Best Practice Guidelines

This guide brings together the Society’s views on the topics of relevance to our profession. It shows our position, outlines current best practice and suggests sources for further information and reading.

Section 0: Overview and contents

As the market and technology evolves, investor demographics and expectations change, sustainability becomes more important to demonstrate, regulation becomes more complex, the practice of investor relations will evolve as well. We would encourage all members to keep up to date on best practice and the issues affecting our profession by engaging with all the Society has to offer.

View Section 0

Section 1: An introduction to investor relations

This section covers the fundamentals of investor relations, including how to develop your strategic IR plan, the elements for creating a compelling investment case, which importantly should have sustainability integrated and embedded within it, as well as the fundamentals of markets, competitive position, business model, risks, planning your IR calendar, working effectively with external advisers and how your company will deliver value for stakeholders.

View Section 1

Section 2: Governance & Engagement

Robust corporate governance, combined with effective stewardship, is essential for developing trust between companies, their shareholders and other stakeholders. This section provides guidance on how IROs can support these goals, by building relationships with the Board and internal stakeholders, engaging with the them on an ongoing basis and also how to approach shareholder voting, proxy advisors and the running and follow up of an AGM.

View Section 2

Section 3: Buy-side engagement

This section includes advice on the most effective ways to engage with and seek feedback from your shareholders, and be well prepared for meetings, both in person and virtually. It also has concrete suggestions on how to successfully target new investors, how to approach dealing with retail and activist investors and how to plan, manage and deliver an effective roadshow. Finally, this section also covers how to identify and monitor your existing shareholder base and changes in holdings.

View Section 3

Section 4: Sell-side management

Sell-side management matters because it helps to ensure market expectations are broadly in line with the company’s own view of its short and long-term performance. In turn this helps investors make informed decisions about buying or selling a company’s shares. Sell-side management requires a proactive and regular dialogue with analysts, and our best practice guidance helps investor relations teams with the planning, co-ordination and implementation of activities to actively and effectively achieve this aim.

View Section 4

Section 5: Market communications

From crafting clear financial narratives to engaging investors at capital markets days, this section provides guidance on how to navigate every aspect of investor communication. Discover best practices for reporting, sustainability communications, and impactful investor events, ensuring transparency, trust, and long-term value creation.

View Section 5

Section 6: Corporate reporting

Best practice corporate reporting empowers the investor relations function to explain the company’s story to investors and other stakeholders.

View Section 6

Section 7: Transactions and crises

IR teams will periodically encounter events outside regular reporting and strategic updates, such as acquisitions, disposals and takeovers, or when launching IPO. This section looks at the best practice that can be applied in these areas, including how IR teams can prepare for potential situations and how to react when then take place.

View Section 7

Section 8: Digital and online communications

This section reviews a company’s digital estate and considers how an IRO can develop a best in class digital communications strategy using a range of digital assets deployed on its website and social media channels.

View Section 8

Section 9: Artificial Intelligence in IR

As AI begins to impact all elements of the working world, this section looks at the use case opportunities for AI in IR. The guidance looks at how to address the impacts of AI in your corporate reporting, how ethically and safely implement AI tools into IR activities and potential use cases for AI in the role of an IRO. This is a section we expect to continue to evolve as best practices continue to develop.

View Section 9