In the past four years the market for HTML online Annual Reports in the Netherlands was one of the most dynamic in the world. While in 2006 almost half of all companies of the AEX/AMX-index offered their reports as automatically converted picture shows (JPG), since two years this leading position has been taken over by reports that are converted into real HTML websites. The amount of reports that are offered just as PDF remained steady in the last years at a portion of around on third.
Development of format offered by the 50 Dutch AEX/AMX-companies:
- PDF – nothing else than the PDF file of the report can be downloaded [2010: 44%]
- JPG show – printed report pages are converted 1:1 into JPG/images to flip through [2010: 26%]
- HTML – the content of the report is converted into HTML [2010: 30%]
The incredients of this rethinking mostly look similiar in different markets. The importance to offer the content of financial reports in a usable way that fits on screen and adding value through use of webtools is easy to communicate. But you need specialists to carry out this work in a timely manor and taking care of all security messures. The arrival of good vendors opens the door for this developement.
Taking a second look at our results last years developement hasn’t been as smooth as it might look like. Early adopters like ING, KPN and AMG having offered their Annual Reports in HTML for a long time now shifted back to just a PDF. Other companies like Corio, TNT and USG People took the opposite decision now offering their Reports as full HTML conversion for the first time. This kind of developement also shows the increased maturity of the market.
With the successful catching up on quality we now see a development in the Netherlands that can possibly form the blueprint for another worldwide shift in corporate reporting: the integrated reporting!
Dutch companies like AkzoNobel, Ahold or Philips are currently setting the pace on how to produce corporate reports printed and online from the same ressource to raise synergies and positive interdependencies between these communication channels.
Five years ago the Netherlands was far behind on online reporting, now dutch companies are cutting-edge!
Four dutch HTML reports I would like to draw your attention to:
- Philips is doing a great job integrating videos of the CEO seemlessly. The modular teasered starting page gives quick access to all relevant information!
- TNT this year took a big step ahead from last years JPG-show, now offering a state of the art online version including among others ChartGenerator, print manager and a CEO video.
- In line with Shell’s business their 2009 Annual Report is powerhouse of useful online tools: Download manager incl. create your own PDF, Share-this, Print manager, mouse-over glossary, interactive charting tool, hotkey search tool too mention a few
- AkzoNobel is a good example of an integrated reporting where print and online reports inspire each others design. At the same time each version sticks to its natural advantages. For the online version these are among others: autocomplete search tool, ChartGenerator, mouse-over glossar
[Disclaimer: AkzoNobel and Shell are a Nexxar clients]