A progress report design, available in traditional printed form and also as an immersive digital publication, that shines a light on the importance of transparency and dialogue in an ever-changing environment.

Background

The EITI (Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative) is a global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and mineral resources that seeks to promote understanding of natural resource management, strengthen public and corporate governance and accountability, and provide the data to inform policymaking and multi-stakeholder dialogue in the extractive sector.

Soon entering its third decade – and despite a year filled with political turbulence and conflict in EITI implementing countries, increasing pressures on climate policy and energy transition, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing economic challenges worldwide – the organisation has maintained, and in many cases deepened, implementation of the EITI Standard.

Challenge

To create a progress report design with a visually engaging format in line with our client’s visual identity guidelines.

The brief set out a list of specific requirements:

1. Showcase the continued relevance of EITI implementation as well as the importance of sustaining transparency and stakeholder dialogue in a fast-changing environment, while doubling down on anti-corruption and the energy transition.
2. Highlight key developments from flexible reporting, transparency (ownership, corporate and fiscal), energy transition, gender, systematic disclosure and outcomes from EITI Validations under the new model.
3. Showcase country examples of innovative reporting and data use.
4. Acknowledge the various setbacks to EITI implementation and transparency in the extractives field, such as political instability, threats to civil society participation and challenges around energy security and access.
5. Include information on key performance indicators and funding.
6. Inclusion of data visualisations and graphic elements throughout.

Budget and deadlines had been set and could not be altered, and we would have to take into consideration approvals from key stakeholder in several countries.

Solution

We created a progress report design that clearly illustrates what the different registered countries do to meet the EITI Standard. The report is filled with engaging and informative country stories – stories of openness told through striking photography and copy that demonstrates transparent financing.

Having been provided by our client with statistical data in Excel format, our designers worked in Adobe Illustrator to visually interpret the stats and turn them into colourful charts, creating immediate engagement amongst readers.

As well as the original English version, which we fully proofread, we also produced reports in French, Spanish and Russian, ensuring all text (which usually takes up more space on the page than the English source copy) flowed naturally and didn’t feel constrained by the existing page layouts.

We received this encouraging testimonial from our client:

“Thank you for your amazing work with the report design. We are very pleased with the outcome and I feel it beautifully captures the spirit and tone of our brand. We especially appreciate your efficiency and availability to work on this project under such a tight timeline.

It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Parker Design and Bryony and Suzie again. It’s been really fun! Thanks again for everything!”