Corporate report design

A clear and compelling corporate report design that revitalised our client’s branding, highlighting a renewed focus on people and the communities they support.

Background

An effective corporate report goes beyond just presenting results – it can be one of the most credible ways to get corporate messages and company ethos across, and they’re vital when a company needs to communicate a new business direction. Effective report design can make a significant difference in the audience’s perception of a company. Internally, sharing the company’s annual report with your teams can significantly increase employee engagement levels.

Dee Valley Water – who supplies water to hundreds of thousands of customers in North Wales and North West England – asked us to design a corporate report to be shared with their investors in the City.

Challenge

The corporate report design needed to present a large volume of factual information while ensuring that it also reflected the company’s deeply rooted values and corporate identity. It was essential to strike a balance between hard data and an engaging visual presentation, making the report not only informative but also representative of the company’s ethos. Given that our client is publicly listed on the Stock Exchange, the report was bound by strict financial market regulations, meaning that accuracy, clarity and compliance were top priorities. In addition to these regulatory requirements, the project timeline was non-negotiable. The report needed to be delivered on a specific date, with no flexibility for extensions or adjustments. This would require meticulous planning, efficient workflow management and rigorous attention to detail to ensure that all elements of the report – including design, content updates, proofreading and production – were completed on schedule without compromising quality or compliance.

Our client provided us with a substantial amount of initial data and imagery, which needed to be carefully curated and structured within the report. Throughout the process, we would receive continuous further updates, particularly on vital financial figures, requiring us to manage a constant influx of information seamlessly. This would mean implementing a well-organised system that allowed for quick integration of last-minute financial data without disrupting the overall layout, readability or design integrity.

Given the scale of the project, we also needed to ensure that design elements complemented the factual content. While the primary focus was on financial transparency, we also wanted to create a visually compelling document that would engage stakeholders and investors. Using structured layouts, clear typography and strategic use of corporate branding, we would also need to ensure that the final report was both functional and aesthetically appealing.

Solution

To align with the company’s new vision and strategic direction, we revitalised their branding and presented the corporate report in a way that visually and conceptually reflects the company’s transformation. The design needed to signal a significant shift while maintaining a sense of continuity and trust for investors, employees and stakeholders. By introducing a fresh, clean layout combined with a bright, modern colour palette, we gave the report a contemporary and forward-thinking aesthetic.

To enhance readability and structure, we divided the corporate report design into two distinct sections: company information and financial reports.

The first section takes a highly visual approach, incorporating infographics, clear typography and fresh, high-quality photography. This helps readers quickly absorb key company achievements, progress and strategic initiatives in an intuitive way. Infographics break down complex ideas into digestible, engaging visuals, making it easier for stakeholders to understand the company’s performance beyond just numbers. Full-page imagery and dynamic layouts contribute to an editorial-style experience, encouraging deeper engagement with the company’s story. One of the most significant elements of the revitalised design is the inclusion of photography featuring staff at work. This approach reflects the company’s strong people-first philosophy and reinforces the idea that its employees are at the heart of its success. The editorial-style images also extend beyond the workplace, highlighting the communities the company supports, reinforcing its corporate social responsibility efforts. By incorporating authentic, real-life imagery, the report feels personal, relatable and engaging, ensuring that it resonates with both internal and external audiences.

The second section is precisely structured to cater to investors and financial analysts who need to quickly assess the company’s financial performance. The clear, well-organised layout allows readers to focus on the data without distractions, ensuring that financial results are presented with clarity and credibility. We carefully balanced aesthetic appeal with functionality, making the financial data accessible, transparent and easy to interpret.

To ensure the final report aligned with our client’s sustainability objectives, we undertook a comprehensive process of selecting and testing different types of paper and printing specifications. We carefully sourced materials that met the highest environmental standards, opting for offset, eco-friendly paper stock that reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability. The final choice not only enhanced the tactile experience of the report but also contributed to its overall identity, making it a piece that readers would want to keep and engage with.

Throughout the project, we maintained rigorous design standards and meticulous time management, ensuring that every element of the report – from layout and photography to printing specifications – was executed flawlessly and delivered on schedule. The result is a high-quality, visually striking and meaningful corporate document that both aligns with the company’s renewed vision and strengthens its connection with stakeholders.

“Our experience of working with Parker Design was excellent from start to finish.

From the outset, Parker Design were proactive in suggesting design ideas and responded to our requests efficiently, offering a friendly and effective service throughout the process and ensuring that we met our publishing and print deadlines.

We were very pleased with the high-quality corporate report design and received positive feedback from our Board members. We would not hesitate to work with Parker Design again in the future.”