The document outlines a webinar discussing innovative approaches to creating annual reports, highlighting the shift from traditional reporting methods to more engaging formats such as infographics, interactive web modules, and digital media. Presenters from various organizations emphasize the importance of transparency, stakeholder involvement, and the use of technology to make annual reports more visually appealing and accessible. The focus is on turning annual reports from strictly informational tools into opportunities for communication and connection with diverse audiences.

1. GFAR-Secretariat@fao.org
GFAR Webinar
Innovating those dreaded
Annual Reports

2. Presenters
• Fiona Chandler, freelance consultant
• Samuel Stacey, interim Communications Manager, CGIAR
• Stefanie Neno, Communication Manager, CIAT
• Joan Apio, Communication Expert, RUFORUM
• Jemima Mandapati, Strategic Marketing and Communication,
ICRISAT
• Jennifer Johnson, Communication Officer, CIMMYT
Q & A
Moderators: Charles Plummer/Peter Casier (GFAR)

3. Genesis of Annual Reports
Fiona Chandler – December 2017

4. Reality Check

5. Why do we
prepare
Annual
Reports?

6. Who do we
prepare
Annual
Reports for?

7. L’Aquila

8. Motivators
for Change

10. Annual Reports are
starting to change
• Much more visual
• Stories
• Impact
• Online – CARE; Evergreen
• Video - VolunteerMatch 2010
• Infographics
• Posters
• Brochures and foldouts

12. What should
we be
thinking
about?
A living document that is a
conversation with your community

13. Annual Reports:
Connecting with Multiple Stakeholders
Samuel Stacey
Interim Communications Manager
CGIAR System Organization

14. www.cgiar.org
Connecting with Multiple Stakeholders
Who
CGIAR Research Centers, Programs, System Management Board, System Council
Process
Communicate the process from the start, no surprises
Transparency
What’s the objective, theme, and how will content be selected
Voice
This year we focused on the CGIAR Research Program’s voice
Review
Multiple stakeholders for review, allow opportunity for corrections
Approval
Who has final sign-off
14

15. www.cgiar.org
Who
15
CGIAR System
Management Office
15 CGIAR Research
Centers
16 CGIAR Research
Programs
Independent Science
and Partnership Council
Independent Evaluation
Arrangement
CGIAR System
Council (Funders)
CGIAR System
Management Board

16. www.cgiar.org
Process
16
Request InputsAnnual Report Team Concept
Design IdeasInputs ReceivedStory Selection
Copy Editing Review Approval
WebsiteLaunch

17. www.cgiar.org
Transparency
17
Theme?
Objectives?
Story selection?

18. www.cgiar.org
Voice
18
� Individual?
CGIAR?
Common

19. www.cgiar.org
Review
19
CGIAR System
Management Office
15 CGIAR Research
Centers
16 CGIAR Research
Programs
Independent Science
and Partnership Council
Independent Evaluation
Arrangement
CGIAR System
Management Board

20. www.cgiar.org
Approval
20
Set time-period Set parameters
Receive feedback
Approved

21. Annual Reports:
Clever WordPress Themes
Samuel Stacey
Interim Communications Manager
CGIAR System Organization

22. www.cgiar.org
Clever WordPress Themes
Needs
Fast deployment, easy customization, consistent look and feel
Solution
Single page with pop-ups, Premium WordPress Theme: X Theme
Process
Completed PDF for approval, commence build – 2 weeks
Deployment
Premium migration tool: WP Migrate DB Pro
22

23. www.cgiar.org
Needs
23

24. www.cgiar.org
Solution
24
X Theme
https://theme.co/x/

25. www.cgiar.org
Process
25
Commence BuildSent for approval Input Content
FeedbackTeam ReviewStyle
Annual Report Approved Deploy Launch

26. www.cgiar.org
Deployment
26
https://deliciousbrains.com/wp-migrate-db-pro/
WP Migrate DB Pro
From staging to production
Simple database migration
Single or multi-site install

27. From dreaded to
beloved
Turning annual reports into an
opportunity

29. Why can Peter possibly hate Annual Reports??
They are a “report” (translate, boring)
They are time consuming
You have to do them EVERY year
Is it even worth the pain??

30. love

31. Ok, it’s a “report”
“One thing is for sure, the annual report has shifted
from a tool with the primary purpose to report to a
tool that is meant to catalyze, to communicate and to
connect. ”
Pamela Williams,
Commarts
But…

32. The opportunity:
• It does not have to look like a “report”
• Use it to connect and engage with your
audience. Even better, make them part
of your annual report
http://annualreport2014.ciat.cgiar.org/project/when-inclusive-business-is-good-business/
Quote donors or partners

33. Ok, they are time consuming
CIAT spends between 3 and 4 months on its annual report (2 languages) but does everything in-house
 We learn
And even more now that we publish
a PDF AND a web version!
2014/2015 2015/2016 2016/2017
+ + +

34. • Be SMART about content production.
Everything you produce during the year is potentially “Annual Report material”.
Keep your AR in mind at all times! Identify gaps early on in order to have time to
collect additional material if necessary.
The opportunity:
Annual
Report
2015-2016

35. • Use simple and flexible web templates
CIAT now uses its website to “host” its annual reports = no need to build a
new site, create style sheets, define SEO, etc.
http://ciat.cgiar.org/annual-report-2016-2017/
URL = same site root
+ index status
• Get it out as early as possible
And start thinking about the next one 

36. Yes, you have to do it EVERY year
The opportunity:
•You get better every year ;)

37. Is it even worth the pain??
Can the reach even be measured?
Is it the number of visits on the web or downloads?
Is it making sure that your key donors receive a copy
(and at least open it)?

38. What is
“worth”
?

39. The opportunity:
You have put a lot of work into your annual report, make it part of a 365 day strategy
Eat Forum In
Stockholm, July
World Food Day,
Oct
CIAT50 in Africa, May

40. Take away:
Since we MUST produce an annual report (no Peter, they are not
going away)…
•Make it easy (reduce, reuse, recycle)
•Make it sexy
•Have fun doing it!

41. Stefanie Neno – Communications Manager – CIAT – s.neno@cgiar.org – ciat.cgiar.org
GFAR Webinar: Innovating those dreaded “Annual Reports”
6 December 2017 https://blog.gfar.net/2017/11/26/webinar-innovating-annual-reports/
Thank you!

42. The use of infographics in annual reports, to
present data in a more exciting way
Presentation Made By: Joan Apio, Communications officer -
RUFORUM
The RUFORUM
Experience

43. Infographics – Why the fuss?
Infographics is a form of content marketing that allows one to
simplify a complex idea/information or turn a boring subject into a
captivating experience.
Examples: Pie charts, bar graphs and maps are some of the most
basic infographics that RUFORUM uses.
Why are they so Important?
Time: A snapshot of your Annual Report would be much welcome.
Infographics invite the readers to engage with the report.
Branding: Use infographics to build or reinforce your brand (Colors,

44. Infographics –What to consider
Get your Facts Right:
It’s all about the facts. The Information you present should be based
on facts.
There is a Story to every annual report:
It’s all about the story... It must be understood by your audience.
Start with mapping out key moments and points from the annual
reports
Use the appropriate graphics:
Aligning the content with the Right graphics is important in delivering

48. Email Us:
secretariat@ruforum.org
Like Us on Facebook:
ruforumnetwork
Follow Us on Twitter:
ruforumsec
Visit Our Blog:
http://blog.ruforum.org/
Visit Our Website:
www.ruforum.org

49. Crossing over to the digital land
The ICRISAT Annual Report Experience
Discovering new ways to spruce up reports Delivering easy-to-read formats

50. For
45 years the scribes of
ICRISAT have traversed the
drylands, chronicling their history
in thick Annual Reports...
THE SHIFT FROM THE OLD TO THE NEW
But... in the
last few years the winds of change have been blowing.
•Demand for a smaller print version was made
•Strategies were discussed for the big shift to the Digital Domain
The shift was gradual…
2014 Themed report with basic interactive web modules 2015 Themed report with infographics and interactive web modules
50 pages 40 pages

51. 2016 SLIM print version with a substantial INTERACTIVE web version
12pages
26
Interactive web modules
+
2videos
+
+
SAVES PAPER
 REDUCES PUBLISHING COST
 RESPECTS READER’S TIME
OLD NEW
Offers a
reading
experience
Offers a
multi-media
experience
The inside story
At the 2016 Comms meet, the
Director General throws a
challenge across the table…
‘This year, I want a FLYER,
NOT A BOOK’
(Read: 50 pages need to be
cut to 8 pages)

52. TEAMS WORK IN NEW WAYS
• Video messages on
the web and quick
quotes in print do
away with pages of
Editorial team Web team
Social mediaPhoto/video unit
• Create at-a-glance
spreadsheets/
Infographics for print
version
• Edit and design text for
the web modules
+ • Create interactive mobile-
friendly modules using
spreadsheet themes.
• Place relevant science stories
in each module hyperlinked to
publications
ICRISAT’s annual report production is totally in-house!
Design team
• A fledgling
effort is made
Coordination Backend support
• Provided by the
Information Systems
Unit and Library Unit

53. A bird’s-eye view of the
organization’s entire work
.
A ready-reckoner for busy people
on the go, especially with a mobile
compatible web version.
The organization’s big goals are
shown by mapping results to SDGs and
ICRISAT’s mission (derived from the
DASHBOARD STYLE
makes a debut
NEWOLD Text-heavy summaries Bullet points, numbers and icons dominate

54. Supporting the Year of Pulses
We used a simple timeline to showcase ICRISAT’s enormous and outstanding work over 45 years with regard to pulses
The Smart Food campaign was reworked to fit the theme
A CAMPAIGN TOOL
NEWOLD The above spreadsheets would
have taken pages of text
Spreadsheets provide the big points and for those interested there is
always the clickable button that leads you to more…

55. YOU’VE GOT ONLY 8 SECS, DO THE BEST YOU CAN!
Researchers in Microsoft Canada surveyed 2,000 participants and
studied the brain activity of 112 others using
electroencephalograms (EEGs). Attention spans they say are
SAY LESS, BUT SAY WELL…
THANK YOU

56. Using free online tools to enhance your
annual report
Jennifer Johnson
Maize Communications Officer

58. • Free
• Online, interactive format
• Available on desktop, iPad and
mobile
• Allows you to track individual
page views
• Easy to use, intuitive design
• Can create posts, pages and
videos

59. How to guide:
• Add your own photos, links,
and even embed videos

63. Tableau Public
• Free
• Can create numerous interactive data visualizations:
– Graphs
– Charts
– Maps
• Can be integrated directly into your website

72. www.MAIZE.org
j.a.johnson@cgiar.org

73. Questions/Remarks