A new beginning — Annual report insights 2013

Published on: 31 Oct 2013

Deloitte’s publication ‘A new beginning – Annual report insights 2013’ is based on a survey of 100 listed UK companies’, looking at the structure and contents of their 2012/13 annual reports. Our findings, including examples of good practice and tips for preparers of accounts, are discussed in this publication.

For those wanting just the key messages from the report, 'A new beginning – The highlights' is also available in electronic format and can be obtained in hard copy through your Deloitte UK contact.

For companies preparing annual reports, the 2013/14 year-end will see several changes to the reporting requirements facing listed companies, so the helpful guidance and inspiration provided by our publication will prove invaluable. The new narrative reporting regulations, directors’ remuneration regulations, enhanced audit reporting and 2012 Corporate Governance Code have all now become effective, as well as new and revised IFRSs. While some companies have already embraced these changes in their 2012/13 annual reports, others have adopted more of a ‘wait and see’ approach - the examples we include in our publication will be of particular use to the latter.

 

A new beginning for your annual report

As well as discussing the results of our survey, A new beginning is also designed as a tool to help preparers develop and improve the structure and content of their annual report. In addition to statistics and analysis of historical trends, there are also thoughts and ideas around the impact of current and future changes in reporting requirements, along with plenty of examples of good practice identified from companies across the FTSE. In particular, the appendix provides suggestions on how annual reports can be improved in the coming reporting season based on our survey findings, areas that will be under scrutiny from regulators and ideas on how to cut clutter. Recognising that there are different appetites as to how far prepares want to go, our suggestions are split into four levels, ranging from the bare minimum to how companies can go the extra mile.

A new beginning looks at the ‘big picture’ structure of reports overall, as well containing sections which focus specifically on particular aspects of narrative reporting, corporate governance and the financial statements themselves.

Click here for a printer-friendly version of ‘A new beginning – Annual report insights 2013’.

Click here for a copy of 'A new beginning – The highlights'.

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