Corporate Reporting Conference 2025: new studies, diverse insights and an outlook on the reporting of tomorrow

Full digital house:
Almost 200 participants

Philipp Mann's welcome address already made it clear that the Corporate Reporting Conference 2025 under the motto "Experience Next in Corporate Reporting" was the event with the most participants to date. For more than 10 years, the series of events has accompanied the constant change in reporting with studies and best practices. This year's focus: the implementation of CSRD requirements, technological innovations and the question of how reporting can contribute to transformation.

Trendmonitor DAX 40 2025:
Is the future format-free?

RYZE CEO Philipp Mann kicked off the event by presenting the results of the latest Trend Monitor. The study analyses the annual reports of DAX 40 companies for the 14th time - with a particular focus on digital usage quality, content strategy, interactive features and the question of whether to opt for PDF, full HTML or hybrid reporting solutions.

The question of format is also particularly interesting this year. Although the number of online reports is declining slightly overall, there is a clear trend towards full HTML: among the digital formats, solutions implemented entirely in HTML are increasingly dominating over hybrid or partial HTML approaches. Although the classic PDF remains the standard, the study raises the question of whether companies should not clearly decide in favour of one of the two formats in future - completely or not at all.

Digital annual reports not only offer better usability thanks to features such as topic filters, key figure comparisons and indexing, but also advantages in terms of targeted distribution and integration into digital ecosystems.

You can find out more about the results of the trend monitor in the blog article:
Reporting in transition - insights from the DAX 40 annual reports 2024

Project Insights: Transformation,
User experience and digital first

In two best cases, Covestro and the Otto Group showed how they use reporting as a strategic tool:

• Covestro provided an insight into the further development of its reporting platform on a full HTML basis. The "digital first" approach was explained in a discussion between Carolin Mann (Covestro) and Dirk Krüger, Patrick Weiser and Matthias Frescha (all RYZE). In addition to the technical setup, the focus was also on the accompanying social media communication and the project approach from an agency and client perspective.
  
• The Otto Group presented its reporting as part of a comprehensive transformation process within the company. Kristina Drews (Otto Group) and Philipp Mann spoke about how communication and reporting can not only accompany change, but also drive it. From the newly established Executive Board to the revised reporting concept: transformation begins with language and attitude.
  

AI in reporting:
Workiva shows use in practice

Gregor Sobotta (RYZE) and Azur Zenunovic (Workiva) presented how AI-based features in the Workiva platform are already simplifying reporting processes - from ESG to financial reporting. Typical prompts, result previews and concrete application scenarios were presented in the live demo.

The conclusion: AI is no substitute for human editing, but it is a valuable aid to efficiency, consistency and formatting.

CSRD Benchmark:
How far along is the practice really?

At the end of the conference, Jannis Benezeder, Senior Consultant Sustainability at RYZE, presented the results of the new CSRD Benchmark. The study shows how companies have implemented the requirements of the EU directive to date - with a differentiated view of structures, processes and content quality.

Key findings:

• Major differences in the depth of the dual materiality analysis
• Incomplete integration of target systems and governance
• Hardly any consistent link with key financial figures

Read more about the study in the detailed blog article:
CSRD Benchmark 2025: Where companies stand - and where they need to go

Conclusion: Creating relevance in complex times

The Corporate Reporting Conference 2025 showed how modern reporting can - and must - become a strategic management tool. Between ESG obligations, technological opportunities and changing stakeholder expectations, reporting is becoming a platform for relevance, attitude and transformation.

Whether as inspiration, benchmark or impulse: the CRC offers orientation for all those who not only recognise the potential of reporting, but also want to actively use it.