Last year’s Corporate & Financial Awards shortlist showed record numbers of FTSE-listed companies and this year was no different. With strong showings from FTSE 250 businesses, corporate communications has proved its business value.

The printed report categories, always among the most popular, see unusually long shortlists with seven nominees in the ‘Best printed report: FTSE 250’ category and six nominees in each of the other print categories. Alongside those nominees for the 2018 Corporate & Financial Awards, entrants submitting work for the best corporate website categories will have stiff competition as the heavyweights of the corporate communications world have made the shortlist, including Anglo American, Diageo, Hays, Glencore and Legal & General.

It’s not all corporate reporting though, as this year’s ‘Best CSR or ESG report’ shortlist attests. Entries from Aviva, Costain Group, Croda, Howden Joinery, into and Puma Energy make the grade in a tough category. Judges from across corporate and financial communications – hailing from companies like Burberry, GSK, Britvic, Accenture, Santander and Aon Hewitt – examined each entry’s merits in communications, meeting their objectives and obtaining an impact on the desired stakeholder audience.

In regards to communications, M&As are the name of the game this year, as well as last. Two ompanies that have successfully gone through difficult or complicated merger processes, Aldermore and RHI Magnesita, have made the grade in the judges’ eyes. All the winners will be announced at a gala dinner in September.

“Corporate and financial communications is about more than corporate reporting. It’s about proving that effective communications and reputation management can make a difference to the bottom line. The 2018 Corporate & Financial Awards shortlisted companies are the best in class in communications, whether that’s online, in a print report or through investor relations activities,” says Brittany Golob, editor of Communicate magazine.

To find out who wins, reserve your table at the awards ceremony now. For more information contact Lauren Ditcher.

The full shortlist is as follows: