Annual Report Review
Independent, confidential assessment of how well your annual report communicates.
Get in touchIs your annual report an effective communication tool?
Between communication, investor relations, finance and design teams, a lot of care goes into the annual report. Compliance is the part you can prove, but it’s harder to measure the communication effectiveness of your report.
That’s our job. We score your report against a framework built on the regulations, standards and research behind good reporting.
Sector frameworks for
- ASX listed
- Private companies
- Financial services
- Government agencies and statutory authorities
- Local government
- Peak bodies and associations
Our communication effectiveness framework
Your report is scored across up to 10 categories, with every criterion built on the regulations, standards and research that apply to your sector.
Do strategy, leadership and outlook tell one story?
Are results, targets and variances explained clearly?
Is the writing clear for every kind of reader?
Do the layout and charts help readers find meaning?
Can every reader use the report?
Does the report reach the right people where they are?
Can AI tools read your data and tables accurately?
Are board, risk and remuneration explained in plain terms?
Can a reader follow your climate and sustainability claims?
Does the report show genuine integrated thinking?
Conditional categories are assessed when they apply to your report and your sector. We confirm which ones apply at the briefing.
The Report Review process
30-minute briefing on your reporting program
We assess and score your report against our framework
Receive a comprehensive Report Review and walkthrough of your results
Led by a reporting specialist
Amanda Vanelderen is a Certified Practising Marketer, five-time Australasian Reporting Awards adjudicator and author of Write better: How to cut the crap and say what you mean. Amanda has written, edited and coordinated dozens of annual reports for ASX-listed companies, government bodies, NFPs and private organisations. She is a member of the Plain Language Association International (PLAIN) and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
What you receive
- Assessment against a best practice framework
- Testing against language and accessibility targets
- Evidence of strengths and gaps in every category
- A comprehensive Report Review document
- A presentation to discuss results and recommendations
- Your position against your competitors or peers
Research using our framework
We use the same framework to score annual reports across sectors and publish annual research reports.
ASX 100 Annual Report Study 2025
All 100 FY2025 annual reports assessed against our framework. See key findings by sector and across categories.
Read the study →
ASX 100 Leadership Voice Study 2025
The Chair and CEO messages in the same FY2025 reports. See what the most effective ones do that the rest don’t.
Read the study →More about the Report Review service
What types of organisations can use this service?
Any organisation that publishes an annual report or similar publication: ASX-listed companies, private companies, government agencies, statutory authorities, NFPs and industry bodies. Each sector has its own framework, so your report is measured against relevant standards.
Do we need to prepare anything?
No. We start with a 30-minute briefing.
How long does the review take?
Around 2 weeks from the briefing.
What do we receive?
You get a Report Review document and a presentation. Both cover your category scores and the reasons behind them, with before and after examples from your own text.
Do you review the financial statements?
No. We assess how well your report communicates, not whether the numbers are right — that’s your auditor’s job. What we look at is whether a reader can follow what the numbers mean.
Can we share the assessment with our board?
Yes. The report is yours to use with your board, your executive team or your design agency.
How is this different from an awards entry?
Awards check your report against a set standard. We go further: the messages, the design, how readable it is, and how it compares with your peers. Many clients use a review to prepare an awards entry.
Do you also write annual reports?
Yes, and the review doesn’t assume you’ll use us. Your report is scored the same way whoever acts on it, and many clients take the roadmap to their own team or their existing agency. If you do want help making the changes, our report writing and production service is separate.
How much does it cost?
Pricing depends on the size and scope of your report. We confirm it after the briefing.
Other ways we work on annual reports
Annual report writing and production
Clear and compelling report content from an expert team — writing, editing and production for ASX-listed companies, government agencies and NFPs.
Report writing →Annual report SOP development
Document your production process so it doesn’t depend on memory — workflows, compliance checklists and templates.
Report SOPs →