Hydro's annual report takes gold
(Sep. 14, 2007) Hydro's annual report for 2006 has been awarded two prizes by the jury of the prestigious Norwegian 'Farmand prize'. Hydro received gold for its printed report in the category for stock exchange listed companies and bronze in the category for web publication.
PRIZE: The Farmand price is awarded annually for the best Norwegian annual report. Happy prize-winners from Hydro: From left, Jorunn Frafjord, iNet coodinator, Eva S. Mellgren, head of web and communication projects, and Kirsten M. Hovi, head of non-financial and sustainability reporting. |
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The prizes were presented to Eva S. Mellgren, head of web and communication projects in Hydro, at a ceremony at the Thon Hotel Bristol in Oslo on Thursday evening.
Mellgren emphasizes that it was an honor to receive the prizes on behalf of all those who each year contribute to the publication of the annual report.
An annual report from a major company like Hydro is a huge undertaking involving many people from different disciplines; from the board, the company directors, the business areas to the accounting department, HSE, Investor Relations, Communications, the Media Centre and IS Partner.
She extended her thanks too to the external bureaus Cobra and Halogen, for their expertise in compiling the 2006 report.
Hydro started work with the 2006 report by conducting a thorough target group survey. Findings from the survey resulted in a whole new concept for reporting being introduced both for print and web publication.
FARMAND: The Farmand Statuette is coveted by Norwegian companies. |
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"We put a lot of effort into how the report could be structured in the best possible way. We also concentrated on the web version not being a pure HTML version of the printed publication, but distinctively based on the special demands set by the web interface," says Mellgren.
"The two Farmand prizes are a real encouragement and a motivational booster now that we are in the start phase of the 2007 version which, for the first time, will reflect Hydro as a pure aluminium and power company," she adds.
The jury behind the Farmand prize were not exactly humble in expressing their judgement of the Hydro report:
"The information in the annual report has excellent depth, and a structure in a class of its own. The board's report is particularly good and the jury has laid particular weight on for the information provided which is associated with fees paid to the authorities in foreign countries. And there is only one word to describe the analytical information in the report, and that is 'outstanding'."
The annual Farmand prize originates from right back in the 1950’s when it was first awarded to the Norwegian company with the best and most complete annual report. After the 'Farmand' journal ceased publication in 1989, the financial publication ‘Økonomisk Rapport’ took over the role as secretariat for the coveted prize.
In the competition for the best annual report for 2006 Hydro was follwed by SAS and DnB NOR in second and third place repectively. | 