PPC Ltd was announced as the overall winner of the Nkonki Top 100 Integrated Reporting Awards. Integrated reporting is the newest trend of changes to company reporting standards and the need to apply integrated reporting in South Africa was clearly recognised in King 3.
All South African companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) had to either adopt the reporting guidelines or explain why they could not, as outlined on other King reporting guidelines. The recognition is given to companies whose reporting for the previous year is impeccable. “Each year we’ve seen improvements in reports from public-listed and state-owned companies. Through showcasing SA best practice towards improving reporting standards, the awards make a positive contribution,” said Nkonki CEO Sindi Zilwa.
“This is a wonderful achievement and serves as proof that our combined efforts have culminated in a report we can be proud of,” said Azola Lowan, PPC Executive: Strategy and Investor Relations
In the first awards in 2010, companies evaluated included the top 40 listed companies plus the top Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) firms, amounting to 42. No reports scored an “A” rating. By comparison, the 2013 awards took the top 100 listed company reports plus those on the SRI. With scores of 80 and over, 11 companies attained an “A” rating.
PPC found that compiling an integrated report of this calibre required them to work more closely as a team, aligning all facets of the business. The newly presented information was welcomed by PPC stakeholders who expressed a decidedly positive attitude at the annual general meetings.
A key consideration in both compiling and presenting the report was in balancing provision of appropriate and varied content without risking information overload. This challenge was met by incorporating strong graphic elements.
As most of PPC’s stakeholders spend increasing amounts of time online, PPC released the report in two versions, a printed booklet and a web report. To ensure that integrated reports maintain this winning standard, PPC have dedicated themselves to actively working on the continuous improvement of the report. “Our theme – ‘Strength Beyond the Bag – emphasises that our business is not only about the cement that we produce but also innovation and the effect we have on communities” explained Lowan.
More information from Valincia Reddy, Tel:+27(0)11 709 6764 / email:
valincia.reddy@ogilvypr.co.za.
