About the Best Practice Investor Relations Awards

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research to determine winners of the 2021 Best Practices Awards will be conducted for AIRA by MarketMeter, an independent, interactive market insights firm.* MarketMeter has provided data for the awards since 2018 and collected approximately 35,000 data points from more than 60 institutions for each campaign.

An online survey is distributed to domestic and international buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers asking them to score each stock out of 10 against set criteria for each of the Award categories.  A mean score is used to determine the winner of each award with the exception of “Most Progress in Investor Relations”, “Best International Investor Relations” and “Best Overall Investor Relations”.

• The Most Progress in Investor Relations winner is determined by comparing 2021 mean scores against 2019 (the last time the Awards were held) mean scores.
• The Best International Investor Relations by an Australasian Company is voted on by offshore market participants only.  The criteria for this award is thesame as the Best IR by a Company Awards and winner will be determined based on the highest mean score.
• And, Overall Best Investor Relations winner will be determined by the highest mean score across all award categories.

EACH INSTITUTION IS PERMITTED TO SCORE EACH COMPANY ONCE. A minimum number of responses is required for qualification in each award category.

Awards Data Provider

VOTING CRITERIA

Best Investor Relations by a Company Awards / Best International Investor Relations / Most Progress in Investor Relations

Voting Constituents: 

Best IR by a Company / Most Progress in Investor Relations
All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

Best International IR by an Australasian Company
All international buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers who cover / invest in Australian companies. 

When voting on this Award, participants will be asked to score each company on a scale of 1 - 10 for each of the following categories and definitions:

Access to CEO / CFO

Availability of senior management (Board, CEO/ CFO) to meet with fund managers and brokers, including regularity of this availability and timeliness of meetings.

Quality of IR

General engagement of the investment community as an ambassador for the company to ensure its business activities are communicated accurately and appropriately. This entails regularity and usefulness of communications, responsiveness to enquiries, ability to arrange meaningful and timely access to senior and middle management, flexibility in meeting investment community information demands and varying needs.

Clarity of Strategy

How well senior management and investor relations report their corporate strategy such that it is clearly articulated and explained to the investment community. Management’s track record and how well they manage investor expectations is also relevant.

Transparency

Comprehensive and timely reporting of disclosures to the investment community on material changes in operation.  Transparency of financial disclosures including half and full year results announcements, presentations and annual report.  Briefings to the market that have a sufficient level of detail, are timely and readily accessible.

Voting Constituents: 

Quality of Investor Events 

Considers the quality of information provided, access to senior management at the event, accessibility and usability of information, timeliness, event execution, honesty.

Access to Other Management

Availability of senior management (other than Board, CEO/CFO) to answer queries and information requests from fund managers and brokers, including regularity of this availability and timeliness of meetings.

Best Use of Technology For Investor Communications by an Australasian Company

Voting Constituents: 

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

When voting on this Award, participants will be asked to score each company on a scale of 1 - 10 for each of the following categories and definitions:

Quality of Website / Tech 

Access to company information via its website, including historical financial reports, non-financial and operational / corporate structure information. Usability is also key in the assessment of a company’s website.

Best ESG / Sustainability Reporting by an Australasian Company

Voting Constituents: 

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

When voting on this Award, participants will be asked to score each company on a scale of 1 - 10 for each of the following categories and definitions:

Sustainability Reporting

Transparency and completeness of reporting ESG disclosures including TCFD, Sustainability reports and other ESG related disclosures

Risk Management

Climate risk management seeks to promote sustainable development by reducing the vulnerability associated with climate change. Climate risk management covers a broad range of potential actions including early-response systems, strategic diversification, financial instruments, infrastructure design and capacity building.
Supply chain risk management whereby the business continuity capability of the company in the event of external shocks to its supply chain including the extent to which it has embedded policies and procedures to address these risks. In particular this encompasses transparency in the prevention of and action against modern slavery in its operations and participating in responsible global supply chains.