We are pleased to welcome Andreas Hallbert, who recently joined Année Advisory as Creative director. Andreas has extensive experience working with listed companies, particularly with annual and sustainability reports, where he has several awards from both the Swedish Publishing Prize and the Swedish Design Award on his resume.
Is there really any difference working with listed compared to working with unlisted companies?
Well, it’s not fundamentally different, but there are a couple of things that, as a designer, you need to keep in mind which I think makes the job both more enjoyable and more challenging. The material is often extensive, and as a designer, you need to pay attention to details and think systematically in the design process. Consistency and a sense of quality are very important. The target audience is meticulous and number-oriented, so there is no room for error. Often, there are many stakeholders on the client side, and things need to be approved at a high level, ultimately by the CEO.
How do you feel about the increasingly extensive reports where CSRD drives up the volume of information required in reports?
Expanding content requires finding ways to help the reader navigate and understand where to find the information. The challenge is to convey a positive and engaging story about the company. It can easily get lost when the focus is too much on what information must be included, for example, in an annual and sustainability report. Here, the designer has an important role to play.
As AI is becoming increasingly prevalent. How does it affect your job and how you think as a designer?
AI means that as a designer, you suddenly have access to tools and algorithms that can automate certain parts of the design process. For me, the constantly evolving AI tools are a natural aid in my work. It makes the process more efficient and can also be a way to quickly test different design directions.
