Addison

Risky Business

Risky Business is the latest research piece from Addison. This overview of European risk reporting demonstrates how a complex regulatory environment has resulted in great confusion in the approach European companies take to risk reporting. Risky Business is another first for Addison, in that it is the first research piece that has been published primarily as an html report. Published in 2009

Report Analytics

Although there are many benchmarking services available in Europe, Addison's Report Analytics is different, in that it actually analyses the content of the annual report. Using current European and national regulatory guidance as its yardstick, Report Analytics compares your report against a sample of your peers, assessing narrative best practice, the use of KPIs and financial measures, risk reporting, executive compensation and general presentation. For more details, please contact Jeremy Langham, Business Development Director, on 0044 20 7940 4581, or Jeremy.langham@addison.co.uk.

United in Diversity

Trends and practices in European corporate reporting

United in Diversity? Trends and practices in European annual reporting is a revealing and informative guide to current European corporate reporting practices. In analysing the annual reports of Europe's top 100 companies, it assesses the extent to which narrative reporting is converging around a set of common standards and provides an overview of trends in corporate responsibility and online reporting. Published in 2007

A legislative merry-go-round

Although the requirements of the Enhanced Business Review were less onerous than were anticipated for the OFR, the continuing regulatory focus on disclosure through annual report alone – as opposed to the full spectrum of media and channels companies use to communicate with shareholders – places an unreasonable burden on this document.

At the same time, another aspect of the Bill concerning electronic distribution of annual reports promises superficially to save money for companies, but exposes them to a potential public relations debacle if not managed properly.

These issues shed light on the complex nature of modern corporate communications, and the difficulties regulators face when trying to police corporate reporting. Published 2006

Storm in a Teacup?

A sceptical look at the new statutory OFR

In making the inclusion of an Operating and Financial Review in annual reports a legal requirement, the DTI claimed that such a move will generate "increased shareholder engagement" and "a step-change to the quality of reporting by companies". But if this is the case, why was there so little enthusiasm for it?

Storm in a Teacup takes a sceptical look at this new statutory OFR, and questions whether the legislative approach is really capable of delivering such promises. Instead it encourages its readers to continue treating the OFR as an opportunity for good corporate communications, and provides a simple set of guiding principles for drafters to bear in mind during preparation. Published 2005