The annual report card.Everyone who picks up an annual report will be intrigued for different reasons by the company's most prominent piece of literature. Employees, stockholders, potential investors, competitors and casual readers each have specific needs and expectations of the document. The best annual reports meet their wide-ranging objectives and offer seamless continuity because they were prepared by professional people working towards a collective goal. This is why Saskatchewan Business Magazine recruited a team of design, content and production experts to dissect dissect /dis·sect/ (di-sekt´) (di-sekt´) 1. to cut apart, or separate. 2. to expose structures of a cadaver for anatomical study. dis·sect v. the nine annual reports up for review. Each of the summaries is a critique of the most recent annual report produced by the company or organization. Saskatchewan Wheat Pool 2001 They may not be in the black but they sure know how to make an annual report. The Pool is up-front and honest about past performance without allowing it to taint taint an unpleasant odor and flavor in a human foodstuff of animal origin. Caused by the ingestion of the substance, commonly a plant such as Hexham scent, or while in storage, e.g. milk stored with pineapples, or as a result of animal metabolism, e.g. boar taint. their upbeat view of the future. Giving the CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. seven full pages for his Letter to Shareholders is unusual yet it works beautifully as Mayo Schmidt comes across as positive, intelligent, well-informed and insightful. Quotes from major industry partners mix wonderfully with good photo collages of recognizable prairie scenes. The yellow background for half the report -- including financials -- slightly misses the mark but design elements such as an excellent cover and panoramic photo array of the board are spot on. Grade: A-plus Fytokem 2000 A fairly low-key annual report from an emerging company still finding its way out of the research cocoon cocoon: see pupa. into becoming a full-scale commercial entity. Cover design is functional if not flashy white interior design, though consistent, tends toward the bland. The green, leaf-vein background is pleasant in places but the use of a product-shot background makes it difficult to discern text. A green half-tone photo of the CEO is a no-no. "I don't think they could have done too much better with the money they spent," commented one reviewer. Fytokem develops ingredients for personal care products; the company may want to pay closer attention to its annual report's attractiveness to charm potential investors. Grade: C PotashCorp 2000 This report wowed 'em in New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of but doesn't play well here in the sticks. A cover more suited to a hanging in an art gallery and obviously manipulated crayon-box color-saturated design left our reviewers cold. Plenty of great pictures but no names, please. In fact, of the more than 5,000 PotashCorp employees worldwide (and great pains are taken to remind us of the company's global empire) only a select few in suits are mentioned by name. CEO Bill Doyle quoting Patrick Henry to describe the management team as strong, vigilant, active and brave can't be endearing en·dear·ing adj. Inspiring affection or warm sympathy: the endearing charm of a little child. en·dear to the digging masses. Otherwise, the report doesn't skimp skimp v. skimped, skimp·ing, skimps v.tr. 1. To deal with hastily, carelessly, or with poor material: concentrated on reelection, skimping other matters. 2. on technical or financial information and has no glaring layout flaws -- for the money, it shouldn't. Grade: B SIAST SIAST Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology 1999-2000 Speaking on behalf of taxpayers everywhere our reviewers thank SIAST for not blowing a wad of cash on a flashy, full-color, photo-packed annual report. It's frugal-yet-efficient design seemed somewhat plain to some but in the end was praised as a responsible vehicle for SIAST's message. Graphs are easy to read and the financials are a joy in both content and presentation. The writing does nothing to support the report's layout and leaves the reader begging for a graph, quote, design element -- 'anything to make me stop flipping pages' It reads like an essay by a research scientist, much of it in point form and always in teacher-speak. Grade: B-minus United Way of Saskatoon Saskatoon (săskət  n`), city (1991 pop. 186,058), S central Sask., Canada, on the South Saskatchewan River. 2000-2001
It's hard to poke holes in an annual report when you're applauding a volunteer-led, community-based organization. This report makes its mistakes yet it teaches some lessons: 25 people is too many for a group photo but good on you for naming them all; an annual report is no place for an 18-picture photo collage spread over two centre pages with tiny photo captions but thanks for getting everybody's picture published. Effective use of spot color A color that is printed from one printing plate which contains one matched color of ink. Spot colors are used when only one or two solid colors are needed on a page or when a color has to match perfectly and be consistent such as with a company logo or when colors are the trademark of the and big, simple graphs lend to the warm fuzzy feeling of the report. Sponsors, volunteers and award winners are duly recognized and for anyone thinking of donating, the money trail is easy to follow. Grade: B Cogema Resources 2001 This uranium producer owned by a big French company can't stop itself from saying how proud they are to be in Saskatchewan. They haven't forgotten the people and resources of this province are their lifeblood life·blood n. 1. Blood regarded as essential for life. 2. An indispensable or vital part: Capable workers are the lifeblood of the business. and every line of their annual report speaks about their commitment to environment and community. Very good insight into what workers really do -- and who they are -- isn't confused by technical jargon. With its cool cover and refreshing, unique (non-blue) color scheme the design is clean, inviting and allows easy access to the report's well-defined sections. Financial information occupies a scant one-third of a page and may not be enough for the serious investor, but all-in-all a very interesting and informative volume worthy of any coffee table. Grade: B-plus Saskatoon Airport Authority Flight Plan A hybrid between an annual report and a brochure, this document is innovative in its approach yet ends up doing a disservice dis·ser·vice n. A harmful action; an injury. disservice Noun a harmful action Noun 1. to both forms. As a brochure its intent is to update the public on current renovations and preview expansion plans at Saskatoon's Diefenbaker International Airport. It's too much wasted space and too much repetition. An inside pocket houses a broadsheet-style financials page that is devoid of style and the report's extra-long shape serves no purpose. There are excellent artist renderings of how the new airport will look yet nowhere is there a double-page spread double-page spread double n → Doppelseite f to take advantage of the horizontal format. Grade: D-plus Philom Bios 2001 A number of excellent design elements are found at various points within the annual report for the Saskatoon-based inoculant in·oc·u·lant n. See inoculum. producer. The front over shows company president John Cross at a desk in the middle of a ready for-harvest field. Continuity between the opening message and the 'dynamic' inside back cover is superb. Using a cool purple background to separate the management discussion and financials from the body of text was a hit with our panel, as were the big and bold numbers in the financial statement itself. The writing, outside of the wonderfully personal testimonial from Canada's outstanding young farmers, relied too heavily on point form and choppy chop·py 1 adj. chop·pi·er, chop·pi·est Having many small waves; rough: choppy seas. [From chop1. sentences, resulting in a slight downgrade. Grade: B Saskatchewan Research Council The Saskatchewan Research Council is a Saskatchewan, Canada technology corporation, owned by the province. It provides contract research, technology transfer and analytical services to companies in Saskatchewan and around the world. (SRC (SouRCe) Contrast with DST, which is an abbreviation of "destination." ) 2000-2001 A simply outstanding product from SRC. First and foremost is (fittingly) the research apparent in the interview-filled stories written about the varied users of SRC technology. Extremely interesting and highly readable articles are complemented by full-page photos of the subjects and well-placed studio shots of each company's paraphernalia PARAPHERNALIA. The name given to all such things as a woman has a right to retain as her own property, after her husband's death; they consist generally of her clothing, jewels, and ornaments suitable to her condition, which she used personally during his life. . The chairman's message is honest and unflinching about the 'challenging' year SRC upper management had in 2001. At 52 pages -- including an impressive fold-out -- on 'nice heavy paper' it feels and reads more like a magazine than an annual report. The dark and brooding cover is easily forgotten by the time the reader arrives at the clean and easily read financials. The report hits its mark by focusing on people and includes a superb tribute to a late founder. Grade: A-plus |
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