About the Best Practice Investor Relations Awards

 

 

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research to determine winners of the 2026 Best Practice Investor Relations Awards will be independently conducted for AIRA by Extel, a global provider of market intelligence and perception research. Extel has supported AIRA’s Awards since 2018 and brings over 50 years of experience in conducting independent surveys of global investment professionals.

The research is based on a confidential online survey distributed to domestic and international buy-side and sell-side analysts and fund managers. Participants are invited from Extel’s proprietary, pre-qualified global database and must meet defined eligibility criteria, including investment role, coverage and assets under management.

Survey Design and Voting Approach
  • Voting is unprompted and top-of-mind, with no pre-selected company list.
  • All Australasian and New Zealand companies are eligible to receive votes.
  • Respondents select companies they wish to assess and may evaluate multiple companies.
  • Each institution may submit one vote per company.
  • All responses are anonymous and treated confidentially.
  • No weighting is applied to individual voters; all votes are treated equally.
Scoring Methodology

Participants rate companies across defined attributes using a 1 to 5 scale, where:

  • 1 = Average
  • 5 = Excellent

Scores are converted into points and aggregated. Final rankings are determined by:

  • Total points divided by total number of votes received.
  • Minimum response thresholds required for eligibility in each category.

Participants may also provide qualitative commentary to support their assessments, contributing to broader perception insights.

Determination of Awards
  • Category winners are determined based on the highest aggregated mean scores.
  • Most Progress in Investor Relations is determined by year-on-year improvement in scores. Please note that winners of "Best in Class" categories are not eligible to receive this award.
  • Best Overall Investor Relations is determined by the highest combined performance across all applicable categories.
  • International Investor Relations Award is determined using data from offshore respondents only.
VOTING CRITERIA

Best Investor Relations by a Company Awards /  Most Progress in Investor Relations

 

Voting Constituents: 

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

Participants were asked to assess companies across the following core attributes:

  • Executive Team - Performance of IRO
  • Services & Communications - Quality of Roadshows/Conferences/Meetings; IR Team Authority & Credibility; Accessibility of Senior Executives; Quality of Results Calls; Business & Market Knowledge; Responsiveness
  • Financial Disclosure - Consistency, granularity and timing to Market 
Best Investor Event by an Australasian Company

Voting Constituents:

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

Participants were asked to assess companies across the following core attributes:

  • Service & Communication - Quality of Roadshows/Conferences/Meetings
Best ESG / Sustainability Reporting by an Australasian Company (research to be conducted independent of Extel)

Voting Constituents:

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

Participants were asked to assess companies across the following core attributes:

  • Clarity of ESG Strategy & Narrative - Ability to clearly articulate ESG priorities, risks and opportunities and their relevance to long-term value creation
  • Quality of ESG & Climate Disclosure - Clarity, completeness and alignment of ESG and climate disclosures with global standards (including IFRS S1 / S2 and TCFD)
  • Financial Materiality & Integration - Extent to which ESG issues discussed with investors are financially material and integrated into broader corporate strategy and performance
  • Governance & Strategic Integration - Integration of ESG and climate considerations into governance and strategy
  • Climate Risk Management - Effectiveness of identifying, managing and disclosing climate-related risks, opportunities and resilience
  • ESG Metrics & Performance - Use of relevant metrics, targets and progress reporting, including emissions disclosure
  • Supply Chain Transparency - Management and disclosure of ESG risks across the supply chain, including modern slavery
  • Credibility & Investor Relevance - Consistency, reliability and decision-usefulness of disclosures, including linkage to financial outcomes
Best ESG Engagement by an Australasian Company (research to be conducted independent of Extel)

Voting Constituents:

All buy and sell-side analysts and fund managers in AU / NZ

Participants were asked to assess companies across the following core attributes:

  • Quality of ESG Engagement - Effectiveness of ESG engagement with investors, including materials and briefings, management accessibility, and responsiveness to ESG-related enquiries
  • Proactive Communication & Transparency - Proactive approach to communicating ESG developments, including emerging risks, controversies and progress against commitments
  • Consistency & Credibility of Messaging - Consistency of ESG messaging across engagement channels, and credibility of responses provided to the investment community

 

 

2025 Best Practice Awards Winners 
Corporate Awards