Award partner: Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Award presented by Gabriel Tan, head of financial communications, Greater China, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Acceptance speech from Vivian Au, deputy director - public affairs (group), CLP Holdings
Partner interview with Gabriel Tan, head of financial communications, Greater China, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Annual reports have come a long way since the first corporate report was published by US Steel in 1903 and certified by Price Waterhouse & Co (now PwC). Today, an annual report is the chance for a company – big or small – to make a bold statement about its brand and engage with a number of different stakeholders. The reports offer genuine insights into a company at its highest level, describing the business with thorough and relevant information.
At this year’s IR Magazine Awards – Greater China, the annual reports of small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap companies were a thrill to read. Judges at the prestigious award show will have a hard time choosing between the well-articulated equity stories, differentiating them by ease of flow and consistency/complementarity, and several have displayed state-of-the-art design.
Ahead of the awards show, we would like to share some of our insights into what our team at Hill+Knowlton believes are suggested best practices for creating annual reports on behalf of small-cap, mid-cap and large-cap companies.
Some of the most-talked-about names in the world of global finance, investment, industry and arguably business have been named in this category in recent years.
These annual reports require a holistic understanding of their industry or a group of industries, a growing recognition of the importance of sustainability and ESG considerations, especially in a year when all three metrics have been placed in sharp focus. There is a clear expectation from investors and peers to lead by example after a year that will forever be etched in our memory. The annual reports for this year by this group will likely be studied in depth in future years by academics, students, leaders and a variety of stakeholders.
The year has not yet been completed but I can confidently state that we have probably barely scratched the surface in understanding everything that has happened, so transparent, clear and informative annual reports will have surely been prized by investors and the general public alike.
By sharing genuine insights into the workings of the company at its highest level, the best annual reports should engage stakeholders and appeal to new investors. The annual report still plays a vital role in improving a corporation’s image advancing its interests, outlining its future plans and enhancing its competitive position.
Gabriel Tan, head of financial communications for Greater China, Hill+Knowlton Strategies