How are annual reports rated?
| A+ | 5 | First-rate |
| A | 4.5 | Excellent |
| A- | 4 | Very good |
| B+ | 3.5 | Sound |
| B | 3 | Average |
| B- | 2.5 | Uneven |
| C+ | 2 | Common |
| C | 1.5 | Substandard |
| C- | 1 | Poor |
| D | 0.5 | Uncompetitive |
Who rates the reports?
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The scoring process is the first stage of the ReportWatch assessment and rating.
Based on a number of report evaluation criteria, the report scoring and "internal rating" is carried out by e.com report analysts (financial analysts, investor relations specialists, corporate communication advisers, accountants, economists, copywriters; at senior, junior and intern levels) and it provides a basis for final ratings by the rating panel and results in the report ranking published in the Annual Report on Annual Reports.
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Neither the score nor the breakdown is publicly disclosed. These are only available through an order for a Report Scan placed directly by the company or through an internal representative or external agency.
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Top reports are then submitted to an independent rating panel.
The primary role of the rating panel is to cross-check reports scored by e.com and to help move from a very quantitative and "dry" scoring to a more qualitative rating, based both on intrinsic report value and on communication towards various investor and stakeholder audiences. As a result, some reports may be upgraded while others are marked down, some slightly, some significantly. Panel members are asked to judge independently of their own interests or organization position. Their individual votes are not publicly disclosed. However, panelists may be contacted directly. e.com - ReportWatch has the final say on ratings and ranking.
The final rating and the ranking as published are the sole responsibility of e.com - ReportWatch.
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The list of panelists over the years has included the following names (nationality and/or country where based in brackets. See Annual Report on Annual Reports archives for background details):
- Ruth Arnold (U.S., Netherlands)
- Björn Bergstrand (Sweden)
- Rob Berick (U.S.)
- Ute Bode (Germany)
- Peter Clifton (UK)
- Ewold de Bruijne (Netherlands)
- Charles de Haan (UK)
- Vero Escarmelle (Belgium)
- Kaevan Gazdar (India, Germany)
- Wesley Gee (Canada)
- Catherine Gordon (Canada)
- Sandrine Granados (France)
- Mike Guillaume (Belgium, U.S., UK)
- Jakob Ivarsson (Sweden)
- Janet Kersnar (U.S., UK)
- Paul Langsford (UK)
- Henner Lappe (Switzerland)
- Dennis Larsen (Norway, Netherlands, UK)
- Reg Pauffley (UK)
- Pol Schevernels (Netherlands)
- José Syne (Belgium, Luxembourg)
- Terry Tyrrell (UK)
- Pravin K Ujjain (India)
Some panelist names have been withheld due to their position or by request.
Annual reports from the financial sector are no longer selected for our competition. This does not imply that there are not (sometimes very) good and improved reports in the sector. However, for consistency, comparability and credibility reasons it has been decided not to include any. On a customized basis, e.com keeps on evaluating and benchmarking financial sector reports.
How does your annual report score on all evaluation criteria used for the Annual Report on Annual Reports?
