The Investor Relations Society today announced the companies shortlisted for its Best Practice Awards 2010.

The IR Society Best Practice awards are now in their 10^th year and recognise the leading companies in investor communications. The awards were created to encourage and reward best practice for investor communications through the printed annual report and the corporate website.

This year’s awards attracted entries from 115 companies.

John Dawson, the deputy chairman of the IR Society and chairman of the Best Practice Committee said: ‘This year we have seen many more companies raise their game and in a number of categories we have extended the shortlists as the scoring is so close'.

The winners of the awards will be announced at the IR Society’s Annual Awards Dinner which will be held at the Royal Hospital Gardens Chelsea on 23^rd November 2010.

The shortlisted companies for each award (in alphabetical order) are:

Best communication of strategy, performance and KPIs in the annual report

Anglo American
ARM Holdings
Man Group
Wm Morrison

Best communication of governance and risk in the annual report

Candover Investments
Capita Group
Experian
Marks and Spencer

Best communication of corporate responsibility in the annual report

Anglo American
BASF
Party Gaming
Xstrata

Most improved annual report

Antofagasta
Aurelian Oil and Gas
Torotrak
William Hill

Best use of a website to communicate and support a company's investment proposition

Adidas
BASF
Centrica
Kingfisher

Most effective use of innovative online technology to support investor relations communications

Adidas
BASF
Centrica
Daimler

Best corporate website - FTSE 100

3i Group
Imperial Tobacco
Kingfisher
J Sainsbury

Best corporate website - FTSE 250

Chemring
Go Ahead
Party Gaming
Provident Financial

Best corporate website - Small Cap & AIM

Future
HMV Group
Speedy Hire
Victoria

Best corporate website - International

To be announced on 23 November

Award for the most effective overall Annual Report (printed and online) - FTSE 100

3i Group
Capita Group
Centrica
Land Securities
Tullow Oil

Award for the most effective overall Annual Report (printed and online) - FTSE 250

Go Ahead Group
Great Portland Estates
Home Retail Group
Premier Farnell
Provident Financial

Award for the most effective overall Annual Report (printed and online) - Small Cap and AIM

May Gurney
Next Fifteen
TT Electronics

Award for the most effective overall Annual Report (printed and online) - International

Adidas
BASF
Daimler
Syngenta