Category Archives: Uncategorized

A new corporate reporting framework

By Richard Ketchen | Published: May 2, 2013
Will a proposed integrated reporting framework fit the purpose of improving annual reports or will it cause fits among report preparers? That’s the question the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) must answer after the release in April of a consultation draft of its international integrated reporting framework. Today’s annual reports are often viewed as too [...]
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Content Crisis: Awash in words

By Richard Ketchen | Published: February 20, 2013
I’ve always considered myself a swimmer. So when I decided to swim laps as a way to add variety to my winter fitness routine, I thought, okay, I’ll just jump in and go. I lasted three minutes, probably less, before stopping, gasping for air at the poolside. That experience got me thinking: just as I [...]
Also posted in Annual reports, CSR reporting, Communication strategy, Corporate reporting, Messaging strategy, Narrative structure, Web writing | Leave a comment

Annual report production checklist

By Richard Ketchen | Published: October 12, 2012
The demise of the annual report has been predicted for years. Decades, even. Today, however, integrated reporting, which combines financial reporting and sustainability or citizenship reporting, is giving new life to the annual report.
Also posted in Annual reports, CSR reporting, Communication strategy, Corporate reporting, Integrated reporting | Leave a comment

Should companies admit to failures and mistakes?

By Richard Ketchen | Published: September 8, 2012
Okay, I admit it. Despite my best efforts, I routinely misspell words. I occasionally use the wrong word. And I’ve been known to use semi-colons inappropriately, if at all. We all make mistakes. And we all have weaknesses. The trick is to acknowledge them and learn from them.
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How transparent are the world’s biggest companies?

By Richard Ketchen | Published: August 9, 2012
Somewhat, says anti-corruption group Transparency International. According to a recent study, the world’s largest publicly-traded companies have improved reporting on anti-corruption programs. But they still need to increase transparency in reporting on their operations: roughly half of the multinational companies surveyed do not publish information on their anti-corruption programs.
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What good are shareholders, or annual reports?

By Richard Ketchen | Published: July 30, 2012
In this mid-summer article I answer or provide links to answers to two stakeholder communication questions: What good are shareholders? (Not much, some say) Is the traditional annual report still valued? (Yes, with changes)
Also posted in Annual reports, CSR reporting, Communication strategy, Integrated reporting, Messaging strategy | Leave a comment

Corporate responsibility reporting gains traction

By Richard Ketchen | Published: March 8, 2012
Corporate responsibility reporting hit an all-time high in 2011. Once seen as fulfilling a moral obligation to society, the so-called triple-bottom-line approach to reporting is now considered a business imperative by the world’s largest companies. According to a study by KPMG, corporate responsibility reporting is increasingly providing financial value and driving innovation.
Also posted in Annual reports, CSR reporting, Corporate reporting, Integrated reporting, Stakeholder communication, Sustainability reporting | Leave a comment

Stakeholder Engagement: Worth its weight in gold, and more

By Richard Ketchen | Published: August 4, 2011
What gets measured, matters. Measuring the effectiveness of stakeholder, investor and other corporate communication activities, however, has always been somewhat ambiguous. Until now.
Also posted in Communication strategy, Stakeholder communication, Sustainability reporting | Leave a comment

5 ways to improve annual report narrative

By Richard Ketchen | Published: May 9, 2011
Annual reporting season has finally and mercifully come to an end for most companies.  The cost of this exercise? Just for Form 10-K, the SEC estimated that companies chalk up 4 million hours of staff time and 12 million hours of outside advisor time, which, at $300 per hour, amounts to $3.6 billion. And that [...]
Also posted in Annual reports, Financial writing, Messaging strategy, Plain language, Stakeholder communication | 1 Comment