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The Annual Report as a strategic communication tool

Storytelling in annual reports elevates financial metrics to a higher level: it connects strategy to results and data to meaning. It is the key to not just informing investors, customers and employees, but truly convincing them.

Why every Annual Report should be a sheep in a box

In recent years, annual reports have evolved from a mandatory exercise for financially driven stakeholders into a tool for building trust, demonstrating transparency and engaging a much broader audience. Yet many reports still remain purely informative: accurate, complete and correct, but emotionless. They meet the requirements, but fail to inspire. They speak to the head, not the heart. And it is precisely that emotional connection that makes the difference between a report that is skimmed and one that sticks.

With the arrival of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), companies are required to report not only on performance, but also on their impact on the environment, people and society. This goes far beyond ticking boxes. It demands context, motivation and a clear vision for the future. Today’s stakeholders (investors, employees, customers and regulators) expect more than numbers. They expect purpose, authenticity and societal relevance. The key question is no longer what we have achieved, but why is matters. And that requires imagination.

The power of imagination is beautifully illustrated in ‘Le Petit Prince’ by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. If you have read it, you will remember the moment when the Little Prince asks the pilot to draw him a sheep. None of the first drawings are good enough. Until the pilot tries something different: he draws a box with three air holes and says, “The sheep you’re looking for is inside.” That’s exactly the sheep the Little Prince wanted. He doesn’t need to see it to understand it. That empty box holds what he needs: space for meaning.

In an annual report, you can do the same, translate figures, analyses and strategies into stories and metaphors that people easily understand and remember. This makes key messages more clear and arguments more impactful. By guiding readers through a narrative, you create empathy and support. Future decisions become less abstract. Storytelling can be decisive in strategic choices or investment decisions.

Why do we tell stories? At its core, the answer is simple. We tell stories not only to entertain, but to share information, communicate values, and preserve culture. Thousands of years ago, we carved them into cave walls. Today, they are cleverly packaged into creative content. With storytelling, you are not selling a product, you are selling a brand, an idea, knowledge, or a reputation. Stories matter.

Storytelling works because it activates our brains in a deep and natural way. When we hear a story, not only are the language centers stimulated, but also the areas responsible for emotion, imagery and social understanding. This makes stories far more memorable than isolated facts, stories create emotional and cognitive connections. That is why storytelling is so powerful in an annual report: it transforms figures and results into a meaningful narrative people can relate to. The report becomes a strategic communication tool that goes beyond mere reporting.

Numbers tell us what happened. Stories tell us why it matters

An annual report must be solid. The numbers clear, the accountability airtight. That is the foundation, and rightly so. But readers want more than just information. They seek motivation and meaning. A report that only informs doesn’t resonate. That is why we add an extra layer: a layer of story and significance. Not as decoration, but to bring context to life and make the organization’s mission and brand promise tangible.

Therefore, choose a clear theme, bring the essence to life through stories, give numbers meaning by linking them to real moments and make goals tangible with visuals and infographics. Those who embrace the power of imagination turn the annual report into more than a document. They create a story that sticks.

Case study: Royal FloraHolland – The story behind the flower

For Royal FloraHolland’s annual report, we advised looking beyond the required overview of figures and disclosures. We proposed placing storytelling at the heart of the report, stories that bring the essence of Royal FloraHolland to life.

The result? A visually rich and emotionally resonant report that goes beyond the familiar auction scenes of flower carts and bidding screens. Because Royal FloraHolland is more than a marketplace. It is a platform where millions of flowers and plants find their way from grower to customer every single day. And behind every flower lies a story.

Together we brought that story to light. About the grower who cultivates with passion, the buyer who chooses with care, and the flower that connects; offering comfort, hope, love or joy. By zooming in on the beauty and complexity of flowers and plants, we showed how Royal FloraHolland operates with precision and innovation to help growers get the best out of their products. Storytelling became the red thread. Not as a format, but as a means to convey meaning. The report became not just a reflection, but a reminder of what flowers truly do: touch and connect people.

Read the RoyalFlora Holland case.

Not perfect, but credible

Storytelling isn’t about embellishing the truth, it is about revealing its meaning. Ultimately, it’s not just about delivering a flawless report, but also about telling credible stories. Stories that inform and inspire. Stories that bring numbers to life. Stories in which stakeholders recognise themselves and that stay with them long after the last page is read.

Storytelling doesn’t conflict with transparency; it deepens it. It creates space for interpretation, trust and recognition, exactly what your stakeholders are looking for. So yes, draw that sheep in a box. Not because you have something to hide, but because you have something meaningful to share.

ESG in the face of Omnibus: a call for proactive communication

The EU’s Omnibus Regulation – published on February 26^th – casts uncertainty over the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). While aiming to reduce administrative burdens, this simplification risks weakening the CSRD’s ability to drive meaningful environmental and social progress. Nevertheless, it’s a call for strategic adaptation; companies must demonstrate leadership through proactive ESG communication now.

The proposed changes to the Omnibus Regulation could significantly reshape the CSRD landscape. Key concerns include:

Scope of reporting: the revisions raise the threshold for mandatory reporting, excluding many SMEs initially included under the CSRD, potentially reducing impact on sustainability improvements.
Data granularity: anticipated decreases in mandated KPIs could obscure progress in critical ESG areas, complicating performance tracking.
Implementation timeline: delays could hinder momentum toward EU sustainability goals, allowing companies to defer investments in sustainable practices.
Auditing uncertainty: a lack of clarity regarding the key regulations to be audited could undermine the credibility of the CSRD.

This regulatory uncertainty poses challenges for businesses, complicating strategic planning and investments in sustainability. Waiting for clarity is tempting but risky; inaction may erode stakeholders’ trust and hinder progress in sustainable practices.

Forward-thinking companies view this as an opportunity to showcase leadership. By moving beyond compliance to proactively communicate their ESG journey and its tangible impact, they can build enduring stakeholders’ trust. Uncertainty doesn’t negate past ESG initiatives. The data and insights from previous efforts provide a foundation for future strategies, allowing for credible baselines and targeted improvements.

As reporting requirements evolve, fundamental sustainability principles remain constant. Companies should emphasize:

Transparent and open communication: even with fewer mandated KPIs, transparent reporting on ESG initiatives is crucial. Share progress, challenges and ambitions (and positive steps taken).
Impact-focused storytelling: quantify impacts and weave narratives showing how actions translate to real-world results.
Stakeholder engagement: actively engage stakeholders like investors, customers, employees and communities to reinforce commitment and solicit feedback.

A sustainable future, strategically communicated

The Omnibus Regulation introduces challenges, but it does not diminish the importance of ESG. Companies should frame their efforts as a continuous journey, seeing setbacks as learning opportunities. Transparency builds credibility and authenticity. Past ESG initiatives are valuable; the experiences gained form a strong foundation for future strategies. By embracing transparency, focusing on storytelling, engaging stakeholders and leveraging past experience, companies can navigate uncertainty and solidify their leadership in building a sustainable future.

The journey itself becomes a powerful narrative that resonates far beyond regulatory details.

Navigating ESG uncertainty: strategic opportunities for your organization

The Omnibus Regulation brings changes to the ESG landscape, presenting new challenges for businesses. The evolving landscape calls for bold communication strategies. To successfully navigate this uncertainty, your organization must focus on developing unique and compliant ESG positions, leveraging storytelling and branding to highlight sustainability impacts, creating clear frameworks for transparently presenting complex ESG data, actively engaging stakeholders through innovative campaigns and turning challenges into opportunities by promoting proactive sustainability narratives.

This approach will enable your organization to adapt, inspire and thrive amidst uncertainty.

Why Design makes all the difference in Corporate Reporting

With new regulations pushing organizations to adopt a fresh perspective on transparency and sustainability awareness, design has become an indispensable and decisive factor in the success of publishing an annual report.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates organizations to report more comprehensively on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) impacts.

Design not only clarifies complex information, making a report more accessible, credible, and persuasive, but it also enables the creation of a compelling and unique narrative. This, in turn, drives engagement and enhances brand reputation. The strategic value of design in developing annual reports cannot be overstated.

Visual processing and memory

Have you ever found it easier to remember where information was located on a page rather than recalling the exact wording? This is because humans primarily process information and form memories visually. Whether it’s a person, situation, or object, our brain creates an “image” within a mere quarter of a second. It’s no surprise that visuals always tell a better story than words. This isn’t a cliché; it’s science. Use it!

Enhanced clarity and understanding

Design organizes information in a logical manner, making it easier for readers to grasp key messages and digest critical information. Visual elements such as charts, graphs, and (interactive) infographics transform raw data into meaningful and accessible insights, allowing stakeholders to make informed decisions.

Design highlights critical data points and key performance indicators, helping stakeholders focus on what truly matters. By prioritizing essential information, readers are not overwhelmed by numbers. Design provides structure, establishes hierarchy, and offers clarity to readers.

Aligned and tailored

Annual reports are often filled with figures and complex financial information. Design transforms this abstract data into a clear and appealing visual presentation. For example, clever infographics can make even the most complicated data understandable, allowing readers to move through the story quickly and effortlessly.

Good design is strategic and purposeful. Ensuring overall brand alignment is vital to claiming ownership and fostering acceptance and credibility.

Today, stakeholders—not just stockholders—are the primary audience for annual reports. Different stakeholders have varied information needs and expectations. Effective design customizes information to suit these diverse audiences, making reports more relevant and engaging.

Impact, authenticity, and credibility

Visuals have significantly more impact than textual information when conveying emotions. Often, the emotional effect of an image is unconsciously transferred to the information it accompanies. In other words, visual elements—such as thematic photography, functional color schemes, clever graphs, clear tables, and smart layouts—not only reinforce the message but also improve understanding and retention.

The more effectively visuals are used in a report, the better it supports its broader communication goals. Ensuring brand alignment is crucial for claiming ownership, reinforcing acceptance, and bolstering credibility.

A visually appealing report aligned with the brand and narrative demonstrates the organization’s commitment to transparency and integrity. It reflects attention to detail and showcases dedication to excellence, fostering trust among stakeholders.

Today, annual reports tell powerful stories about what an organization stands for, what it has achieved, and where it aims to go. Design plays a key role in crafting an authentic and captivating narrative, setting an organization apart in a competitive landscape. Design has the power to captivate, inspire, and connect. The strategic use of design elevates corporate reporting into an essential communication asset.

In a nutshell

Design is by no means mere report decoration. It significantly impacts corporate reporting by influencing how information is perceived, understood, and remembered. Design enhances credibility, communication, and stakeholder engagement, fostering transparency and trust. Successful corporate reporting depends on design.

Show it, don’t just tell it

You might think the old axiom doesn’t apply to your annual report. But think again. Your most important stakeholders – investors, (future) employees and analysts – are remarkably on the same page: a great annual report thrives on mixed platforms.

Stakeholders prefer an annual report that is more straightforward, shorter and interactive. The length of your report is a significant factor when primary stakeholders judge its overall quality, as are the choice of format and medium.

Both your professional stakeholders and certainly employees want to engage with a more adaptable version of your financial statements, purpose, and ESG initiatives. They prioritize visual content and interactive storytelling. An excellent report should engage your readers by showing your company’s story, not just telling it.

For example, some companies use videos, social media posts and stories to provide essential information while referring readers to the annual report for more details. Following up with stories on social media, making the information more accessible and engaging.

Consider how we as humans interpret and digest information. By harnessing technologies your essential information will communicate more effectively and engagingly. Utilizing modern conveniences, like interactive formats, allows stakeholders to search for key terms and click directly on sections of interest. Distributing content across platforms using videos is an excellent way to convey technical information compellingly. Videos can create more engagement among your key stakeholders.

Repetition makes perfect. Make the best out of the formats and mediums available to you. Your annual report will be more impactful if you consider it the centerpiece of your communication with a multichannel strategy. While updating your report, take the next important step in showing your company’s story instead of just telling it. Visuals speak louder than words.

From frustration to efficiency

Enhancing the corporate reporting process.

The annual report. For many companies, these words evoke thoughts of poorly edited drafts, countless data syncs, tiresome triple-checking, repetitive revisions, back-and-forth with departments, and hours spent racing the clock. If you’ve been or currently still are in the midst of it all, you know the production process is always stressful and often rife with inefficiencies. To shed light on some classic annual reporting frustrations a recent survey* studied the behavior of various companies during the last reporting season. With several interesting and intriguing findings as a result. How to strive for an effective and accurate production process seems to be a quest for most organizations when meeting their ever more complex reporting needs.

Two content streams. Many complications.

The average production process involves two content streams: the narrative sections and the financial sections of the annual report. While the front sections of the annual report contain narrative content (e.g. activity report), the back sections feature more numbers-driven material (e.g. financial statements and notes). Each content stream comes with its own nuances and complications. At first glance alone, these processes can be incredibly frustrating. Riddled with inefficiencies and always ripe for improvement.

Presenting the numbers.

Many finance departments use a disclosure management system to populate the back sections of the report: producing the tables in the financial statements and the commentary in accompanying notes. After delivering their results to the annual report project manager, finance often considers their job done. But it’s not. In reality, it’s only just begun. Research shows that clients synced their data an average of 41 times. Requesting updates and compulsively checking for mistakes can be quite a hassle.

Telling the story.

Collaboration is key across the entire production process — but especially in regards to the narrative sections of the annual report. Here, the text is massaged, tweaked, and discussed, infographics are continually updated, board photos are retouched, and elements are regularly moved around last-minute. According to the same survey, companies make an average of 275 revisions to their annual report in the last two weeks before publication.

average revisions in annual report — * Study by digital finance association FinTech in 2023.

These statistics show that companies have a great need for collaboration and crave the ability to manage final changes and immediate edits while working continuous on mostly the narrative parts of the annual report.

Devise your approach.

Publishing an annual report is a major milestone in every organization’s calendar. No doubt it can be stressful as there is so much to remember. But if you want to create a report that ticks all the regulatory compliance boxes, as well as standing out for all the right reasons among your competitors, having a clear plan of action is essential. As there are no ready-made solutions, your reporting process should always be tailored.

Know what’s coming.

While many companies like to postpone post-publication evaluations, we view such project reviews as crucial steppingstones for progress. A strategic analysis meticulously assesses every aspect of the design and production process to pinpoint any discrepancies between the final output and the original objectives related to approach, content, narrative, layout and technology. Such a systematic analysis provides actionable insights, allowing organizations to identify opportunities to enhance impact and quality of future reports. The insights gained lead to tailored recommendations that address the unique reporting challenges faced by each organization. Understanding the organizational impact of reporting is crucial for crafting effective storytelling and streamlining the entire production process.

Do you wonder how to optimize your reporting? TD Cascade is happy to help. Contact us to initiate a conversation that may transform your approach to corporate reporting—no strings attached.

A new era

Olga IJspeert en haar opvolger Marc Hilhorst

After finishing art school in Enschede and additional training in design management at Erasmus University, Olga took her first steps in the profession at Staatdrukkerij (SDU). There she learned a lot about identities and information design. After five years, she switched to Total Design as team leader and later member of the management team. This is also how she discovered her commercial qualities. The entrepreneurial blood was unstoppable and in 1990 Olga started her own agency, Cascade.

Olga: ‘I come from an entrepreneurial family, and apparently I had inherited that gene. My dream was to set up a creative lab with all kinds of different design and communication disciplines, which would convincingly and consistently shape the basic core values of a company, the corresponding image, from one thought.’

Over the years, Cascade has increasingly developed into a design and communications agency specialising in information design and reporting. It now works for the largest clients in the Netherlands and Belgium. For some for more than 20 years.

Olga: ‘Our strength was in corporate identity and design, underpinned by the corporate story. Over the past 10 years, reporting also became increasingly important again, but now the focus was mainly on continuous reporting and benchmarking on the one hand and on the story and social and environmental policy of the company on the other. Reporting has therefore also developed enormously in recent years in technical terms. It is now about much more than facts and figures. European directives on corporate social responsibility (ESG) have only accelerated that process.’

Partly because of these developments, the ambition arose to work in a broader context again with partners who were also interested in information design and reporting. In addition, the covid pandemic had made it clear to Olga that a distinction was emerging in how different generations dealt with this new reality. She felt it was time to hand over the baton, and in 2020 she decided to sell Cascade. Almost naturally, Total Design and Cascade found each other, and in 2021 Cascade integrated into Total Design.

Olga: ‘That wasn’t surprising. Total Design’s DNA has always been there at Cascade. For me, it felt like coming home, and my team was also proud to join Total Design.’

Shortly after, Total Design including Cascade was acquired by Belgium based M80 and became part of the Yuma Group with several IT companies that only lacked the knowledge and expertise of design. This was equally true for annual reports and reporting.

Olga: ‘The merger with Total Design went remarkably smoothly. Partly due to the acquisition of Domani from The Hague, we have grown strongly. We have a fantastic team, partly with new people, and financially TD Cascade is very healthy. My successor has the right qualities for the new course and I therefore hand over the baton to him with confidence.’

From 1 April, Marc Hilhorst will be TD Cascade’s new Managing Director. With a background at Vodafone in Singapore and Qatar and recently in building and growing an e-commerce business, he brings a unique blend of corporate experience and entrepreneurship.

Marc: ‘I learnt and enjoyed a lot within the international corporate world, but at some point entrepreneurship still attracted me. It’s nice to be part of a larger group again with TD Cascade now, but also to continue being an entrepreneur.’

Internationalisation occupies a central place in Yuma’s strategy. That means the Benelux, Germany and France in particular. In this, Total Design and TD Cascade can each make their own contribution. TD Cascade especially in the field of information design and reporting. By adding value through good design and by further leveraging technology and strategic partnerships to serve clients even better with integrated and innovative solutions.

Marc: ‘There are enormous challenges ahead. Developments are happening fast and more and more responsibilities are being placed on businesses by politics and society. In addition, AI will have a major impact on the way we work. Under the banner of Yuma, TD Cascade also wants to take a pioneering role in this. It has always had that pioneering role. In doing so, Olga leaves behind a great team spirit. I am enormously grateful to her and the team for that’.

For more information, please contact Marc Hilhorst.

Award voor jaarverslag Umicore

Het Belgisch Instituut van Bedrijfsrevisoren (IBR-IRE) zet jaarlijks Belgische organisaties of organisaties die actief zijn in België in de spotlights die transparant en helder communiceren over hun prestaties op het vlak van milieu, maatschappij en goed bestuur (de “ESG-criteria”).

Dit jaar werd de prijs voor het beste duurzaamheidsverslag in de categorie beursgenoteerde bedrijven uitgereikt aan Umicore na een verpletterende overwinning met 75% van alle stemmen uitgebracht door professionals en vakgenoten.
De jury prees het verslag van Umicore voor zijn duidelijkheid, waardoor het gemakkelijk te begrijpen is voor mensen die niet vertrouwd zijn met deze complexe ESG-aangelegenheden. Het verslag van Umicore werd ook geprezen voor zijn inspanningen op het vlak van transparantie en communicatiestrategie. De jury waardeerde de leesbaarheid en de originele structuur van het verslag van Umicore.

Als wereldleider in circulaire materiaaltechnologie en recyclage – met meer dan 11 500 werknemers en verspreid over 12 landen op 3 continenten – heeft Umicore een voorbeeldfunctie op het vlak van duurzaamheidsprestaties.
Duurzame waarde creëren is de overkoepelende strategische ambitie van Umicore. Met hun “Let’s go for zero”-aanpak staat Umicore al jaren aan de spits van ESG. Duurzaamheid zit in hun DNA. Geïntegreerde rapportering wordt beschouwd als de sleutel voor Umicore.

TD Cascade is al 2 jaar de reportingpartner van Umicore. Naast ontwerp – met een bijzondere focus op informatieontwerp om complexe gegevens te vertalen in slimme visuele verhalen – ondersteunt TD Cascade Umicore met het beheer van haar interne productieproces.

We zijn dan ook erg trots om deel uit te maken van dit inspirerende project van Umicore. Proficiat aan iedereen die betrokken is bij TD Cascade en Umicore!

Voor het werk, kijk op: https://www.umicore.com/en/investors/annual-report/

Noblesse oblige

Bij het maken van online jaarverslagen lijkt techniek de overhand te krijgen. Maar is dat ook terecht?

EU Taxonomie

Kort voor de zomer van 2021 stelde de Europese Unie nieuwe regelgeving vast om te bepalen of investeringen van bedrijven en financiële instellingen ‘groen’ zijn. Bedrijven en organisaties die onder deze regelgeving vallen, zullen vanaf 2022 hun investeringen moeten toelichten en verantwoorden.

Design en de corporate story

Elke huisstijl heeft een verhaal. De corporate story maakt het inzichtelijk.