The annual report has been around for decades and has continuously evolved over that period. From the first annual report published by U.S. Steel in 1903 to contemporary versions from companies, annual report design has drastically changed in purpose, goals, and approach.
Initially, annual reports were created primarily with one purpose in mind – to disclose the financial performance of an organization. Today, the Annual Report is so much more – it acts as a single source of information about the company from the company and functions as a powerful marketing and investment-garnering tool.
While most companies will likely have significant amounts of information on their website, the annual report is a singular opportunity for organizations to go into detail about what they envision, how they aim to achieve it, their performance so far, and their contributions to the environment and society they operate in.
The acknowledgment and realization that annual reports could potentially help raise funds, create genuine connections with stakeholders and raise brand awareness led to an organic evolution of how they are designed. The shift has been pretty dramatic and evident, as annual reports have changed from being insipid disclosures of data to vibrant, visually-appealing showcases of the company’s standing.
While reporting financial performance remains mandatory and regulated, companies have found more creative ways to tell the brand’s story. Some of the design elements that have become annual report trends are:
Wondering about all those reports linked in the paragraphs above? You guessed it! They were conceptualized, designed, and written by Report Yak in partnership with the companies. You can check out our work and reach out and we’d be happy to discuss your next report!
environmental and social initiativesEnvironmental sustainability +4
corporate reportingEnvironmental sustainability +9
annual reportAnnual Report design +11