Award categories and criteria
The categories and criteria were as follows:
The winners will be announced at the IRBP Awards Dinner on 19 April 2007
1. Best Annual Report – Most Effective Communication Award
For:
FTSE 100
FTSE 250
Small Cap
Companies were asked to provide the IRS with hard copies of their most recent Annual Report. The panel looked for annual reports that give shareholders a clear understanding of the business, its performance in the year and its future strategy, in order to make an informed decision to buy, sell or hold. They looked for design that makes it easy for the reader to find the information they need and supports the company's key messages in a clear and compelling way.
The main criteria was as follows:
- Content – Is it clear:
- What the company does?
- What drives value?
- What the strategy is?
- Effective use of financial and non-financial KPIs.
- Design – how does it help communicate the company's message?
- Is the report easy to use /navigate?
- Is it easy to read, free from jargon?
- does the imagery support the content?
2. Annual Report: Best Corporate Governance Award
Companies were asked to provide the IRS with hard copies of their most recent Annual Report. The panel looked for corporate governance statements that do more than just tick the boxes, that demonstrate how the company is managed and controlled.
The main criteria was as follows:
Transparency, openness and explanation behind decisions taken in key areas such as:
- Main committees
- Remuneration
- Policies e.g. Non-audit policy
- Outcome of risk assessment
3. Annual Report: Best Corporate Responsibility Award
Companies were asked to provide the IRS with hard copies of their Annual Report. The panel looked for companies that have clearly assessed the key areas of risk and opportunity in their business and integrated their response into the way the business operates.
The main criteria was as follows:
- Focus and bench marking against independent standards (sector specific)
- Social matters
- Ethical matters
- Environmental matters
- Measurement and consistency
- Board ownership
The annual report and accounts guidelines provide further information on best practice annual reports.
4. Best Website Award
In the assessment of this award the Panel looked for innovation and value-added information over and above that expected of a good corporate website. This award recognises 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 panel paid particular consideration to the following:
- Usability and navigation – can the investor find the site and investor information quickly and easily? Is getting around the site intuitive?
- Timeliness and navigation – is the information up to date?
- Technology and interactivity – does the technology help to provide more detailed information, not hinder the user? Is there access to webcasts, transcripts of conference calls and presentations? How is technology used to engage the investor and enhance the experience eg Flash movies, videos of interviews with senior management, etc
- Content – is it relevant; does it provide all the necessary financial, news and shareholder information to enable a balanced view of the company? Does the company have a clear statement of its strategy and objectives coupled with a comprehensive description of its business, products, services and geographical reach?
- Accessibility – judges will be looking for a fully accessible web site. This means it must be designed to allow equal access to information and services to all users, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments. The web site should allow users to control a number of features including the size of the text, layout and navigation.
An award will be given to one company in each of the following:
- FTSE 100
- FTSE 250
- Small Cap
- International
- The web site guidelines provide further information on best practice web sites.
5. Best Online Presentation Award
This award required the nominating company to provide a case study outlining their approach to a particular presentation. The case study should have included the following:
- Date of event
- Timetable of communication
- Information provided including format – include all related information e.g. PowerPoint presentation in HTML and PDF, webcast both live and archived, audio and video, etc
- A link to the information online
- Examples of email notification and hotspot use
- The average duration for your archived presentations
- How were overseas investors catered for
- Content of the presentation will be judged as follows:
- Were the slides synchronised
- Was the presentation indexed
- Were the Q&As included and indexed
- Are transcripts available
6. Best Website for the 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 they normally receive.
This award recognises companies who have used their website as a central tool in their communication with private shareholders and provided them with the ability to manage their shareholding online.
The panel paid particular consideration to the following:
- Usability and navigation – can the investor find the site and investor information quickly and easily? Is getting around the site intuitive?
- Timeliness – is the information up to date?
- Technology and interactivity – does the technology help to provide more detailed information, not hinder the user?
- Is there access to webcasts, transcripts of conference calls and presentations?
- Can shareholders sign up for email news and notice of events?
- Does the technology enable the private investor to manage their shareholding online eg change of address details, check shareholding, etc
- Is there access to daily share price information, charting tools, share price calculators and dividend history?
- Content – is it relevant; does it provide all the necessary financial, news and shareholder information to enable a balanced view of the company and management of their shareholding?
- Clear statement of strategy and objectives coupled with a comprehensive description of the company's business, products, services and geographical reach
- AGM information
- Financial calendar
- Answers to frequently asked questions
- Glossary of terms
7. Best Online Annual Report Award
In the assessment of this award the panel reviewed how the annual report has been translated online and how the interactive opportunities have been utilised including the use of links to the corporate web site, downloadable data, access to both the summary review and the full financials and reporting of strategy and non-financial information.
The panel paid particular consideration to the following:
- Design & usability – can the investor find the online annual report quickly and easily? Is the navigation intuitive? Are Graphics, pictures, tables and numbers legible? A search and site map function should also be available to aid the visitor in their quest for specific information.
- Content – there should be access online to both the full annual report and financial statements and the annual review and summary financial statements, a PDF of both documents should also be available to download
- Technology and interactivity – How is technology used to engage the investor and enhance the experience eg Flash movies, videos of interviews with senior management, financial information downloads, charting tools, feedback forms, etc
- Accessibility – judges will be looking for a fully accessible online annual report. This means it must be designed to allow equal access to information and services to all users, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments. The report should allow users to control a number of features including the size of the text, layout and navigation. A PDF version should also be available.
The online annual report guidelines provide further information on best practice online annual reports.
