Heisters & Partner arranges “Best Practice” workshop at Airport Center Frankfurt: New trends in business reporting

Themed “Conveying values: Using the potentials of Annual Reports efficiently”, Heisters & Partner arranged a “Best Practice” workshop in cooperation with the CCI Corporate Communication Institute of the University of Applied Science Münster and the Team Baetge of Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster.

The event addressed corporate communications executives of stock-indexed companies and had a clear agenda. “At the seminar, we gave practical support and took a look at new trends in the development of business reports,” says Valentin Heisters, initiator of the event that took place on November 26th at the Sheraton Airport Center Frankfurt, where executives from more than 30 stock-indexed companies were welcomed. Also there were representatives from charitable organizations such as Caritas Deutschland, as well as people in charge from cooperative banks and insurance companies, to discuss the topic of the annual report as a medium and to develop perspectives together.

The event made clear, how companies can use this key medium for corporate communications efficiently and how reporting itself is developing in the light of the current economic conditions. The scientific judges of the renowned “manager magazin” competition “Die besten Geschäftsberichte Deutschlands” [The Best Annual Reports of Germany] and the Heisters & Partner team explained in their exclusive lectures current trends, ideas and developments.

Prof. Dr. Dr. hc. Jörg Baetge, head of the Team Baetge, presented the latest research on corporate culture and reporting and explained current approaches in the reporting on the basis of “Best Practice” examples. In his lecture, Prof. Baetge also put the finger on shortcomings within IFRS and demanded changes for the current accounting standards. The expert in balance sheets impressively demonstrated the ample scope of modern accounting, with various examples, and stressed the need for reform.

Prof. Gisela Grosse from the CCI Corporate Communication Institue of the University of Applied Science Münster informed the audience about the strategic meaning of the information language used in annual reports and showed the possibilities of a visual preparation of information. In doing so, she explained the correlation of corporate strategy and information policy within the general medium.

Prof. Olaf Leu, expert on annual reports and year long judge of the jury of the “manager magazin” competition, spoke about the elaboration of communication strategies and focused in this context on the long-lasting effects of the annual report as the key medium. He pointed out, in particular, how a designer and a company can work together. He also described the mutual process, clearly naming the circumstances that are crucial for successful collaboration.

Valentin Heisters, CEO of Heisters & Partner, explained the possibilities and difficulties in following generally accepted “Best Practice” rules for the process of creation in reports. He questioned the meaning of criteria and exposed how companies can find their individual and independent solutions in order to communicate with their target groups. Asked, how a company can go its own way and still profit from the experience of others, Heisters said: “Know the rules before you break them.”

It was especially the mixture of participants and partners from charitable organizations and stock-indexed companies of all indices that made this a fascinating day of dialog. It demonstrated that the needs for authentic communication at stake as well as shareholders belong together and that the boundaries between hard and soft information within a business report are sometimes a “gray area”.

Concluding, CEO and designer Valentin Heisters said: “The Airport Center Frankfurt was the perfect place to meet for corporate executives from all over Germany to find new ways in reporting in a challenging time. Especially in the middle of the crisis, we must develop open and convincing communication concepts beyond the legal standards. This is not a matter of an existing budget but rather one of the ideas belonging to an enterprise and the craftsmanship of the designers in service. Because only individual conceptions will be memorable to the recipient and express an attitude that is able to build confidence.”

Efficient design development with new tool

Heisters & Partner develops tool to enhance annual report production.

The X-Port Tool from Heisters & Partner enables companies to produce business reports in a time-saving and efficient way. Because the client can directly edit the document and implement corrections and text himself via an office PC, time and huge operating expenses can be saved. Moreover, the direct XML coding enables a parallel export of an electronic (PDF) as well as an online (HTML) version, simultaneously to the print version of the report and published immediately.

During operation, the advantages of this solution based on powerful scripts become clear: The current annual report of Altana AG got the best placement in terms of design and content in the “manager magazin” benchmark rating compared with its direct competitors in the chemistry industry – and was produced with the new tool from Heisters & Partner. “For example, the interim reporting is done inhouse at the client’s. But we, as an agency, are always stand-by for the client and give him support with the contents of the document,” says Amöne Schmidt, Senior Art Director at Heisters & Partner.

Holger Wiebelhaus, Altana AG’s executive for reporting, calls it an “agency in your own computer”, because one can take in the support anytime individually, or work autonomously otherwise. “In the end, we publish the report from Indesign which produces very professional printing results. Final corrections in typing and layout are executed by the agency – so we have the possibility of switching to the classic production method including a proof PDF at any point within the process.”

Albrecht Fischer, head of development, produced the software that allows instant electronic HTML publishing. “In the end, a company using X-Port needs only one release which is the one for the print version. All other releases are derived directly thereof.”

All in all, this convenient and tested technique does not only save money (the client edits corrections himself if necessary and can preview the latest version in printing quality at any time on his own PC) but also time, thereby speeding up the whole tight-scheduled production process of an annual report. The client is always in control and saves a lot of time, because nothings needs to be re-built in the agency and precious time and stages of correction can be saved. In contrast to a lot of other products that promise miracles for the annual report production, Heisters & Partner provides a practical tool that basically stems from a competitive and broadly tested technology.

Worlwide relaunch of the Buzzi Unicem Group’s corporate design

Buzzi Unicem, one of the biggest companies in Italy, listed in the S&P Mib index at the Milan stock exchange, one of the world’s largest producer of building materials with affiliates and holdings all across Europe, Russia, USA, Mexico and Africa, asked Heisters & Partner to realize the complex relaunch of its worldwide corporate design.

In the course of the expansion and integration of the whole brand architecture, Heisters & Partner developed a modular design system that works for all applications of the appearance. Apart from a complex design manual for corporate communications, Heisters & Partner was also assigned for development of several of Buzzi Unicem's brands.

F.A.Z. book “Geschäftsberichte richtig gestalten” [How to design an annual report properly] by Valentin Heisters

The annual report is regarded as the company's “handshake“. It provides an excellent frame for information about the company and its performance in detail. But what good is the perfect content when its appearance is not attractive or legible and therefore not relevant to anybody? The book by Valentin Heisters, published by the F.A.Z. Institute, shows in, a comprehensive way, how content and form can combine to authenticity and how to visualize the financial communication of stock-indexed companies professionally.

The book, though, is far more than a defining manual. At the same time, it clarifies the position of the agency Heisters & Partner. In conversations with CEOs, communication executives, analysts and well-known designers, the opus focuses on the aims and the analysis of outstanding business communication. The achievement of ideal performance in conception, typography, dramaturgy and picture design is presented comprehensively in detailed chapters. “Good quality in the labor of communication goes back to sound craftsmanship, from which some designers can take to mastership. This book by Valentin Heisters is a good example of that,” says Prof. Olaf Leu, editor of the book.

Valentin Heisters / Olaf Leu: “Geschäftsberichte richtig gestalten”, F.A.Z.-Institut, Frankfurt/Main, 254 pages, 29,90 Euro, 52,00 CHF, ISBN 3-89981-007-4

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