Canada - What makes for an award-winning IR website?

On December 8, 2009, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) Corporate Reporting Awards will recognize excellence in electronic disclosure practices (based on established criteria). Many of the winners tend to be large-cap companies with abundant resources to devote to the development and maintenance of their IR website – for example, PotashCorp, Telus, BMO and Nexen. Some of the “best practices” that differentiate these websites are easily attainable and provide investors with the information they need – in a user-friendly format – to enable them to make an informed investment decision. (Read the article, What makes for an award-winning IR website? at IRmatters.com)

Optimizing Business Websites for Mobile Visitors

Mobile web usage is exploding. As smartphone ownership surges, more and more consumers are using devices like the iPhone to find information and access the web. More and more consumers buy products and do research from their phones than ever before. Although there are still no “official” standards for mobile web development, more and more smartphones and smartphone operating systems are following the iPhone’s lead and using a technology called WebKit to render and display web pages. What this means is that a web page built to look good on an iPhone will look about the same on a Google Android device, a Palm webOS phone, and soon, BlackBerry devices. (Read the article Optimizing Your Business Website for Mobile Visitors at OPEN Forum online.)

How Public Companies are using Twitter for Investor Relations

In August 2009, Q4 Web Systems issued a research report which analyzed 80 public companies and their use of Twitter during the second quarter 2009 earnings season. Recent research shows that the number of public companies who have a Twitter account has grown by 270 or 338%. Of the 270 new companies, the number using Twitter for investor relations increased by 77 or 175%. Although still small in terms of the potential universe, the research indicates that social networks are an effective medium to reach out and interact with stakeholders. (Read the research report on Public Companies and their use of Twitter for Investor Relations at the online Q4 blog.)

Made to Stick: Writing a Mission Statement

Dan Heath, co-author of Made to Stick, speaks about writing meaningful mission statements to lead your business. OPEN Forum gives businesses the tools to connect and collaborate. Exclusive articles, videos, discussion boards and events listings can help businesses get informed and inspired.(View this featured video called Made to Stick: Writing a Mission Statement from OPEN Forum.)

UK - Taking climate change one step at a time

The Copenhagen climate change summit takes place from December 7, 2009, with environment ministers and officials gathering to try and agree on a successor to the Kyoto protocol of 1997. As the politicians debate international action against climate change, what steps can businesses take to reduce their own carbon footprints? (Read the article One step at a time in CA Magazine online.)