Best Practice Shortlist Announced

LONDON, October 3, 2011 -

The Investor Relations Society today announces the shortlisted entries for their Best Practice Awards. These entries will go forward to the judging panel which will meet in November and the results will be announced at the Society’s Annual Dinner and Best Practice Awards on 22^nd November.

    1. Best communication of strategy,         African Barrick Gold
    performance and KPIs in the annual report
                                               ARM Holdings
                                               BASF                                               Marks and Spencer

     2. Best communication of governance and   BAE Systems
     risk in the annual report
                                               Berendsen

                                               Marks and Spencer                                               Tullow Oil

    3. Best communication of corporate         Barclays Bank
    responsibility in the annual report
                                               Hochschild Mining

                                               Marks & Spencer                                               Xstrata

    4. Most improved annual report             African Minerals

                                               KCOM Group

                                               Ocado

                                               Pennon Group

                                               TelecityGroup

    5. Best use of a website to communicate    British Land
    and support a company's investment
    proposition                                Kingfisher                                               Logica                                               Trifast

    6. Most effective use of innovative online BASF
    technology to support investor relations
    communications                             Deutsche EuroShop

                                               Legal & General                                               Wolters Kluwer

    7. Best corporate website                  Barclays Bank
    FTSE 100
                                               British Land                                               Centrica                                               Imperial Tobacco

    FTSE 250                                   Catlin

                                               Go-Ahead Group

                                               International Personal Finance

                                               Provident Financial

    Small Cap & AIM                            Huntsworth

                                               MWB Group Holdings

                                               Sportingbet                                               Trifast

    International                              BASF

                                               New World Resources                                               OJSC Uralkali

    8. Award for the most effective overall    ARM Holdings
    Annual Report (printed and online)
    FTSE 100                                   Land Securities                                               Marks and Spencer

                                               Rexam

    FTSE 250                                   Halfords Group

                                               Logica                                               Premier Foods

    Small Cap and AIM                          CLS Holdings

                                               Low & Bonar

                                               Next Fifteen Communications                                               TT Electronics

    International                              BASF

                                               Deutsche EuroShop

                                               Givaudan                                               Wolters Kluwer

    9. Award for the best annual report by an  BBC
    unlisted entity
                                               EuroChem

                                               QBE International Holdings (UK)                                               The Crown Estate

For further details of the Best Practice Awards and bookings for the Annual Dinner please contact Dipty Patel on +44(0)20-7379-1763 (dipty.patel@irs.org.uk)

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