When an annual report becomes a real experience

Every year, thousands of Swiss companies publish their annual reports - whether in print format, online or via both channels. The "Swiss Annual Report Rating" annually evaluates the reports of the largest companies in Switzerland.In the 2016 rating, the annual report of the company Clariant scored best. Since the brand relaunch in 2012, the annual report of the globally active specialty chemicals company has focused each year on a different region in which Clariant is active.North America in focusIn the Annual Report 2015, Hamburg-based photographer Jo Röttger and author Bertram Job portrayed a Clariant employee in North America in the "OnClariant Story". "This not only showed an employee in the various facets of his or her private and professional life, but also shone a spotlight on business activities in the North America region," explains Claudia Kamensky, Managing Editor External Communications at Clariant. An interview with the head of the region completed the picture.In addition, various interviews and quotes, for example with CEO or CFO, which, according to Kamensky, paired with the pragmatic visual language "conveyed authenticity." A management report also showed how the corporate strategy was implemented in the year under review and provided an outlook for the future.Online is moving more and more into the foregroundClariant relied on print and online in the 2015 report, whereby the circulation of the print edition was significantly reduced. This is primarily used for circulation at the Annual General Meeting and at the various sites worldwide. "The importance of the online version has steadily increased over the past five years," says Kamensky.When implementing the annual report, the biggest challenge was to transfer the print content to the online version in a media-friendly way. In the future, Clariant wants to focus even more on interactive and audiovisual formats. In terms of content, the concept of integrated reporting was used for the first time in 2016.Convincing design of the infographicsThe jury of the Swiss Annual Report Rating praised, among other things, the attractively designed and quickly understandable infographics in Clariant's report. "The annual report stands out due to the consistent design of the infographics, which have become a supporting design and even organizing principle," said Bernhard Schweizer, partner Sensus Communication Consultants, in his laudation.The annual report comes across as careful, independent and well thought-out in the respective output forms. "The online reader always encounters the right contact persons for the respective topic on the website," said Schweizer. "Here, someone has really understood where the difference lies between a traditional print product and an online annual report that can be used in dialog."Sunrise Annual Report is Rising Star of the YearIn the annual report rating, the up-and-comers of the year were also selected. First place went to Sunrise's annual report. The report was honored in particular for its successful value reporting and for its design.

Sunrise's 2015 annual report consists of a management report and a financial report.The Swiss telecommunications company worked with YJOO Communications on the implementation. The agency is now part of Farner Consulting. Sunrise's annual report was planned shortly after the company was listed on the stock exchange. The idea was to provide transparency to shareholders and analysts through detailed, clear value reporting. Secondly, it was to serve as a relevant communication tool in reputation management with potential employees and partners.Individual benefit becomes tangible"The annual report should convey the message that Sunrise is the smarter choice. With Sunrise, you are connected everywhere at an attractive price," says Nina Krucker, Head of Brand Communications at Farner. "Several three-page 24-hour picture diaries brought the individual benefits of Sunrise products and services to life. Four customers were accompanied through their daily lives with a smartphone camera and photos were taken every hour. Each story was concluded with a large portrait picture of the customer. "True to the motto: the customer is the center of attention at Sunrise," says Krucker.Print report also serves as image brochureThe annual report was divided into a management report and a financial report, which are connected by a wide band. "The management report relies on storytelling and emotions, while the financial section is deliberately reduced and only contains tables and diagrams," explains Krucker. "Sunrise also deliberately opted for a two-channel solution. In addition to annual reporting, the print report also served as an image brochure. The online report, on the other hand, with its detailed download center for the figures section, focused on value reporting and was aimed at the primary target groups of investors, analysts and the media.Premiere creates some challengesSince the annual report was a premiere, different needs and demands on an annual report had to be evaluated, coordinated and brought together during implementation. "For example, we had to take advantage of existing synergies, integrate the image campaign that was being run in parallel, and link it as closely as possible to the value reporting," says Krucker.In addition, procedures and processes had to be defined for the first edition, and responsibilities had to be defined.Image components were reduced for 2016Farner (then still YJOO) was again commissioned to design Sunrise's annual report in 2016. This time, the focus was even more on value reporting with the target groups of analysts, shareholders and media representatives. "The image components were deliberately reduced in Sunrise's second annual report," says Krucker.The next annual report rating will be published in September 2017. It will be interesting to see whether Sunrise is once again among the best.