With a score of 8.1 out of 10, DHV's annual report has been selected as the most transparent annual report of 2009. The average score this year was 4.2.
The survey assessed the policy transparency of 100 companies based in the Netherlands. Van Gansewinkel came second with a score of 7.3, just beating SNS REAAL, which ended up in third place.
Piet Besselink, vice chairman of the Executive Board, received the award on behalf of DHV. "We are very pleased with this first prize for transparency. As an engineering consultancy we aim to exert a positive, sustainable influence on the economy, society and the environment. Policy transparency in our annual report is an obvious consequence of this objective."
Transparent, future-oriented information
This year's survey focused more on future-oriented information than previous editions. "This is a significant change compared to the past 15 years. Businesses and organizations feel responsible for the future and adjust their commitments accordingly, and we have done the same with our assessment criteria", said Professor Sicco Santema, Director of Scenter Management Consultants and initiator of the annual reports survey. "In the past few years, the engineering consultancies generally demonstrated the greatest transparency. This year, too, they had the highest average score. Surprisingly, the scores of businesses in the real estate sector were quite high: they were the only ones scoring higher on transparency under our new assessment method."
About Scenter
Scenter is an organizational development consultancy which excels in linking strategy and behavior in organizations. The 16th annual reports survey challenges companies to be as transparent as possible in presenting their information. "Transparency is a precondition for implementation", said Mr. Santema. "Fortunately, more and more companies are taking responsibility, and the effects of their improved transparency are quickly becoming apparent."