Your annual report is more than a compliance exercise. It’s the one moment where you get to show what your organization stands for and how it creates value: for shareholders, for employees, and for society. What it says matters, but so does how it’s presented—to financial institutions providing green financing, to journalists who will quote your words, and to talent who have their pick of employers.
Does the story hold together? Does it feel like yours? And does it meet every reporting obligation, from the Corporate Governance Code to the CSRD? There are plenty of agencies that write fluently. But truly grasping the subject matter, understanding what you’re writing and what you’re saying with it, calls for a specialist.
Content isn’t the only thing that counts. The process matters too, for you and your colleagues. So, what should you look for when choosing an agency that understands all of this? Here are the most important signs.
Does the agency take time for a proper briefing?
A good annual report doesn’t start with writing. It starts with asking questions and listening. Writing an annual report is specialist work, and it is unrealistic to expect you, as the client, to know exactly what you want and have it all mapped out in advance. And if you do, you’ll probably want someone to challenge your thinking.
A good briefing is therefore a two-way conversation. The type of support you’re looking for is always the starting point, but working out what that means in practice calls for an in-depth discussion, in which all needs, expectations, and requirements are put on the table. You are entitled to expect an agency to come well prepared: to already have a sense of how it could help you, to ask targeted questions, and to probe further based on what it hears. That takes a little more investment up front, from both sides, but it always pays for itself in the end, because your knowledge of the business and the agency’s experience come together in a clear plan of action.
Are annual reports a specialty, or a sideline?
For some agencies, annual reports are a strategic focus. For others, they’re something done on the side. You’ll notice that difference in their command of the subject, particularly in annual reporting, where developments move quickly.
Is the agency up to speed on the current obligations? Does it know how the CSRD has evolved, how the ESRS and the simplified ESRS relate to one another, and what that means for the content of your report? The complexity and shifting nature of the legislation calls for an agency that lives and breathes it: one that understands how your current annual report came about, what can stay as is, and what needs to change. Without that depth of knowledge, there is a real chance of having to start over. And then you lose exactly the added value you outsourced your annual report for in the first place.
What does it cost, and what do you get for it?
Some agencies bring in an outside sustainability expert for annual reports, often at a hefty hourly rate, for expertise that we already have in-house. That’s why it pays to be critical: what expertise does the agency bring in, and what value does each agency add?
You can rely on a specialist agency like Tekstschrijvers for practical, well-founded advice on structuring your annual report in line with CSRD requirements and assessing how well your content meets the guidelines. Where our knowledge falls short, we’ll say so. We are also happy to connect you with one of our trusted partners for a specific, clearly defined assignment. This helps keep costs down and makes the process simpler.
Is the agency flexible, or is everything billed as extra?
An annual report project rarely goes exactly as planned. The organization is hit by an unexpected setback, data trickles in, and a key stakeholder comes back with feedback at the last minute. How agencies handle this varies. Some take a flexible approach, while others flag it as “out of scope” straight away, leading to awkward budget conversations and approval processes.
At Tekstschrijvers, a degree of flexibility is simply part of the service — because we think that’s only reasonable, and because we value the long-term relationship over any extra euro.
Marit Tegelaar
21 July 2026