It is a legal requirement that large companies design an annual report each year. A document that details financial performance and reviews the year’s successes (and failures!). Investors and stakeholders love them, and, increasingly, your customers do too.
But just because they’re a legal necessity does not mean they have to look boring. As a design studio providing professional annual report design services we know that through the clever use of design, annual reports can take the reader on a journey and inspire them.
An annual report is a comprehensive overview of a company’s activities and financial performance over the previous financial year. A legal requirement for all publicly traded companies, at its core, an annual report is prepared in order to provide a snapshot of a company’s standing to existing stakeholders, potential investors and other interested parties.
Usually focussed on financial information, large annual reports can also include environmental, social and governance (ESG) data, good news stories and insight from key personnel. This makes them an excellent marketing tool in addition to a functional document.
Every company registered in the UK must ‘prepare accounts that report on the performance and activities of the company during the financial year’. These documents must include a full set of accounts, including money in and out, assets and liabilities. For companies with a turnover of more than £10.2 million, more than £5.1 million on its balance sheet, or 50 plus employees, they must also provide a directors report and an auditors report.
But annual reports are much more than a sterile set of accounts…
In addition to its legal requirements, an annual report is a perfect medium for:
A storytelling device, your annual report is a once-a-year opportunity to communicate fully with your shareholders, reflect on past performance, plan future success and reinforce company culture, values and purpose.
According to Comprend’s Capital Market survey, the annual report is the most trusted source of information about a listed company, so it’s important to put the time into getting yours right.
All UK companies are required to disclose certain financial information through their annual financial statements. This information must be made available to shareholders and filed publicly on the open register at Companies House, the official register of UK companies. Publicly traded companies must also publish their annual reports and accounts to the market and may choose to produce a separate annual report for investors or other stakeholders.
Under UK law, companies are required to file their annual accounts and reports with Companies House within 9 months of the end of their accounting period. As a general rule, annual reports are usually published in June and July.
With a deadline in mind, it’s tempting to rush into writing your annual report. We encourage you to slow down and take time to reflect before you begin. Map out the following elements and you’ll save time and money in the long run.
The definition of success may vary from one company to another, but start your planning process by thinking about what a successful reporting campaign would look like for your business.
Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to define a set of clear objectives that are achievable, and that you can easily measure.
You need a strong editorial proposition to effectively convey your results, goals and strategy. By getting your messaging right from the outset, you can craft a compelling story that covers different aspects of your company’s success.
Involve key stakeholders early on to gain their support in your vision for the report. Their input can also help to ensure you include all essential messages and content.
Who will create what content?
Who needs to approve certain parts of the report?
What are your timescales and budgets?
Clarifying such details will avoid conflicts between stakeholders. Consider assigning a project manager to oversee the entire process; act as a point of contact; and map all collaborators, their roles and responsibilities.
How we consume media has changed dramatically over the past decade. Digital mediums have superseded print in most areas of marketing, with stakeholders increasingly reading reports online.
But which is better?
Both have benefits when used correctly. When planning your annual report, as with any marketing campaign, it is important to consider the unique properties of both media before deciding.
Print is tactile, has credibility and is proven to increase engagement when compared to digital devices. On the other hand, digital reports have immediacy, can be distributed globally in seconds, provide in-depth user analytics and provide an interactive user experience.
Ultimately, the final decision will depend on your target audience, budget and the key messages you want to convey.
A popular third option is to combine print and digital reports. Maybe send a printed copy to major stakeholders, creating a sense of prestige for your most valued partners. Or create a lite digital version to display the key data, with a printed or PDF version containing the full report.
A creative brief will pull all your planning into one document, outlining the creative approach and deliverables for the whole report campaign. Once agreed upon, you can share it with design agencies as part of the tender process.
A good creative brief should include:
Your communications and design agency will play a huge role in the success of your report. From getting the look and feel right, to ensuring you meet all deadlines, they’re a vital cog in the report machine. So, it’s vital to have the right partner.
When choosing whom to collaborate with, look for an agency that:
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Once you have a creative brief in place, you can start creating the editorial content. Alongside captivating visuals, the narrative needs to be engaging and inspiring. At its heart, the annual report provides an opportunity to show progress across the organisation, including profits, people and purpose. Once you align words and design, your annual report becomes a powerful reporting and marketing tool, not just a task completed for shareholder benefit.
95% of UK companies have seen an acceleration in the transition from traditional financial reporting to enhanced reporting models that encompass financial and ESG / other nonfinancial reporting. With sustainability reporting becoming more important to this generation of consumers, including this information in your annual report is a good starting point.
Great outcomes require vision, commitment, and collaboration. Our experienced and expert team has delivered campaign-specific, annual reports for some of the world’s most well-respected brands. Our trusted process for report delivery will ensure that your report is delivered both on time and within budget.
Annual reports, reviews and other business documents need to be factual, accurate and error-free. They also need to be concise in order to make them readable. That’s why it’s essential to both proofread and copy-edit your document before publishing online or sending it to print.
To help with proofreading process, we recommend:
Now you have a glossy report, it’s time to get it noticed. A lot of time goes into the design of an annual report. Too much to only release it in its original form. Conveniently, an annual report lends itself beautifully to re-purposing.
Here’s where to promote your report:
Your report contains a multitude of charts, graphs, and statistics that can create highly visual content. Some graphics you can re-purpose your annual report into, include:
Engaging images
Videos
GIFs
All of these visuals generate engagement and useful links back to your original content, spreading your message exponentially.
While creating an annual report seems a daunting undertaking, by following the tips and steps we have set out, you can design a report that looks great and appeals to all your stakeholders.
Want to know the secrets of excellent annual report design?
Download our FREE eBook to discover:
✅ How to get the most from your report
✅ How to increase engagement
✅ Our proven design process
Our annual report designers have created reports for businesses in many sectors, including technology, financial and professional services.
Based in Cambridge, UK, but working internationally, our agency collaborates with clients globally, including across Europe, the United States and the Middle East.
With an expert digital marketing team on hand, JDJ Creative can assist clients with all supporting digital content to maximise brand reach. This includes interactive report design, websites, videography and social media campaign management. If you need exceptional graphic design for your next corporate report, please speak to our team today at hello@jdjcreative.co.uk or fill in our contact form.
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