The annual report has long been at the heart of communications with investors, analysts, the media and other stakeholders.

The annual report has long been at the heart of communications with investors, analysts, the media and other stakeholders. It is the perennial centrepiece of stakeholder communications. And yet, corporate audiences have become increasingly diverse and technology has changed communications irreversibly. Thus, the annual report, an adaptable document in its own right, is no longer the fixed centre of the corporate communications universe.

The Corporate & Financial Awards has, since 2012, recognised that diverse mix of communications strategies, technologies and achievements that comprises stakeholder relations. The 2015 awards will honour excellence in communications with the City and its influencers.

Andrew Thomas, founder of Cravenhill Publishing says, “Effective communications requires the maintenance of dialogue with investors, analysts, business journalists and the wider stakeholder community. No longer are communications siloed, companies talk to all of these audiences with the same voice. The Corporate & Financial Awards is the only awards programme to effectively benchmark and reward excellence in this process.”

Categories extend from ‘Best annual report’ in print and digital formats to ‘Best crisis communications’ and ‘Best communication with overseas investors and/or media.’

Work that excels in the programme is that which exhibits a cohesive strategy to carry out clear objectives that relate back to the overall business strategy. Past winners include Tata Consultancy Services for it’s successful public affairs campaign to gain the support of truculent French ministers during an acquisition, RLM Finsbury’s work for Travelodge on its internal and media relations campaign during a restructure and London Mining’s transparent and informative annual report geared toward raising brand awareness and increasing understanding.

The full list of categories is as follows:

Best corporate website:


FTSE 100


FTSE 250


Small cap


International



Best printed report:


FTSE 100


FTSE 250


Small cap


International

Best online report:


FTSE 100


FTSE 250


Small cap


International



Best online corporate newsroom  


Best AGM/analyst/investor/press meeting


Most innovative financial communications





Campaign/Strategy

Best M&A communications


Best IPO communications


Most effective crisis communications


Best use of digital media


Best management of corporate & financial media relations


Best management of investor and analyst relations


Best communication with overseas investors and/or media


Best evaluation of a communications campaign


Best sustainability campaign



Team



Best in-house corporate and financial comms team


Best IR agency or PR consultancy