An annual report is a document a company presents at Annual General Meeting for approval by its shareholders, or a charitable organization presents its trustees.

1. Featured showcase: IMC Annual Report

For IMC, Fitzroy designed a unique annual report. IMC – a renowned derivative trading house with over 500 employees worldwide – is an active trader in almost every stock market in the world. They constantly have to deal with stock exhanges’ information and its ever changing highs and lows.

In the annual report, this information is translated in a unique way by showing in 24 pages the 24 hours of a trading day. Which stock exhange opens and which one closes; what information is relevant. By using the green (increase) and red (decline) filters, the data of a hectic trading day are pushed to the background, so that only IMC’s active fields (the stock markets and the arrows) remain visible.

A final detail: based on GMT the stock exchanges trading at night are displayed in blue, while the ones trading during the day are displayed in yellow.

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Out of the box designs

The following design examples are great inspiration for out of the box thinking.

2. Agency: Kuhlmann Leavitt

This impactful piece captures the reader with exquisite black and white photography and classic yet whimsical typography customized to each shot. - Visit the agency Kuhlmann Leavitt popup: yes for more information and photos

3. Agency: Bruketa Zinic

Well Done: a food company annual report that has to be cooked first. Croatian creative agency Bruketa & Zinić have designed an annual report for food company Podravka that has to be baked in an oven before it can be read. - Visit the design company Bruketa Zinic popup:yes - See this great full pictured article popup:yes about this exceptional annual report.

4. Agency: Migreyes

Unique annual report that highlights Konami’s goal to target beyond Japan. - Visit the detailed information about Konami’s Annual Report at Migreyes popup:yes

5. Feltron

A unique layout and information presenting annual report from Feltron. - Take a look at the website for more photos and screenshots of Feltron’s Annual Report popup:yes

Simply beautiful Annual Report Design

Just beautiful annual report design with great color usage, typography and photo use.

6. British Council Annual Report

Navig8 won in a bid against the British Council’s prestigious list of suppliers to design and print manage their annual report. - Visit the Navig8 popup:yes website for more information.

7. Airtricity Annual Report

Great design, creative view on getting numbers to look attractive. The photos and quotes included in this annual report are great designed. - Take a look at the agency website popup:yes for more information.

8. Catalyst Recruitment

Our clients will no doubt have a clearer understanding of the diversity of our business and specialist areas and we would have no hesitation in recommending Lemonade to other customers due to their professional service, follow through and innovative creative design. - Visit the website Lemonade Agency popup:yes for more information about this fabulous annual report.

9. Agency Methodologie

Univar NV is one of the world’s leading independent distributors of industrial chemicals and providers of related specialty services, operating throughout North America and Europe. Designed by Methodologie, an award winning design agency with a creative view on annual reporting. - Visit the website Methodologie popup:yes for more information and their portfolio.

10. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Annual Report

This annual design is designed with many photos and good typography usage. This serious subject is presented in a great designed annual report. - Visit the website and download the completePDF annual report popup:yes.

11. Stedelijk Museum Jaarverslag

The design Agency Deel Drie designed the annual report for Het Stedelijk museum Amsterdam, with large black/white headlines combined with colorful photos this is great work. - Visit the website and download popup:yes the complete annual report for Het Stedelijk Musuem.

12. Geest Annual Report

Designed by Navyblue, the Geest annual report has won the ProShare Award for Best Annual Report for Private Investors (FTSE 500) for an unprecedented five years in succession. - Visit the agency website popup:yes for more information

13. Agency Hirshorn Zuckerman Design Group

Legacy’s campaigns are designed to engage, and this report had to do the same. That strong cover statement—“The Story of the Year”—leads the reader into a variety of campaign voices and intimate portraits backed by strong colors. - Visit the website from Hirshorn Zuckerman Design Group popup:yes for more information.

14. Agency SamataMason

For Strategic Hotels and Resorts SamataMason designed a wonderful paper sculptor and the typography. - Visit the website from SamataMason popup:yes for more information.

15. Agency Sibley/Peteet Design Austin

For Tropical Sportswear Sibley/Peteet Design Austin created a beautiful crafted annual report, titled “The Perfect Pair”, the front cover communicates the title on a hang tag on the back pocket of a pair of khakis. - See the website popup:yes for more information and examples.

16. BNP Paribas Annual Report

BNP Paribas Assurance develops and markets savings, protection and property & casualty insurance products in 42 countries under two brands, those brand are financially reported in this nice designed annual report. - Visit the website BNP Paribas popup:yes for a full PDF version of the Annual Report 2006 and 2007.

17. The Equality Authority

An attractive and innovative document that reaches out and communicates very effectively with the very diverse audience we strive to serve. - Visit the website popup:yes for more information and a full PDF download.

18. Annual Report Transparency International 2006

Transparency International’s Annual Report 2006 showcases last year’s successes for the anti-corruption movement, as well as innovation in measurement tools, targeted advocacy work and sector-specific projects from TI chapters. - Visit the website Transparency popup:yes to download the full PDF version.

19. Overall design tips for Annual Report Design

A well-written and designed annual report is a must to reinforce a hard won reputation. Stakeholders need to be assured the organisation is not in the business of cutting corners or taking the easy way out - Visit the website popup:yes for more tips about annual reporting design.

Worth mentioning

_20. Delta Lloyd Jaarverslag, the complete annual report viewable as a website or to download from the website.
_21. Unilever Jaarverslag, download the complete PDF version from the website.
_22.Koninklijke Ahold Jaarverslag, download the complete PDF version from the Ahold website.
_23.IBM Annual reporting, available from 1994 to 2007, download the complete PDF versions from the website.
_24. IMF Annual report, available from 1996 to 2007, download the complete PDF versions from the website.
_25. A complete huide for annual reports, visit the website AnnualReport.com for additional information.
_26. StepInside, a design related website with top 100 company’s and annual reporting, see the website for additional information.