Servicing methodology
#therewhenyouneedus
There are many ways to produce documents that meet the ever-changing requirements of the financial communications and corporate reporting sectors. We constantly keep on top of global changes and best practice guidelines in the reporting space, no matter the reporting jurisdiction. We understand what it takes to produce cutting-edge, globally comparable reports and results
Given our broad knowledge base, built over many years, we believe our process maximises efficiency while minimising stress for our clients.
Given our broad knowledge base, built over many years, we believe our process maximises efficiency while minimising stress for our clients.
Our approach
It all starts with a strategy
The key to any financial reporting in today’s fluid global environment is to establish an integrated reporting strategy.
Content is king
Based on accepted global benchmarks and worldwide drive for consistent disclosure, transparency and best practice, content is the driving force behind any quality report – from the flagship integrated report to ESG/sustainability or financial statements. We can help you develop appropriate content for the full suite of reports.
Based on accepted global benchmarks and worldwide drive for consistent disclosure, transparency and best practice, content is the driving force behind any quality report – from the flagship integrated report to ESG/sustainability or financial statements. We can help you develop appropriate content for the full suite of reports.
Intelligent design
We know that financial reporting can be complex, but it does not have to be dull. Our design philosophy is to ensure your content is visually engaging, ensuring clarity and ease of comprehension.
We know that financial reporting can be complex, but it does not have to be dull. Our design philosophy is to ensure your content is visually engaging, ensuring clarity and ease of comprehension.
Quality production
Each set of corrections from the client is revised as quickly as possible but, more importantly, as accurately as possible.
Each set of corrections from the client is revised as quickly as possible but, more importantly, as accurately as possible.
Final execution
From print to HTML conversion, our sign-off process strives to ensure every detail is perfect. We are committed to providing the highest level of quality control (QC) proofs – aimed at eliminating all inconsistencies in formatting and language. Our QC process is arguably the best in our field.
From print to HTML conversion, our sign-off process strives to ensure every detail is perfect. We are committed to providing the highest level of quality control (QC) proofs – aimed at eliminating all inconsistencies in formatting and language. Our QC process is arguably the best in our field.
Workflow process
Research and development
We do extensive research before starting any project, benchmarking clients to local and international peers and, when required, producing a gap analysis using the latest standards, trends and best practice.
We do extensive research before starting any project, benchmarking clients to local and international peers and, when required, producing a gap analysis using the latest standards, trends and best practice.
Design
We work closely with our clients to plan a comprehensive brief which informs the design mock-up.
We work closely with our clients to plan a comprehensive brief which informs the design mock-up.
Typeset
At The Oak Tree Group, we take great care in ensuring that every report we produce is visually and typographically flawless. Our expert typesetting team ensures your content is presented in a clear, professional and consistent manner. By focusing on precision and readability, we ensure your documents not only meet compliance standards but are also visually engaging.
At The Oak Tree Group, we take great care in ensuring that every report we produce is visually and typographically flawless. Our expert typesetting team ensures your content is presented in a clear, professional and consistent manner. By focusing on precision and readability, we ensure your documents not only meet compliance standards but are also visually engaging.
Print
We ensure your printed materials maintain the integrity of your brand. Expect sharp, vibrant results and flawless finishes that reflect the professionalism of your business.
We ensure your printed materials maintain the integrity of your brand. Expect sharp, vibrant results and flawless finishes that reflect the professionalism of your business.
Digital
The Oak Tree Group assists clients with best-practice digital strategic communication practices and dissemination. From planning and designing, through final development and beyond, our team will be with you every step of the way.
The Oak Tree Group assists clients with best-practice digital strategic communication practices and dissemination. From planning and designing, through final development and beyond, our team will be with you every step of the way.
Video
Another cutting-edge way of presenting your results to the broader investor community is by summarising the highlights using an animated video. We work closely with you to create high-quality videos that convey your message clearly and professionally.
Another cutting-edge way of presenting your results to the broader investor community is by summarising the highlights using an animated video. We work closely with you to create high-quality videos that convey your message clearly and professionally.
Programs to assist in the workflow process
Workiva
The Workiva (Wdesk) platform is a valuable tool which can be adopted by any company as an internal content management system. This assists the internal control of proofing and ultimately cuts down on the number of proofs and authors’ corrections as more input is given to the pre-typesetting phase. As a local partner and preferred service provider of Workiva, reports can be designed, proofread and finalised in the program, ensuring the integrity of a master proof. For more information about Workiva, please visit workiva.com.
The Workiva (Wdesk) platform is a valuable tool which can be adopted by any company as an internal content management system. This assists the internal control of proofing and ultimately cuts down on the number of proofs and authors’ corrections as more input is given to the pre-typesetting phase. As a local partner and preferred service provider of Workiva, reports can be designed, proofread and finalised in the program, ensuring the integrity of a master proof. For more information about Workiva, please visit workiva.com.
To date we have contracted pre-eminent clients across a variety of sectors including mining, insurance, property, retail, IT, manufacturing and FMCG with listings in South Africa, London and Europe.
Anglo American Platinum (AAP)
At the outset of the production process, The Oak Tree Group provides high-level feedback to AAP based on analysis of their previous reports, conversant with changes occurring globally in the integrated reporting environment. In conjunction with the client and the writer, we then identify gaps and improvements for the forthcoming suite of reports. The AAP report excels in its conciseness and simplicity of both content and design – giving readers enough key information without duplication. The Oak Tree Group is also invited to a ‘page turn’ with exco to ensure we explain changes and improvements and the reasoning behind them. It is imperative that this process is done in conjunction with the client since no one knows their business better than they do.
At the outset of the production process, The Oak Tree Group provides high-level feedback to AAP based on analysis of their previous reports, conversant with changes occurring globally in the integrated reporting environment. In conjunction with the client and the writer, we then identify gaps and improvements for the forthcoming suite of reports. The AAP report excels in its conciseness and simplicity of both content and design – giving readers enough key information without duplication. The Oak Tree Group is also invited to a ‘page turn’ with exco to ensure we explain changes and improvements and the reasoning behind them. It is imperative that this process is done in conjunction with the client since no one knows their business better than they do.
African Rainbow Minerals (ARM)
The Oak Tree Group has worked diligently with ARM over the past three years to support them in their market positioning and validity of information through their integrated reporting suite. We collaborate closely with the writers of the various reports (IAR, ESG and Climate) to reduce duplication and improve consistency of messaging. The online reporting is aligned ensuring users access the key messages for the year easily.
The Oak Tree Group has worked diligently with ARM over the past three years to support them in their market positioning and validity of information through their integrated reporting suite. We collaborate closely with the writers of the various reports (IAR, ESG and Climate) to reduce duplication and improve consistency of messaging. The online reporting is aligned ensuring users access the key messages for the year easily.
Impala Platinum (Implats)
The Oak Tree Group has worked with Implats for the last five years and has been part of the team that assisted them in achieving the EY top 10 for best integrated reports. The report excels at the interconnectivity component of the framework. The collaboration with the client ensures that we assess latest integrated reporting, ESG and Climate report global trends, and best practice, as well as the digital trends of the world’s leading miners to ensure that the online delivery achieves what it sets out to do.
The Oak Tree Group has worked with Implats for the last five years and has been part of the team that assisted them in achieving the EY top 10 for best integrated reports. The report excels at the interconnectivity component of the framework. The collaboration with the client ensures that we assess latest integrated reporting, ESG and Climate report global trends, and best practice, as well as the digital trends of the world’s leading miners to ensure that the online delivery achieves what it sets out to do.
Sappi
Sappi’s design is based on an annual theme that is linked to their strategy. The Oak Tree Group works closely with the client’s global agency to conceptualise the design for each new year. It is also driven by the Sappi Corporate Identity (CI), which is a very strong element of their corporate brand. The design is guided by the chosen images and, because they still have a fairly high print run, we incorporate many print finishes to the final document, which include pleasing textures.
Sappi’s design is based on an annual theme that is linked to their strategy. The Oak Tree Group works closely with the client’s global agency to conceptualise the design for each new year. It is also driven by the Sappi Corporate Identity (CI), which is a very strong element of their corporate brand. The design is guided by the chosen images and, because they still have a fairly high print run, we incorporate many print finishes to the final document, which include pleasing textures.
Bidcorp
The Oak Tree Group designs Bidcorp’s report based on their food, service and technology strategy with the use of client images and not merely stock images, with the CI component driving the design. This, alongside our client giving carte blanche for design ideas, has a heavy creative base with different elements each year.
The Oak Tree Group designs Bidcorp’s report based on their food, service and technology strategy with the use of client images and not merely stock images, with the CI component driving the design. This, alongside our client giving carte blanche for design ideas, has a heavy creative base with different elements each year.
Old Mutual
Working with the Old Mutual team, The Oak Tree Group takes on the annual theme to create a different look with stock imagery complementing the theme. Colour plays a big part in the design as well as design elements for the year, coming through strongly. Each page is designed according to the copy and visual elements from the client throughout the series of reports.
Working with the Old Mutual team, The Oak Tree Group takes on the annual theme to create a different look with stock imagery complementing the theme. Colour plays a big part in the design as well as design elements for the year, coming through strongly. Each page is designed according to the copy and visual elements from the client throughout the series of reports.
Sanlam
In 2021, The Oak Tree Group was tasked with rebuilding Sanlam.com as a corporate and investor website to highligt the new CEO’s equity story. We worked with the client to strategically build the site (in PHP) to best-practice functionality and user experience for the investor market. This well-considered website has a comprehensive investor section providing investors and shareholders alike with all the necessary information on the brand specifications. We also maintain the site on a 24/7 basis.
In 2021, The Oak Tree Group was tasked with rebuilding Sanlam.com as a corporate and investor website to highligt the new CEO’s equity story. We worked with the client to strategically build the site (in PHP) to best-practice functionality and user experience for the investor market. This well-considered website has a comprehensive investor section providing investors and shareholders alike with all the necessary information on the brand specifications. We also maintain the site on a 24/7 basis.
Gem Diamonds
Gem Diamonds, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, came to The Oak Tree Group for its corporate website with the brief to create a digital platform that would speak to its high-end product. To this end The Oak Tree Group built and maintains the corporate site for the global market with a Eurocentric approach. In addition, the sustainability section of the site is the main platform for all sustainability information using digital-first thinking. Their PDF report is a summary of the website information. We maintain the site on a 24/7 basis.
Gem Diamonds, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, came to The Oak Tree Group for its corporate website with the brief to create a digital platform that would speak to its high-end product. To this end The Oak Tree Group built and maintains the corporate site for the global market with a Eurocentric approach. In addition, the sustainability section of the site is the main platform for all sustainability information using digital-first thinking. Their PDF report is a summary of the website information. We maintain the site on a 24/7 basis.
Impala Platinum (Implats)
Not only does The Oak Tree Group provide a full end-to-end reporting and results service to Implats, but we also built and maintain their corporate website. This robust site is frequently updated. When Implats were in the process of acquiring RBH, we created a tab on their website to enable them to highlight all breaking news as and when it happened, ensuring users could find what they were looking for quickly. We built a database and filtering system for all their corporate reporting, again ensuring all documents are in one place and easy to find. Finally, we link to the social media posts, which complete the communications loop.
Not only does The Oak Tree Group provide a full end-to-end reporting and results service to Implats, but we also built and maintain their corporate website. This robust site is frequently updated. When Implats were in the process of acquiring RBH, we created a tab on their website to enable them to highlight all breaking news as and when it happened, ensuring users could find what they were looking for quickly. We built a database and filtering system for all their corporate reporting, again ensuring all documents are in one place and easy to find. Finally, we link to the social media posts, which complete the communications loop.
Naspers/Prosus
The Oak Tree Group produces the annual integrated reports and supplementary reports for both Naspers and Prosus. The reports, which have common and individual content, are produced in parallel with our production team ensuring that both reports remain up to date. Consequent to the Amsterdam listing of Prosus, the report and its supplements need to comply with European standards, and in 2025 Prosus will be producing a CSRD-compliant document ahead of the regulation coming into effect in 2026.
We also produce all their annual and interim results, including print and digital adverts, in eight local publications as well as online results and reports. In addition, we create a digital page for the Notice of AGM, ensuring shareholders can find all relevant information in one place.
The Oak Tree Group produces the annual integrated reports and supplementary reports for both Naspers and Prosus. The reports, which have common and individual content, are produced in parallel with our production team ensuring that both reports remain up to date. Consequent to the Amsterdam listing of Prosus, the report and its supplements need to comply with European standards, and in 2025 Prosus will be producing a CSRD-compliant document ahead of the regulation coming into effect in 2026.
We also produce all their annual and interim results, including print and digital adverts, in eight local publications as well as online results and reports. In addition, we create a digital page for the Notice of AGM, ensuring shareholders can find all relevant information in one place.