CLP’s 2008 Annual Report Named Best in Asia

PRLog (Press Release) - Sep 30, 2009 -
CLP Holdings’ 2008 annual report was ranked 5th worldwide and the best in Asia, according to a global survey of annual reports by financial publication enterprise.com (“e.com”). CLP was the only Hong Kong company to make e.com’s top 100.

The e.com judges annual reports based on a number of attributes, including cover, style, executive message, financial review and several more. CLP was cited in particular for the “Governance and Compensation” and “Financial Clarity” categories. Kaevan Gazdar, a renowned corporate communications professional and member of e.com’s rating panel, said CLP’s annual report had “very good and clear financial reporting, which, contrary to many, is here well integrated within a strong stakeholder orientation.”

The e.com recognised the financial review of CLP’s 2008 Annual Report “remains a model of clarity and intelligibility,” adding, “among the many features that makes this report an A-rated one: a direct way to explain hedging and fair value accounting.” They also said the report provides a thorough analysis of the company’s condition, liquidity, debt and cash-flow, and features refreshing cover design and reader-friendly visuals.

CLP also received the Gold Award in the “Cover Photo/ Design” category from another prestigious international award programme for the annual report industry, the ARC Awards. The award underscores CLP’s commitment to excellence and communication with stakeholders, shareholders and investors.

Mr Andrew Brandler, Chief Executive Officer of CLP Holdings, said, “The recognition that our annual reports receive is the result of excellent teamwork involving colleagues from across the Group. We will continue to use open, creative and effective communications to help our shareholders and other stakeholders understand the main drivers of our business.”

Mrs April Chan, Company Secretary of CLP Holdings, said, “We are delighted and honoured to receive these recognitions from such renowned programmes. The mission for our annual report is the “4 Cs”—strong compliance with the rules and regulations, open communications with stakeholders, emphasis on creativity, and team commitment to strive for excellence—and we will continue to do our best to meet these standards.”

The awards from e.com and ARC for CLP’s 2008 Annual Report are the latest in a long line of accolades from professional bodies recognising the company’s excellence in the fields of corporate governance and information disclosure. CLP’s Annual Reports have won “Best Annual Report” (Hong Kong Management Association) and “Best Corporate Governance Disclosure” Awards (Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants) for six years in succession. Another recent achievement includes “Asia's Best Managed Companies—Best Corporate Governance” (FinanceAsia) in 2009.

The global top 10 annual reports according to e.com were:


1st   ADIDAS – Germany
2nd   ELECTROLUX – Canada
3rd    TELUS – Canada
4th   PHILIPS – Netherlands
5th    CLP – Hong Kong
6th    SAS – Sweden
7th    SASOL – South Africa
8th    BASF – Germany
9th    POTASHCORP – Canada
10th   WIENERBERGER – Austria


More information can be found at www.reportwatch.net. To view the 2008 Annual Report online, visit https://www.clpgroup.com/Abt/Res/Pub/ARnSER/Pages/FinancialReport2008.aspx.