Corporate communications has never been more important. Never before have so many groups of stakeholders had access to corporate information or the ability to influence that company’s brand. The Corporate & Financial Awards celebrates excellence in all aspects of City communication.

Protecting companies in times of crisis, communicating corporate messaging to investors and shareholders and developing a strong relationship with the media require skill, strategic thought and creative processes. Excellence in these areas of communications are recognised each year at the Corporate & Financial Awards.

Previous winners include the likes of De Beers Group, ARM Holdings, Peroni, Vodafone, Anglo American, Hotel Chocolat and Inchcape plc, among many others. The programme recognises the best in communications in two main areas: corporate reporting and communications strategy. Categories in the first area examine the best corporate reports, digital and physical, as well as the best corporate websites and CSR reports. But it is in the communications categories that the best campaigns and projects of the year are highlighted.

Two years ago, EM and Detsky Mir won gold in the ‘Best IPO communications’ category for the first IPO to take place on the Russian exchange since sanctions had been put in place. Last year, the Post Office won a gold for the ‘Best use of digital media’ in support of its mortgage campaign targeted at first-time home buyers. The Government of the Bahamas even took home a gold for ‘Best crisis communications’ in its valiant efforts refuting the perception of the island nation as a tax haven.

“Communicating with the City and its influencers has never been more important. Companies that employ creativity, careful strategic approaches and measurable objectives are able to improve their company’s reputation – and its bottom line. The Corporate & Financial Awards is proud to recognise, for the eighth year, those companies that are excelling in all aspects of corporate communications and investor relations,” says Brittany Golob, publishing editor of Communicate magazine.

Entries are accepted until 14 June, but those received by 3 May will save £100 and get their fifth entry free. The winners will be honoured at a celebratory dinner in September 2019. If you have any questions, you can reach Lauren in the events team on +44 (0)20 3950 5356 or email lauren.ditcher@communicatemagazine.co.uk.

The full list of categories is below:

Best corporate website

• FTSE 100
• FTSE 250
• AIM/small cap
• International
• Unlisted

Best printed report

• FTSE 100
• FTSE 250
• AIM/Small cap
• International
• Unlisted

Best online report

• FTSE 100
• FTSE 250
• AIM/Small cap    
• International
• Unlisted

Best CSR/ESG report

Best online corporate newsroom 

Best meeting

Most innovative financial communications

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 & analyst relations

Best communication with overseas investors and/or media

Best evaluation of a communications campaign

Best in-house corporate & financial communications team

Best IR agency or PR consultancy   

This category is split into small and large. Small agencies qualify if they have less than 100 employees. Large agencies are over 100 employees.