties.

3.2     RECORDS AND REPORTS. The Administrator shall keep a record of all
actions taken and shall keep all other books of account, records, and other data
that may be necessary for proper administration of the Plan and shall be
responsible for supplying all information and reports to the Company,
Participants and Beneficiaries.

3.3     PARTICIPANT STATEMENT. The Administrator shall provide to each
Participant each Plan Year a statement indicating that Participant's current
benefit under the Plan.

3.4     INFORMATION FROM COMPANY. To enable the Administrator to perform his
functions, the Company shall supply full and timely information to the
Administrator on all matters relating

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to the compensation of all Participants, their retirement, death, disability, or
termination of employment, and such other pertinent facts as the Administrator
may require. The Administrator may rely upon such information as is supplied by
the Company and shall have no duty or responsibility to verify such information.

3.5     CLAIMS PROCEDURE. Claims for benefits under the Plan may be filed with
the Administrator on forms supplied by the Company. Written or electronic notice
of the disposition of a claim shall be furnished to the claimant within 90 days
after the claim is filed. If additional time (up to 90 days) is required by the
Administrator to process the claim, written notice shall be provided to the
claimant within the initial 90 day period. The extension notice shall indicate
the special circumstances requiring an extension of time and the date by which
the Administrator expects to render a determination.

In the event the claim is denied in whole or in part, the notice shall set forth
in language calculated to be understood by the claimant (i) the specific reason
or reasons for the denial, (ii) specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions
on which the denial is based, (iii) a description of any additional material or
information necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation
of why such material or information is necessary, and (iv) a description of the
Plan's review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures,
including a statement of the claimant's right, if any, to bring a civil action
under section 502(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended ("ERISA"), following an adverse benefit determination on review.

3.6     CLAIMS REVIEW PROCEDURE. Any Employee, former Employee, or Beneficiary
who has been denied a benefit by a decision of the Administrator pursuant to
Section 3.5 shall be entitled to request the Administrator to give further
consideration to his claim by filing with the Administrator a request for a
hearing. Such request, together with a written statement of the reasons why the
claimant believes his claim should be allowed, shall be filed with the
Administrator no later than 60 days after receipt of the written notification
provided for in Section 3.5. The claimant shall be provided, upon request and
free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and
other information relevant to the claimant's claim for benefits. The
Administrator shall then conduct a hearing within the next 60 days, at which the
claimant shall have an opportunity to submit comments, documents, records and
other information relating to the claim without regard to whether such
information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

The Administrator shall make a final decision as to the allowance of the claim
within 60 days of receipt of the appeal (unless there has been an extension due
to special circumstances, provided the delay and the special circumstances
occasioning it are communicated to the claimant in writing within the 60 day
period), and a decision shall be rendered as soon as possible but not later than
120 days after receipt of the request for review; provided, however, in the
event the claimant fails to submit information necessary to make a benefit
determination on review, such period shall be tolled from the date on which the
extension notice is sent to the claimant until the date on which the claimant
responds to the request for additional information. The decision on review shall
be written or electronic and, in the case of an adverse determination, shall
include specific reasons for the decision, in a manner calculated to be
understood by the claimant, and specific references to the pertinent Plan
provisions on which the decision is based. The decision on review shall also
include (i) a statement that the claimant is entitled to receive, upon request

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and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records
and other information relevant to the claimant's claim for benefits, and (ii) a
statement describing any voluntary appeal procedures offered by the Plan, and a
statement of the claimant's right, if any, to bring an action under Section
502(a) of ERISA and shall include specific reasons for the decision and specific
references to the pertinent Plan provisions on which the decision is based.

SECTION 4 - ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION

4.1     ELIGIBILITY. Employees eligible to participate in the Plan shall be
those individuals who are Grade Level 40 and above, who have both reached age
twenty-one (21) and completed "six (6) Months of Service" (as defined, for
purposes of eligibility to participate, under the 401(k) Plan, the terms of
which are incorporated herein by this reference) as of the beginning of any
calendar quarter, and completed a Consent to Insurance form pursuant to Section
7.2.

4.2     PARTICIPATION. The Board or its designee shall notify those Employees
who are eligible of the benefits available under the Plan. An eligible Employee
becomes a Participant in the Plan upon the execution and delivery by him or her
and the Company of a Survivor Benefit Agreement.

SECTION 5 - PRE-RETIREMENT SURVIVOR BENEFIT

5.1     PRE-RETIREMENT SURVIVOR BENEFIT. If a Participant dies while employed
by the Company, the Company shall pay to the deceased Participant's Beneficiary
as a survivor benefit, an annual amount equal to (1) one hundred percent (100%)
of the Participant's Recognized Compensation at date of death for one year, and
(2) fifty percent (50%) of the Participant's Recognized Compensation at date of
death for each of the following two (2) years. This Survivor Benefit shall be
payable in periodic installments commencing in the month following the
Participant's death.

The Company shall deduct from any payment of benefits the amount of any federal,
state or local income or employment taxes required to be withheld or paid with
respect to this distribution.

SECTION 6 - AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE

6.1     AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE. A Participant's employment with the
Company shall not be deemed to have terminated for purposes of this Plan during
any leave of absence authorized by the Company.

SECTION 7 - COMPANY-OWNED LIFE INSURANCE  ("COLI")

7.1     THE COMPANY OWNS ALL RIGHTS. In the event that, in its discretion, the
Company purchases a life insurance policy or policies insuring the life of any
Participant to allow the Company to informally finance and/or recover, in whole
or in part, the cost of providing the benefits hereunder, neither the
Participant nor any Beneficiary shall have any rights whatsoever therein. The
Company shall be the sole owner and beneficiary of any such policy or policies
and shall possess and may exercise all incidents of ownership therein, except in
the event of the establishment of and transfer of said policy or policies to a
trust by the Company as described in Section 11.8 hereof.

7.2     PARTICIPANT COOPERATION. If the Company decides to purchase a life
insurance policy or policies on any Participant, the Company will so notify such
Participant. Such Participant

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shall consent to being insured for the benefit of the Company and shall take
whatever actions may be necessary to enable the Company to timely apply for and
acquire such life insurance and to fulfill the requirements of the insurance
carrier relative to the issuance thereof as a condition of eligibility to
participate in the Plan.

7.3     PARTICIPANT MISREPRESENTATION. If: (a) any Participant is required by
this Plan to submit information to any insurance carrier; and (b) the
Participant makes a material misrepresentation in any application for such
insurance; and (c) as a result of that material misrepresentation the insurance
carrier is not required to pay all or any part of the proceeds provided under
that insurance, then the Participant's (or the Participant's Beneficiary's)
rights to any benefits under this Plan may be, at the sole discretion of the
Board, reduced to the extent of the reduction of proceeds that is paid by the
insurance carrier because of such material misrepresentation. -

SECTION 8 - ADMINISTRATOR.

8.1     RESIGNATION. The Administrator may resign at any time by written notice
to the Board, which shall be effective thirty (30) days after receipt of such
notice unless the Administrator and the Board agree otherwise.

8.2     REMOVAL. The Administrator may be removed by the Board on thirty (30)
days notice or upon shorter notice accepted by the Administrator.

8.3     APPOINTMENT OF SUCCESSOR. If the Administrator resigns or is removed, a
successor shall be appointed, in accordance with Section 8.4, by the effective
date of resignation or removal under this Section 8. If no such appointment has
been made, the Administrator may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for
appointment of a successor or for instructions. All expenses of the
Administrator in connection with the proceeding shall be allowed as
administrative expenses of the Company.

8.4     SUCCESSOR ADMINISTRATOR. If the Administrator resigns or is removed in
accordance with Section 8.1 or 8.2, the Board may appoint any third party as
successor Administrator. The appointment shall be effective when accepted in
writing by the new Administrator. The new Administrator shall have all of the
rights and powers of the former Administrator.

SECTION 9- AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

9.1     AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. The Company shall have the right at any time
to amend or terminate this Plan. However, no amendment or termination shall be
effective so as to reduce or delay the amount of any benefit payable with
respect to an Employee whose death had already occurred.

SECTION 10 - MISCELLANEOUS

10.1    NONALIENATION OF BENEFITS. No right or benefit under this Plan shall be
subject to anticipation, alienation, sale, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, or
charge, and any attempt to anticipate, alienate, sell, assign, pledge, encumber,
or charge any right or benefit under this Plan or any Survivor Benefit Agreement
shall be void. No such right or benefit shall in any manner be liable for or
subject to the debts, contracts, liabilities or torts of the person entitled
thereto. No amount of the benefit will, prior to payment, be subject to
garnishment, attachment, execution or

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levy of any kind, and will not be transferable by operation of law in the event
of the bankruptcy, insolvency or death of the employee. If a Participant or any
Beneficiary hereunder shall become bankrupt, or attempt to anticipate, alienate,
sell assign, pledge, encumber, or charge any right hereunder, then such right or
benefit shall, in the discretion of the Board, cease and terminate, and in such
event, the Board may hold or apply the same or any part thereof for the benefit
of the Participant or his or her Beneficiary, spouse, children, or other
dependents, or any of them in such manner and in such amounts and proportions as
the Board may deem proper.

10.2    UNSECURED LIABILITY. The obligation of the Company to make payments
hereunder to a Participant shall constitute an unsecured liability of the
Company. Such payments shall be made from the general funds of the Company and
the Company shall not be required to establish or maintain any special or
separate fund, to purchase or acquire life insurance on a Participant's life, or
otherwise to segregate assets to assure that such payments shall be made.
Neither a Participant nor any other person shall have any interest in any
particular asset of the Company by reason of its obligations hereunder and the
right of any of them to receive payments under this Plan shall be no greater
than the right of any other unsecured general creditor of the Company. Nothing
contained in the Plan shall create or be construed as creating a trust of any
kind or any other fiduciary relationship between the Company and a Participant
or any other person.

10.3    NO CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT This Plan shall not be deemed to constitute a
contract between the Company and any Participant or to be a consideration or an
inducement for the employment of any Participant or Employee. Nothing contained
in this Plan shall be deemed to give any Participant or Employee the right to be
retained in the service of the Company or to interfere with the right of the
Company to discharge any Participant or Employee at any time regardless of the
effect which such discharge shall have upon him or her as a Participant of this
Plan.

10.4    DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY. Each Participant shall file with the
Company a notice in writing, in a form acceptable to the Board, designating one
or more Beneficiaries to whom payments becoming due by reason of his or her
death shall be made. Participants shall have the right to change the Beneficiary
or Beneficiaries so designated from time to time; provided, however, that no
such change shall become effective until received in writing and acknowledged by
the Company.

10.5    PAYMENT TO INCOMPETENTS. The Company shall make the payments provided
herein directly to the Participant or Beneficiary entitled thereto or, if such
Participant or Beneficiary has been determined by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be mentally or physically incompetent, then payment shall be
made to the duly appointed guardian, committee or other authorized
representative of such Participant or Beneficiary. The Company shall have the
right to make payment directly to a Participant or Beneficiary until it has
received actual notice of the physical or mental incapacity of such Participant
or Beneficiary and actual notice of the appointment of a duly authorized
representative of his or her estate. Any payment to or for the benefit of a
Participant or Beneficiary shall be a complete discharge of all liability of the
Company therefore.

10.6    INTERPRETATION. The interpretation and construction of the Plan by the
Administrator, and any action taken hereunder shall be binding and conclusive
upon all parties in interest. No member of the Board shall be liable to any
person for any action taken or omitted to be taken in

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connection with the interpretation, construction or administration of the Plan,
so long as such action or omission be made in good faith.

10.7    AUTHORITY TO APPOINT A COMMITTEE. The Board, within its discretion,
shall have the authority to appoint the Committee on Employee Benefits, which
shall have authority over the Plan in lieu of the entire Board.

10.8    AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH A TRUST. The Board shall have the right at any
time to establish a trust to which the Company may transfer from time to time
certain assets to be used by said trustee(s) to satisfy some or all of the
Company's obligations and liabilities under the Plan. All assets held by such
trust shall be subject to the claims of the Company's creditors in the event of
the Company's Insolvency (as defined herein). The Company shall be considered
"Insolvent" for purposes of said trust if: (a) the Company is unable to pay its
debts as they become due; or (b) the Company is subject to a pending proceeding
as a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

10.9    BINDING EFFECT. Obligations incurred by the Company pursuant to this
Plan shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Participant, his or
her Beneficiaries, personal representatives, heirs, and legatees.

10.10   ENTIRE PLAN. This document and any amendments hereto contain all the
terms and provisions of the Plan and shall constitute the entire Plan, any other
alleged terms or provisions being of no effect.

10.11   MERGER, CONSOLIDATION OR ACQUISITION. In the event of a merger or
consolidation of the Company with another corporation or entity, or the sale or
lease of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to another corporation
or entity, or the acquiring by another corporation or entity of a right to elect
at least thirty percent (30%) of the Board, then and in such event the
obligations and responsibilities of the Company under this Plan shall be assumed
by any such successor or acquiring corporation or entity, and all of the rights,
privileges and benefits of the Participants hereunder shall continue.

SECTION 11 - CONSTRUCTION

11.1    CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PLAN This Plan shall be construed and enforced
according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, other than its laws
respecting choice of law.

11.2    GENDER AND NUMBER. The masculine gender, where appearing in the Plan,
shall be deemed to include the feminine gender, and the singular shall include
the plural, unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary.

11.3    HEADINGS. All headings used in this Plan are for convenience of
reference only and are not part of the substance of this Plan.

11.4    ENFORCEABILITY. If any term or condition of this Plan shall be invalid
or unenforceable to any extent or in any application, then the remainder of the
Plan, and such term or condition except to such extent or in such application,
shall not be affected thereby, and each and every term and condition of the Plan
shall be valid and enforced to the fullest extent and in the broadest
application permitted by law.

                                        8
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11.5    UNIFORMITY All provisions of this Plan shall be interpreted and applied
in a uniform, nondiscriminatory manner. In the event of any conflict between the
terms of this Plan and any summaries or other descriptions of this Plan, the
Plan provisions shall control.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Plan, having been duly approved and adopted by the
Board of Directors of Staples, Inc., is executed by the duly authorized officers
of the Company as of the Effective Date.

                                           STAPLES, INC.

                                           By:/s/Susan Hoyt
                                           ----------------
                                           Susan Hoyt, EVP Human Resources

                                        9

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