2018 AUSTRALASIAN REPORTING AWARDS HANDBOOK
02 2018 ARA AWARDS CONTENTS 01. About the ARA 02. Patron s Message 03. Chair s Message 04. ARA Board of Directors 06. 2018 Report of the Year Award 08. Message from the Chair of the Awards Committee 09. SPECIAL AWARDS 10. Chair s Commendation 11. Online Reporting Award 12. Sustainability Reporting Award 13. Joint ARA-Hong Kong Management Association Sustainability Reporting Award 14. Best First-Time Entry 15. Work Health & Safety Reporting Award 16. Integrated Reporting Award 18. Governance Reporting Award 19. Communication Award 20. Best Cover Design Award 21. GOLD AWARDS 32. List of Gold Awards 33. List of Silver Awards 34. List of Bronze Awards 35. List of Special Awards 36. List of Coordinators and Adjudicators 37. Diary Dates for 2019 ARA Awards NOTE: The climax of the Awards Presentation Dinner is the announcement of the winner of the prestigious Report of the Year Award. The Finalists for this Award are selected from the Gold Award recipients.
2018 ARA AWARDS 01 In 1950 a group of leading business people established awards for excellence in preparing annual reports to improve the standards of financial reporting and communicating with stakeholders in Australia. These Awards, now known as the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) have now been presented each year for 68 years. The Awards are administered by Australasian Reporting Awards Limited, an independent not-for-profit organisation run by volunteer professionals from the business, government and not-for profit sectors, with the support of professional bodies concerned with the quality of financial and business reporting. The Awards provide all organisations that produce an annual report an opportunity to benchmark their annual reports against the ARA criteria which are based on world best practice. In the General Award, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards are presented to recognise the achievement of a high standard. Competitive Special Awards are presented in specific areas of reporting such as Work Health & Safety and Governance and for Integrated Reporting, Online Reporting and Communication. A new Award for Best Cover Design was introduced in 2018. In the 2019 Awards ARA will introduce a new graduated Sustainability Reporting Award whereby reports that satisfy most of the Criteria will receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze Award, and the best report will receive the Sustainability Report of the Year Award. The ARA contributes to ongoing improvement in the quality of reporting by: Preparing and widely distributing criteria based on world best practice as guidelines for preparing an annual report; Conducting an annual seminar on reporting; Recognising excellence in reporting with Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards; and Providing constructive feedback to organisations that enter the Awards. ABOUT THE ARA ARA OBJECTIVES 1 To improve the To raise awareness To enable private To create greater 2 3 4 quality of annual, among the leaders sector, public sector community 5 sustainability and integrated reporting by organisations in Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the Asia-Pacific Region and beyond. and managers of organisations of the need for complete, open, honest, transparent and timely disclosure of information to stakeholders. and not-for-profit organisations in Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region to be highly effective in communicating financial, business and sustainabilityrelated information. understanding of the purposes of organisations, about how they operate and the results they achieve. To create greater community awareness of valid and objective measures of organisational performance, and greater understanding of the results an organisation has achieved.
02 2018 ARA AWARDS PATRON S MESSAGE Your interest in and commitment to achieving a high standard of accountability and transparency in reporting will surely be reflected in the culture of your organisation and its future performance. I wish to congratulate everyone who was associated with preparing reports that received a Gold Award or a Special Award for their high achievement. I regret I was not able to be present at the Awards Presentation Dinner this year to congratulate you personally. But I now wish to congratulate everyone who had the courage to submit their annual report in the Awards to determine how well their report met the ARA criteria and how it stands up against the reporting of their peers. The ARA Awards were established to be a learning process in the spirit of the well-known Chester Barnard quotation*: To try and fail is at least to learn; to fail to try is to suffer the inestimable loss of what might have been. An important part of the ARA learning process is that all entrants have an opportunity to meet with an adjudicator to receive constructive feedback and learn how to improve their reporting. For all entrants, your interest in and commitment to achieving a high standard of accountability and transparency in reporting will surely be reflected in the culture of your organisation and its future performance. I also wish to acknowledge the true driving force of the ARA: the more than 100 men and women who volunteer their time and expertise to serve as ARA directors or be coordinators and adjudicators in the comprehensive ARA adjudication process. Hugh Morgan AC Patron, Australasian Reporting Awards * Chester Barnard. The Functions of an Executive
2018 ARA AWARDS 03 CHAIR S MESSAGE As a not for profit organisation run by volunteers the ARA is punching well above its weight in its impact on improving the quality of reporting in Australasia. 2018 was a successful year for the ARA. There were more entries than in recent years and the standard of reporting was higher in terms of a record number of 57 Gold Awards (up from 50 last year) and the very high quality of the best Gold Award reports. There were notable increases in the number of entries and Award recipients from New Zealand and Malaysia. Of 17 entries from Malaysia five achieved Gold Awards and 11 achieved Silver. A remarkable performance. The Malaysian organisations were attracted to the ARA Awards by our reputation for excellence in evaluating reporting practice and the opportunity to get constructive comments and advice by way of a feedback session with an ARA adjudicator. This year two organisations received the Chair s Commendation for continued excellence in annual reporting by achieving ten consecutive Gold Awards: Glen Eira City Council and Legal Aid NSW. ARA looks forward to many more organisations achieving this milestone. For the 2019 Awards the ARA is changing the Award for Sustainability Reporting from a Special Award to a graduated Award with Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards for Sustainability Reporting and a Sustainability Report of the Year. As a not for profit organisation run by volunteers the ARA is punching well above its weight in its impact on improving the quality of reporting. Comparisons between the 2018 results with typical ARA results in the late 1990s clearly indicate the standard of reporting in Australasia has substantially improved although the large decline in the number of ARA entrants is of concern. In 1998 with a total of 395 entrants, only 12 received Gold; 60 received Silver; 81 received Bronze; and 245 did not receive an award. In 2018 with the total number of entries almost halved to 219 there were 57 Golds; 83 Silvers; 50 Bronze; and only 27 entrants did not receive an award. I am pleased to have this opportunity to acknowledge the various contributions made by my fellow directors: Ray Lane, Keith Roberts, Phil Hughes, Linda Stoneman, Sylvia Bell, Andrew Crawford and particularly Stephen Varady in the role of Chair of the ARA Awards Committee. I also wish to thank the ARA Coordinators and Adjudicators who provided their time to our organisation. I would be pleased if you bring the benefits of entering the ARA Awards to the attention of others involved in annual reporting. Suresh Cuganesan Chair, Australasian Reporting Awards
04 2018 ARA AWARDS ARA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Suresh Cuganesan BCom(Hons) MCom(Hons) PhD FCPA MIAA Chair Ray Lane BCom MPA FIPAA FAIDC MIIA Director and Company Secretary Phil Hughes BA BSc MRRP(Dist) Director Keith Roberts BCom(Hons) FGIA MAPS MPRIA Director Suresh Cuganesan is a Professor at the University of Sydney Business School and Deputy CEO of the John Gill Centre for Project Leadership. Suresh specialises in the areas of strategy execution, organisational design and performance measurement. His area of focus is on how public and private-sector enterprises can improve their achievement of policy and strategic goals through being better aligned, collaborative and innovative. Suresh worked in institutional banking and management consulting prior to joining academia. He has also advised and provided executive training for organisations in financial services, retail, energy, law enforcement, transport, government and recruitment services. He joined the ARA board in 2015 and was appointed Chairman from July 2016. Ray Lane is the principal of Ray Lane Consulting which specialises in analysing service delivery performance, organisational and management enhancement, risk management and reporting frameworks. During his extensive career in state and local government he held senior administrative positions covering stakeholder engagement, policy development, strategic and operational planning; performance review and evaluation, and development of governance frameworks. Ray is committed to a professional public sector and has held the position of National Secretary for the Institute of Public Administration Australia for seven years. Ray became an ARA Adjudicator in 2007 and Coordinator in 2009. He joined the ARA Board in 2014 and is Company and Board Secretary. Phil Hughes is a independent consultant working in the areas of sustainability, water and environmental management. He has a broad background in economics and public policy with a particular focus on public sector annual reporting and sustainability reporting, and increasingly on integrated reporting. He became an adjudicator in 2007 and joined the ARA Board in 2011. Keith Roberts is a director of NFP Support Pty Ltd, a consultant to the not for profit sector focusing on governance and strategic restructuring. He was CEO of the Epilepsy Association to 2006 following 20 years in various management positions in CSR Limited to 1992. He began participating in the awards from 1982, was appointed an Adjudicator in 2007, a Coordinator in 2008, Chair of the Awards Committee in 2009 and joined the Board in 2010.
2018 ARA AWARDS 05 Stephen Varady CSM MA (Public Sector Leadership) Grad Cert (Public Sector Mgt) Director and Chair of Awards Committee. Linda Stoneman MBA Director Andrew Crawford FAICD FCA FCPA MACS CP Director Sylvia Bell BSc MA (Communications) GAICD FPRIA FIML Director Stephen Varady is respected nationally within the corporate governance industry as a facilitator, public speaker and an authority in performance reporting. Stephen is considered to be very knowledgeable in the field of annual reporting and has provided guidance and advice to a great many organisations across Australia and New Zealand. Stephen became an ARA Adjudicator in 2008, a Coordinator in 2012 and joined the ARA Board and was appointed Chair of the Awards Committee in 2015. Linda Stoneman is an experienced consultant and advisor in strategic planning, corporate performance and governance in the not for profit and government sectors. She has 20 years experience in metropolitan and regional local government and led the corporate planning and governance team at Melbourne City Council for 12 years. Linda also has strong experience in the health sector, having worked to establish one of sixty-one Medicare Locals funded under a federal health reform program. Linda became an ARA Adjudicator in 2012 and joined the ARA Board in 2015. Andrew Crawford is a senior consultant, a non executive director and a casual academic working with several Universities, Colleges and Health organisations in Australia. Andrew specialises in the areas of strategy execution, project management, IT, HR and performance measurement. Andrew has worked in international banking, insurance and wealth management, emergency services and management consulting prior to his current career. Andrew became an ARA Adjudicator in 2009 and a Coordinator in 2013. He joined the ARA Board in 2018. Sylvia Bell is a corporate and communications executive with expertise across stakeholder engagement, media and public affairs, issues management, change communications, strategy development and governance. Sylvia has extensive experience in health, research, environment and media organisations in both government and private sectors. In 2017 Sylvia led a major review of the Public Relations Institute of Australia Golden Target Awards and was Chief Judge. Sylvia became an ARA Adjudicator in 2017 and joined the ARA Board in 2018.
06 2018 ARA AWARDS 2018 REPORT OF THE YEAR AWARD Each year the Australasian Reporting Awards culminate with the presentation of the Report of the Year Award. Finalists for this Award are selected from among the organisations that have achieved a Gold Award. These reports are subjected to a further process of intensive review and debate by members of the ARA Awards Committee to select an outright Winner. The following five organisations were selected as Finalists for the 2018 ARA Report of the Year Award. These Finalists are congratulated for exceptional coverage of their activities, quality of information, honesty and transparency, and overall effectiveness in communicating with their stakeholders. Their reports are comprehensive, honest and transparent, easy to navigate, and easy to read and understand. Australian Broadcasting Corporation Australian Broadcasting Corporation City of Gold Coast Council Judicial Commission of NSW New Zealand Superannuation Fund Queensland Urban Utilities
2018 ARA AWARDS 07 2018 REPORT OF THE YEAR AWARD THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION WINS 2018 ARA REPORT OF THE YEAR AWARD The Australian Broadcasting Corporation s 2017 two volume annual report themed Investing in Audiences and subtitled We make content for all Australians about all Australians celebrated the 85th birthday of the ABC and received further reason for celebration by winning the Report of the Year Award in the 2018 Australasian Reporting Awards. Receiving this Award follows the ABC s consistent outstanding performance in achieving ARA Gold Awards for 15 consecutive years from 2004 to 2018 and won the ARA Report of the Year Award in 2016. This year the ARA judges commented that the 2017 ABC annual report has set a new benchmark for excellence in reporting. In accepting the Award the ABC s Juliana Walsh said, 80 per cent of Australians trust the ABC and trust demands absolute diligence in both transparency and accountability. This requires going beyond the legislative parameters. Through our commitment to thorough, timely and transparent reporting on our performance we hope to show our audience the trust they place in their national broadcaster is earned and valued. Juliana Walsh, Freedom of Information and Corporate Governance Advisor at the ABC with Margaret Crawford, Auditor General of New South Wales # (r) who presented the Award and ARA Chair Suresh Cuganesan. ( # The Audit Office of New South Wales won this Award in 2014 and 2017.) ABC staff celebrating their achievement in winning the ARA Report of the Year Award for the second time
08 2018 ARA AWARDS Report from the Chair of the ARA Awards Committee I would like to highlight the common areas of excellence of the elite group of five reports chosen as finalists for 2018 Report of the Year Award from the 57 Gold Award reports. The reports from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, City of Gold Coast Council, Judicial Commission of NSW, New Zealand Superannuation Fund and Queensland Urban Utilities all had qualities that made them stand out from their peers. Two of them, the Judicial Commission of NSW and New Zealand Superannuation Fund, were also finalists in special award categories. We often hear you can t judge a book by its cover but each of these five reports had a visually engaging cover (or landing page in the case of the Judicial Commission online report) which set the scene for communicating the key messages or areas of focus for the year. New Zealand Superannuation Fund won the inaugural Best Cover Design Award. Each report began with a good clear vision enabling the reader to immediately understand the purpose of the organisation. Each organisation s performance story commenced with key highlights and their challenges for the year well-supported by summaries of performance against the organisation s strategic objectives. These reports exceeded the required standard of almost all key ARA criteria and met the fundamental good reporting principles of accountability, transparency and integrity. They had an open, willing attitude to share both the good news and the not so good news in a balanced account of their results. This was communicated in a way that made it easy for the reader to understand and demonstrated sensitivity and responsiveness to stakeholders. Each organisation appears to have looked at what was required for an excellent report and made a conscious decision to go beyond that, thereby raising the standards set by previous entrants. None of the organisations selected as finalists for Report of the Year claimed to be perfect: Queensland Urban Utilities was very open about not achieving three of its key success measures under their People Pillar ; Australian Broadcasting Corporation conducted an independent review of their Group Audit section and identified areas for improvement; and Judicial Commission of NSW reported deficiencies identified in their records management through their internal audit reviews and provided an undertaking to implement actions to address these findings. It is important to note the Australasian Reporting Awards do not benchmark or judge the performance or behaviour of an organisation but how the organisation s performance and behaviour has been reported. The level of disclosure distinguished the five annual reports of the five Report of the Year finalists from the other 52 Gold Awards. I congratulate all entrants in the 2018 ARA Awards for submitting their reports for assessment and seizing the opportunity to learn about the quality of their reporting, particularly those that sought feedback from an ARA Adjudicator. I look forward to seeing all of your reports next year. Stephen Varady CSM Chair, ARA Awards Committee
2018 ARA AWARDS 09 2018 SPECIAL AWARDS
10 2018 ARA AWARDS CHAIR S COMMENDATION The Chair s Commendation was introduced in 2017 to acknowledge organisations that have demonstrated a long-term commitment to excellence in reporting. The inaugural recipients of the Commendation were the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Watercare Services Limited and Woodside Petroleum Limited. To be eligible for this Award an organisation must achieve ten consecutive Gold Awards. ARA believes the regular independent benchmarking obtained by entering successive ARA Awards makes organisations better able to adapt to changing internal circumstances, regulatory requirements and stakeholder expectations, and maintain a continuing high standard in reporting to their stakeholders. Two organisations were selected to receive the 2018 CHAIR S COMMENDATION: Glen Eira City Council Ten Consecutive Gold Awards 2009 to 2018 Legal Aid NSW Ten Consecutive Gold Awards 2008 to 2017 (and again in 2018) ARA Chair Suresh Cuganesan (l) with Scott Campbell, Rebecca McKenzie, CEO and Amarita Kinnoo who accepted the Award for the Glen Eira City Council. (l-r) Giuseppina Fantuzzi, Lisa Garnham and Marta Madison from Legal Aid NSW with ARA Chair, Suresh Cuganesan. How a major Melbourne-based bank saves 1,000+ hours with Tangelo Watch: How Tangelo Works to Automate Your Annual Report Process www.tangelo-software.com/video
2018 ARA AWARDS 11 ONLINE REPORTING AWARD This Award was introduced in 2008 to recognise excellence in reporting online. The Award acknowledges the special nature of the digital medium and the opportunities it presents to facilitate easy navigation of an annual report and enhance the presentation of information to attract, engage and inform the reader. TANGELO SOFTWARE IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. S - PRIVATE SECTOR AGL Energy Limited Ravensdown Limited Mirvac Group Limited Mirvac Group Limited The report has excellent navigation and readability, and effectively uses visuals to tell the Mirvac story. There is great use of digital technology to present an interesting and informative home page. Jennifer Stevenson, Communication Manager, Mirvac Group accepted the Award from Erwin Groenendal, Co-Founder and Product Director of Tangelo Software S PUBLIC SECTOR Audit Office of New South Wales Clean Energy Finance Corporation Glen Eira City Council Main Roads Western Australia Audit Office of New South Wales A well-structured report with clear, concise content that is easy to read and understand on a screen. Includes excellent navigation aids and good headings and summary statements to lead the way. Renee O Kane, Communications Manager and Trevor Tye of the Audit Office NSW accepted the Award from Erwin Groenendal of Tangelo Software. S NOT-FOR-PROFIT Australian Red Cross Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Australian Red Cross A well-structured and attractively presented report. Purpose and achievements are communicated effectively by reporting outcomes against the broad goals of the Red Cross. Matt Fisher, Manager Communications at Australian Red Cross accepted the Award from Erwin Groenendal of Tangelo Software.
12 2018 ARA AWARDS SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING AWARD This Award was first introduced in 1997 as the Environmental Reporting Award and was changed to the Sustainability Reporting Award in 2005 to recognise the broader focus of sustainability reporting. NOVA FUSION IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. S - PRIVATE SECTOR CLP Holdings Limited Meridian Energy Limited Sanford Limited Woodside Petroleum Limited Sanford Limited This well-designed annual, integrated and sustainability report transparently reports on Sanford s sustainability performance based on a comprehensive materiality assessment. Tang Lien, Managing Director of Nova Fusion (r) presented the Award to Lisa Martin. General Manager Sustainability and Stuart Houliston, Acting CFO of Sanford Limited. S PUBLIC & NOT-FOR-PROFIT SECTORS New Zealand Superannuation Fund Watercare Services Limited Watercare Services Limited A combined annual and sustainability report that clearly explains why sustainability is intrinsic to Watercare s operations and reports very effectively about its operational performance. Iftekar Hussein, Senior Financial Accountant and Gemma Bridge, Communications Advisor, Watercare Services Limited accepted the Award from Tang Lien, Managing Director of Nova Fusion (r).
2018 ARA AWARDS 13 JOINT ARA-HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING This Award was introduced in 2013 as a joint initiative of the ARA and the Hong Kong Management Association to help raise awareness of sustainability issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The Finalists for this Award are the winners of the Private Sector and Public & Not-For-Profit Sector Awards for Sustainability Reporting respectively in the 2018 Australasian Reporting Awards and the Hong Kong Management Association Best Annual Report Awards. S CLP Holdings Limited (Hong Kong) Sanford Limited (New Zealand) The Hong Kong Jockey Club Watercare Services Limited (New Zealand) Sanford Limited Lisa Martin, General Manager Sustainability and Stuart Houliston, Acting CFO of Sanford Limited accepted the Award from Phil Hughes, ARA Director and Coordinator of the ARA Sustainability Reporting Award (l).
14 2018 ARA AWARDS BEST FIRST-TIME ENTRY AWARD ARA is pleased 54 organisations entered the Awards for the first time this year. All these entrants are to be commended for submitting their reports for critical assessment. In addition to first time entrants from Australia and New Zealand, there were several first time entrants from other countries, particularly Malaysia. Such entries reflect the growing high regard in the Asia-Pacific region for the rigorous ARA adjudication process and the opportunity to obtain constructive feedback on the organisation s report. CLP HOLDINGS IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. (In 2014 CLP Holdings was the first organisation to receive a Gold Award as a first-time entrant.) The reports of three organisations were selected as Finalists for this Award. All three Finalists are from Malaysia and they each achieved a Gold Award this year. S Allianz Malaysia Berhad KPJ Healthcare Berhad Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad Allianz Malaysia Berhad Tang Lien, Managing Director of Nova Fusion, Malaysia (l) accepted the Award on behalf of Allianz Malaysia Berhad from Vivian Au, Deputy Director, Public Affairs (Group), CLP Power Hong Kong Limited.
2018 ARA AWARDS 15 WORK HEALTH & SAFETY REPORTING AWARD This Award was introduced in 2000 to recognise excellence in reporting on actual performance and new initiatives to improve health and safety in the workplace. SAFE WORK AUSTRALIA IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. S Vector Limited Woodside Petroleum Woodside Petroleum Woodside provides good coverage of WHS in both its annual and sustainability reports along with independent verification. The sustainability report is supported by five-year data. Amanda Grey, Deputy Chief Executive of Safe Work Australia presented the Award to Jack Hennessy of Woodside Petroleum Investor Relations. Safe Work Australia congratulates Woodside Petroleum Woodside Petroleum are the winners of the Work Health and Safety Reporting Award. As winner of this award, Woodside Petroleum is leading the way in prioritising work health and safety as an integral part of their business processes and decisions. Good work health and safety performance is an indicator that your business manages its risks effectively, and is likely to be more productive. Annual reports are increasingly seen as a way for investors to find out how organisations manage risk. Have a look at what the leaders in this field are doing, including this year s winner, Woodside Petroleum, and last year s winner, the Bureau of Meteorology. By including work health and safety in your annual report, you can establish your organisation as a leader in work health and safety as well. Safe Work Australia is proud to sponsor the Work Health and Safety Reporting Award. www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
16 2018 ARA AWARDS INTEGRATED REPORTING AWARD Since 2010 there has been growing interest and increased activity around the world in integrating the reporting of financial performance with other information such as strategies, governance, prospects and risks to better communicate the ability of organisations to create value in the future. NOVA FUSION IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. ARA introduced a Special Award for Integrated Reporting in 2013 to support this international initiative and contribute to the evolutionary process S Cbus Limited Meridian Energy Limited Lendlease Limited Sanford Limited Lendlease Limited The report has a clear and concise format and contains several strong, linked sections such as pillars of value, global trends and key risks and risk mitigation. Keith Roberts (l) accepted the award on behalf of Lendlease from Tang Lien, Managing Director of Nova Fusion.
2018 ARA AWARDS 17 relied upon by businesses to build their brand and investor confidence. We ll take care of all your annual report and digital print needs, end-to-end: Design, Print, Delivery. Contact the industry leaders today to see how we can help you share your success. Call (02) 9890 9777 Visit sensesdirect.com.au Proud to be a major sponsor of the Australasian Reporting Awards
18 2018 ARA AWARDS GOVERNANCE REPORTING AWARD This Award was introduced in 1998 in association with the Governance Institute of Australia (then Chartered Secretaries Australia) to recognise quality and completeness of disclosure in reporting on governance. THE COPY RIGHT AGENCY IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. - SPRIVATE SECTOR Meridian Energy Limited Wesfarmers Limited Woodside Petroleum Limited Woodside Petroleum Limited The report clearly communicates that Woodside s governance and performance reporting regime provides accountability, transparency and openness, and reflects strong leadership. Guy Johnson, Director Commercial Licensing, Copyright Agency (r) presented the Award to Jack Hennessy of Woodside Petroleum Investor Relations. - PUBLIC & NOT FOR PROFIT SECTORS Audit Office of New South Wales Insurance and Care NSW Judicial Commission of NSW New Zealand Superannuation Fund Audit Office of NSW Clear, concise and extremely well-written. The thorough reporting of performance and governance instils great confidence in the Audit Office s leadership role in compliance. annual report 2016/17 Barry Underwood, Director, Office of the Auditor- General (l) accepted the Award from Guy Johnson, Director Commercial Licensing, Copyright Agency.
2018 ARA AWARDS 19 COMMUNICATION AWARD This Award was introduced in 1998 to recognise excellence in communicating with stakeholders in printed annual reports. SENSES DIRECT IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD. S - PRIVATE SECTOR Origin Energy Limited Sanford Limited Z Energy Limited Origin Energy Limited Printing in black and white, and facing up to shareholders questions was an effective approach in a year in which the company s dividend was suspended to help reduce debt by $1 billion. Peter Rice, General Manager Capital Markets at Origin Energy Limited (l) accepted the Award from Ian Fulton of Senses Direct. S - PUBLIC SECTOR KiwiRail Maribrynong City Council Plant and Food Research KiwiRail A well-structured report combining strong visual elements with well-written text deftly communicates how KiwiRail responded to disruptions in New Zealand caused by the Kaikoura earthquake. Ken Forrest (r) MD of Marlborough Lines accepted the Award on behalf of KiwiRail from Ian Fulton of Senses Direct. S - NOT-FOR-PROFIT- SECTOR Copyright Agency Multicap Limited Victorian AIDS Council Victorian AIDS Council Two-sentence case commentaries with full-page portrait photos demonstrate how forcefully restraint, and simple economy with words can communicate. Simon Ruth, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian AIDS Council (l) accepted the Award from Ian Fulton of Senses Direct
20 2018 ARA AWARDS BEST COVER DESIGN AWARD This Award was introduced this year in association with DesignDavey and the Australian Graphic Design Association to recognise the importance of design in effective communication in both print and online reporting. DESIGNDAVEY IS A MAJOR SPONSOR OF THE ARA AND SPONSOR OF THIS AWARD To win this award the report cover (or home page of an online report) must be purpose-designed, reflect the purpose of the organisation and/or the underlying theme of the report. - City of Darebin City of Melbourne Marlborough Lines Limited New Zealand Superannuation Fund Sanford Limited New Zealand Superannuation Fund The reflection of the mountains of NZ with skyscrapers of New York City, the world financial capital, powerfully amplifies the report theme: Invested in New Zealand and the World. Jeffrey Davey, Principal of DesignDavey presented the Award to Catherine Etheredge, Head of Communication at the New Zealand Superannuation Fund. designdavey.com.au design Phone 02 9131 8800 Specialist designers for Financial reporting Corporate communications Investor relations M&A transaction documents
2018 ARA AWARDS 21 2018 GOLD AWARDS
22 2018 ARA AWARDS 2018 GOLD AWARDS ACCIDENT COMPENSATION CORPORATION An easy-to-read report that uses graphics and images to engage and communicate effectively with the reader. They are used to present the highlights at the beginning, to show how the organisation is funded and to present easy-to-understand visual performance scorecards. ALLIANZ MALAYSIA BERHAD A well-structured high-quality report with good summary snapshots and good use of graphics to engage readers and enhance their understanding. There is an extensive corporate governance section and a comprehensive sustainability report. It is an outstanding first-time entrant. ASE GROUP A well-structured, easy to read report providing a thorough review of the activities and outcomes of a Russian company that constructs nuclear power stations in 18 countries. Strong editorial on strategy, governance and risk management is well-supported by relevant data. annual report 2016/17 AUDIT OFFICE OF NEW SOUTH WALES An excellent all-round report that concisely captures all relevant information for an organisation that has varied tasks. There is comprehensive overage of performance, issues, and people and policies with an excellent balance between past performance and future priorities. AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION The engaging layout and wellpresented format of this excellent report immediately involve the reader. It transparently communicates what the ABC does and how well it is achieving what it set out to do in an environment of technical innovation that is changing at blinding speed. AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION A well-written, well-structured report that provides the reader with a comprehensive view of the activities undertaken by the Commission and how they contribute to achieving its mission. Excellent case studies throughout demonstrate the Commission s impact in the real world.
2018 ARA AWARDS 23 2018 GOLD AWARDS AUSTRALIAN ETHICAL INVESTMENT LIMITED An engaging integrated, sustainability and annual report that is strongly aligned to the organisation s ethos and its core stakeholders interests. It provides a clear and concise year in review snapshot, and makes good use of images and tables to communicate effectively. AUSTRALIAN TRADE & INVESTMENT COMMISSION This is a comprehensive, detailed report that is easy to read and understand. It provides an excellent summary of the Commission activities and its performance for the year which is well-supported by interesting case studies that help to tell the organisation s story. BLACKTOWN CITY COUNCIL A well-written, easy to navigate report which has a strong governance section. Council s financial position is well-explained, and there are strong linkages with the community and people. Performance is well-handled by a quadruple bottom line matched to the strategic plan. BOROUGH OF QUEENSCLIFFE An excellent, well-written compact report that transparently reports on challenges, disappointments and actions not completed, as well as successes. It reflects the diversity of the Council s constituents, and shows great pride in the region and its achievements. BRIDGE HOUSING LIMITED The judges said, This report punches well above its weight in the NFP Sector. It is well-structured and concisely written, with a good balance of factual information and relevant visuals. Detailed case stories illustrate what Bridge Housing does and the impacts it has. BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL A well-constructed report with excellent explanations of its planning and governance frameworks. It includes very informative yet concise Lord Mayor and CEO reports and a readerfriendly community financial report that demonstrates Council s accountability to the community.
24 2018 ARA AWARDS 2018 GOLD AWARDS CITY OF DAREBIN ANNUAL REPORT 2016/2017 CITY OF DAREBIN A well-designed, easy-to-read report aimed at staff, stakeholders and a diverse community. Welldocumented coverage of both successes and failures in nonfinancial performance demonstrate Council s transparency. GRI and best value reporting add to the report s openness. CITY OF DARWIN Relationships with major stakeholders and the challenges the Council faces are well documented. Detailed performance reporting on major projects, resourcing and policies to improve efficiency demonstrates a strong commitment to transparency, governance and stakeholders. CITY OF GOLD COAST COUNCIL A well-structured, clearly written report explaining the Council s business. Thorough reporting on performance includes successes and failures, and future directions. The section on governance and the explanation of finances are good examples of transparency in reporting. CITY OF MELBOURNE This report is an exemplar for others to follow. It is well-constructed, easy to read and provides excellent disclosures on all aspects of governance and performance. It includes a comprehensive GRI Index and comparative data showing trends as well as yearly activities. CITY OF PORT PHILLIP This easy to read report places emphasis on the community, engaging with stakeholders and Council s commitment to a sustainable future. Measurement of performance throughout the report is in terms of success against cost and service standards, and yearto-year comparisons. CITY OF RYDE A well-presented, informative report using plain language and simple graphs to inform the community about the City s 7 Key Outcomes and future directions. Its open, accountable style, and the performance data for both positive and negative results demonstrate transparency.
v TO 2018 ARA AWARDS 25 2018 GOLD AWARDS ANNUAL REPORT 2016 17 CITY OF STIRLING A detailed report which presents performance through an integrated planning framework. It meets all the ARA criteria at a high standard. Sections based on the strategic themes are supported by easy to read graphs and five-year tables which enhance the reports readability. CITY OF WANNEROO An excellent report with detailed sections on governance demonstrating strong commitment to open, transparent reporting on Council management that goes beyond what is expected. Comparisons to the Corporate Business Plan, Strategic Community Plan and KPI s are informative. CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY AUTHORITY A comprehensive report supported by strong governance. It provides excellent information about the organisation s key performance indicators and the progress made against them. Good use of colour and visual elements make this report a pleasure to read. CLP HOLDINGS LIMITED The overall activity summary at the beginning of the report and the operating and financial review highlights communicate an immediate sense of the organisation s performance for the year. It is well structured, well-illustrated and packed with information. DEFENCE HOUSING AUSTRALIA This is a well laid-out report that is easy to follow and easy to understand. It provides a clear connection between Defence Housing and its stakeholders. An excellent performance summary upfront followed by detailed content results in a very informative, readable report. DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES An excellent report providing a relatively succinct review of the activities and performance of a very large government organisation. It is well-presented and successfully communicates the Department s achievements in a way that makes them easy to understand.
26 2018 ARA AWARDS 2018 GOLD AWARDS Annual Report 2016/2017 GLEN EIRA CITY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2016 2017 Bentleigh Bentleigh East Brighton East Carnegie Caulfield Elsternwick Gardenvale Glen Huntly McKinnon Murrumbeena Ormond St Kilda East DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS (QUEENSLAND) This report addresses the ARA criteria at a high standard. It presents an effective summary of purpose and strategies, and a well-balanced overview of achievements linked to strategies with a current and future focus. Effective cross-referencing is an aid to navigation. EASTERN HEALTH This report scored highly for detailing performance against strategic objectives and for excellent financial statements and notes. It includes an informative coverage strategic priorities and insightful details on the Board of Directors and the work of committees. GLEN EIRA CITY COUNCIL An outstanding report with well-explained commentaries in plain language that cater for all stakeholders. Excellent coverage of financial and nonfinancial performance under each objective with explanations of non-achievements demonstrating commitment to transparency. Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service GOLD COAST HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SERVICE Provides a good overview of the Health Service with clear information about Board functions and committees; and risk management and accountability. The strategic situation, planning and progress are well explained with a clear focus on priorities, targets and challenges. INLAND REVENUE This comprehensive report demonstrates excellence in many areas. It is concise, easy to understand and effective in communicating about performance measures and results in a novel yet clear way. In particular, it provides high quality information about achievements. JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF NSW Provides a good balance throughout between results, challenges and priorities for the year ahead with a high standard overview of stakeholder relations, people management and policies. It also makes great use of case studies to demonstrate service delivery and performance.
2018 ARA AWARDS 27 2018 GOLD AWARDS KPJ HEALTHCARE BERHAD This comprehensive report communicates effectively with readers who are interested in the organisation and its operations. It shows obvious pride in the company s achievements. The financial statements are well presented and there is an excellent section on sustainability. KU-RING-GAI CITY COUNCIL A well-organised, easy to read, open and accountable report. Explanations of strategic directions, performance and non-achievements are supported by 5-year trend tables. It reflects Council s desire to provide information on governance in the context of structural changes. LEGAL AID NSW A high-quality report with clear, concise text and strong graphics with an excellent section on Measuring Performance, and case studies which demonstrate service delivery. There is good balance between current and future focus, and a strong emphasis that people matter. LOGAN CITY COUNCIL This report is well laid out, easy to read and understand. It strongly reflects Council s concerns about governance and the community. Key stakeholder and community engagement information is integrated throughout the report. Performance and the financials are well-explained. MAIN ROADS WESTERN AUSTRALIA A well-defined, user-friendly online report containing pertinent structural and operational information that acknowledges significant issues, community involvement and challenges. It makes great use of videos to highlight key points and provide overviews of its operations. MALAYSIAN RESOURCES CORPORATION BERHAD This report is commendable for its overview of Who we are and What we do and its comprehensive reporting on governance and staffing. Good structure, clear editorial, imaginative charts and cheerful photos make it interesting, reader-friendly and easy to understand.
Annual Report 2017 28 2018 ARA AWARDS 2018 GOLD AWARDS MANNINGHAM CITY COUNCIL A pleasing, well-organised report in which performance is based on strategic objectives and nonachievements are explained openly. It has a strong governance section and commitment to transparency in reporting. Challenges and plans for the year ahead are covered in detail. MARANOA REGIONAL COUNCIL This open, accountable report demonstrates true connection to its community. It provides an excellent summary of the role of Council and how its services are delivered. The performance section is informative and concise, and the community financial report is excellent. MARIBYRNONG CITY COUNCIL A well-presented concise report that does not shirk on detail. Performance reporting is transparent and fully credible. An informative governance section identifies the complexity and challenges of managing a growing municipality and addresses the challenges going forward. ANNUAL REPORT 2016 17 Fostering prosperity MARLBOROUGH LINES LIMITED A well-presented report with beautiful imagery telling the story of a challenging year due to the Kaikoura earthquake in November 2016. There are frank discussions about the challenges faced, the impacts on stakeholders and future plans in a complex regulatory environment. MEAT & LIVESTOCK AUSTRALIA A comprehensive report providing detailed information about how the organisation operates and what it achieves. It identifies and engages with the various key stakeholder groups. There is extensive reporting on KPIs and an effective focus around six Strategic Pillars. MEDIA PRIMA BERHAD A bright, captivating report that makes good use of graphics to communicate transparently about the organisation s activities and achievements, in a way that reflects its brand and mission. Presentation of operations and performance information is dynamic and comprehensive.
2018 ARA AWARDS 29 2018 GOLD AWARDS NEW ZEALAND SUPERANNUATION FUND An exceptional report providing comprehensive information in a well-structured and effective format about an organisation that operates in a complex, highly sophisticated, regulated financial environment. Effective use of graphics and visuals help to engage the reader. NSW MINISTRY OF HEALTH A thorough report that provides clear insights into health priorities in NSW and the achievements of the many health organisations involved. Summaries of progress are provided against eight strategic priorities to present a comprehensive picture of performance across NSW. PENRITH CITY COUNCIL An open, accountable report with emphasis on governance and informing Council s constituents. Performance measures are well presented with easy to understand explanations. It recognises challenges in delivering services and the performance targets that had not been met. QUEENSLAND URBAN UTILITIES A clear, well-written and wellstructured report that makes good use of colour, graphs, pictures and tables to impart information in a lively manner. It provides an effective performance snapshot, and there is great balance between current performance and future focus. SANFORD LIMITED This report meets best practice integrated reporting standards. It does an excellent job of identifying key stakeholders and their interests. A materiality matrix reporting on matters of material interest to stakeholders is a good example for others to follow. SOMMERVILLE COMMUNITY SERVICES INC. An excellent annual report for well-designed and presented for its audience to reflect the heart and soul of Somerville s mission. It highlights different activities with well-presented performance targets and results, and states clear aims for the next financial year.
30 2018 ARA AWARDS ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY QUEENSLAND A clear, concisely written report that covers the rapid growth and integration of a large and diverse organisation very well. Clearly presented and relevant case studies, and excellent corporate governance disclosures contribute to making this an excellent annual report. TENAGA NASIONAL BERHAD A report that is well-structured to cater for both internal and external stakeholders. Performance highlights are clearly presented and there are excellent connections between strategies and achievements. There is comprehensive coverage of sustainability, personnel, and health and safety. THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL Transparently covers the organisation s performance in achieving its key objectives and not shying away from areas of non-achievement. It explains governance in an informative way and recognises the contributions of stakeholders and volunteers in achieving its outcomes. THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE A strong report that is wellstructured and appealing to read providing an excellent sense of the University s achievements. The research grants section is concise and user-friendly, and the Milestones Reached summaries and future plans are particularly interesting. VICTORIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION Summarises what the Commission does with excellent stakeholder and governance sections, and clear presentation of success indicators and strategic initiatives. The cover pages for each section summarising achievements for the year and the future outlook are outstanding. WATERCARE SERVICES LIMITED This beautifully styled report makes effective use of infographics to illustrate its mission, vision and assets and provides an excellent summary of operational outcomes. The informative GRI section assures readers of Watercare s positive attitude towards sustainability.
2018 ARA AWARDS 31 2018 GOLD AWARDS WESFARMERS LIMITED Clearly presents strong disclosures on all elements of a very diverse organisation. A succinct overview of the performance of each business is well-supported by strong disclosures and transparent reporting in the governance, operations and financial sections of the report. WHANGANUI DISTRICT HEALTH BOARD This report provides excellent coverage of the year under review and satisfies the reader with detailed information and analyses of performance. It has a strong focus on the communities the organisation works with and their involvement in decision making and service delivery. WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED An engaging, informative and well-presented account of the year s performance that fully recognises challenges and risks. Information on activities, sustainability, growth and future directions is very clearly presented with effective use of graphics.
32 2018 ARA AWARDS ARA CONGRATULATES 2018 GOLD AWARD R E C I P I E N T S To receive a Gold Award a report must: Achieve overall excellence in annual reporting. Provide high-quality coverage of all aspects of the ARA Criteria. Provide full disclosures of key aspects of the core business. Address current legislative and regulatory requirements. Be a model for other reports to follow. 1. Accident Compensation Corporation 2. Allianz Malaysia Berhad 3. ASE Group 4. Audit Office of New South Wales 5. Australian Broadcasting Corporation 6. Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission 7. Australian Ethical Investment 8. Australian Trade & Investment Commission 9. Blacktown City Council 10. Borough of Queenscliffe 11. Bridge Housing Limited 12. Brisbane City Council 13. City of Darebin 14. City of Darwin 15. City of Gold Coast Council 16. City of Melbourne 17. City of Port Phillip 18. City of Ryde 19. City of Stirling 20. City of Wanneroo 21. Civil Aviation Safety Authority 22. CLP Holdings Limited 23. Defence Housing Australia (DHA) 24. Department of Social Services 25. Department of Transport and Main Roads 26. Eastern Health 27. Glen Eira City Council 28. Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service 29. Inland Revenue 30. Judicial Commission of NSW 31. KPJ Healthcare Berhad 32. Ku-ring-gai Council 33. Legal Aid NSW 34. Logan City Council 35. Main Roads Western Australia 36. Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad 37. Manningham City Council 38. Maranoa Regional Council 39. Maribyrnong City Council 40. Marlborough Lines Limited 41. Meat & Livestock Australia 42. Media Prima Berhad 43. New Zealand Superannuation Fund 44. NSW Ministry of Health 45. Penrith City Council 46. Queensland Urban Utilities 47. Sanford Limited 48. Somerville Community Services Inc 49. St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland 50. Tenaga Nasional Berhad 51. The Hills Shire Council 52. The University of Newcastle 53. Victorian Electoral Commission 54. Watercare Services Limited 55. Wesfarmers Limited 56. Whanganui District Health Board 57. Woodside Petroleum Ltd