Grand Prix IR Best Practice Award for Best Overall Website
In the assessment of this award the Panel will look for innovation and value-added information over and above that expected of a good corporate website. This award will recognise companies who have used their website as a central tool in their communication with shareholders and are at the forefront of the latest innovations and web-based technology. The use of new techniques to improve usability, useful features, added-value information, innovative ways of engaging shareholders electronically, all within a site that is easy to navigate, will be looked for in the winner of this award.
The Panel will also look for companies who have been leaders in best practice by making their websites fully accessible and allowing equal access to information and services for all users, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments.
IR Best Practice Website FTSE 100,
IR Best Practice Website FTSE 250, and
IR Best Practice Website Smaller Quoted Company Awards
For these awards, the judges will pay particular consideration to the following:
- Usability - can the investor find the site and investor information quickly and easily?
- Timeliness and navigation - is the information up to date; was getting around the site intuitive?
- Technology and interactivity - did the technology help, not hinder the user; could the investor easily reach the investor; was there access to webcasts, conference calls and presentations?
- Content - was it relevant; did it provide all the necessary financial, news and shareholder information; was its approach to corporate governance readily accessible and comprehensive?
IR Best Practice Website Professional Investor Award
In the assessment of this award, the Panel will take careful notes of whether the company has a clear statement of its strategy and objectives coupled with a comprehensive description of its business, products, services and geographical reach.
The design, content and accessibility of the home page will also be important and should provide the user with a clear concise route to information that is timely and relevant. Factual and accurate information uncluttered by promotional material will be an important element.
In judging this award, the Panel will be concerned to ensure that information on corporate governance - the combined code, Board committees, directors' biographies, for example - are readily accessible. Statements on environmental policy and social responsibility together with the ability to audit any commitments contained therein will also be considered.
Detailed financial data, including key business ratios, up to date information, the facility to download data onto spreadsheets, current and archived presentations, will be regarded as essential components for such sites. Archives of important news and announcements over a minimum three-year period coupled with detail on merger and acquisitions activities where appropriate should be included in nominated sites.
IR Best Practice Website Private Investor Award
For private investors, the internet helps to level the playing field for information access. It opens a window on much more than the regular paper-based communication.
When viewing the nominated sites, the Panel will try to ensure that private investors have the same access to information as any other type of investor or potential investor.
At the same time, such features as access to share prices and share price movements plus good quality information packs are considered essential elements of any site catering for the individual investor. Email alerts, clear and accessible diary information, access to share registers, provision of personal online updating of share information including stock transfers and details of shareholder perks play a part as well. Access to events such as presentations, conference calls and webcasts are also considered important.
Becoming a more standard feature of any website – and one increasingly important to private investors – is the provision of information relating to corporate social responsibility and corporate governance.
The Panel will hold the view that good links to sites that provide additional information about the industry or sector in which a company operates also assist the investor to view a shareholding in a broader and more complete context.
IR Best Practice Website Most Improved IR Website Award
In making this award the judges will look for company websites that have developed substantially over the previous 12 months. These websites, in addition to meeting the Best Practice Criteria, should be able to show that the design has incorporated innovative ways of fulfilling proactive investor relations' objectives. The panel will have particular regard to:
- the degree of improvement as perceived by both the users of the site and the judges.
- the use of technical innovation that enhanced the site's usability and usefulness.
- the incorporation of relevant but new sources of information and insight into the company and its markets.
- the level of differentiation that the site has achieved against its peer group.
All companies nominated for this award will be contacted with a series of questions relating to the improvements in their website. Only companies that respond to these additional questions have their websites considered for the award.
IR Best Practice Website European Award
This award rewards the corporate IR website that best appeals to investors wherever they may be throughout Europe. The criteria that are applied to all IRBP websites apply equally to the European award, but this category puts special attention on the following:
- key investor information being displayed in (at least) 2 languages.
- the site must demonstrate the company's commitment to the highest standard of disclosure across European markets.
- the investor should be able easily to find geographical information about the company.
- share price information should be displayed for all exchanges on which shares in the company are traded.
- where applicable allowance is to be made for the regulatory requirements of different markets, e.g. for US provisions on promotion.
- for this category, companies will need to show an even greater commitment to providing all investors with equal access to events such as presentations and conference calls.
