Annual Reporting Good Practice Guide
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The purpose of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), fulfilled through the Jersey Audit Office (JAO), is to provide independent assurance to the people of Jersey on the extent to which public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively and on whether the controls and governance arrangements in place within public bodies demonstrate value for money. The C&AG's remit includes the audit of financial statements and wider consideration of public funds, including internal financial control, value for money and corporate governance.
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Good Practice Guide by the Comptroller and Auditor General: 21 September 2026.
This Good Practice Guide has been prepared in accordance with Article 20 of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Jersey) Law 2014.
Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Supporting Accountability ................................................................................................................... 5 Transparent ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Understandable ....................................................................................................................................... 7 Accessible ................................................................................................................................................... 9 Strategy ..................................................................................................................................................... 10 Risks ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 Operations ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Governance ............................................................................................................................................. 15 Measures Of Success ........................................................................................................................... 18 Financial Performance ......................................................................................................................... 21 External Factors ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Introduction
Welcome to the 7th edition of our Annual Reporting Good Practice Guide showcasing best practice examples from our review of 2025 Annual Reports. Since 2020 we have seen year on year improvements in the annual reports produced by most entities. Many entities, regardless of size, demonstrate aspects of enhanced and best practice reporting as well as meeting all, or the vast majority of, the minimum standards we would expect.
Annual reports are a key means by which an entity tells the story of its year. Public annual reporting, done well, enables stakeholders to understand – with trust and confidence – an entity's strategy and the risks it faces, how much money has been spent and on what, and what has been achieved as a result. It enables stakeholders to hold the entity to account effectively.
The fundamental principles set out in this Guide – supporting accountability, transparent, accessible and understandable – continue to be the foundation of high quality annual reporting. These principles should be evident across the different sections of the annual report:
Supporting accountability Transparent
Strategy
External Risks
factors
Single Annual
Report
Financial Operations performance
Measures of
success Governance
Understandable Accessible
Supporting accountability
To support accountability an entity's single annual report should be published on a timely basis and should contain all required elements.
This enables users to be confident that the entity is sharing the information it is required to publicly on a timely basis.
JT published its annual report on 23 March 2026, a full six months before its statutory deadline.
This is impressively early given it includes externally audited financial statements.
Source: About us - JT Global
Source: RPT_JCC_Annual-Report-2025_20260330.pdf
The Jersey Care Commission published its report on
27 February 2026, well ahead of the 30 June deadline.
Transparent
The single annual report conveys openness and transparency. This builds trust in the entity.
Jersey Sport highlights why it has missed specific targets, and notes changes in place to improve performance.
Source: JS-Annual-Report-2025.pdf
Visit Jersey's 2025 annual report sets out the challenges experienced in year and the impact on performance.
It then assesses the impact through visitor performance' data, both against targets and in comparison to the position in 2024.
Source: Visit Jersey Annual Reports & Financial Statements | Visit Jersey Trade & Media
Understandable
The single annual report is understandable.
This enables multiple stakeholders to hold the entity to account.
Andium Homes uses colour coding throughout its 2025 annual report, starting with the Contents page.
Edges of each page are colour coded making sections easier to locate.
Key performance information is set out using the same colour codes and headers.
Source: Andium Homes Annual Report 2025
Ports of Jersey has thought about how to present statistical information in an easy to understand format. The range of data and the clarity of comparisons also demonstrate a commitment to transparency.
Source: Annual reports | Ports of Jersey
Accessible
The entity's single annual report is designed and set out to be accessible and to meet the needs of its stakeholders.
Users will engage more with annual reports that are well set out and easy to read or otherwise access.
Jersey Post's Chief Executive introduces the highlights of the annual report in a sub-titled video. This is on the Jersey Post website alongside the full report.
Source: Annual report - Jersey Post
Ports of Jersey 2025 annual report contains embedded video links.
For example, the Oyster Project.
Source: Annual reports | Ports of Jersey
Jersey Overseas Aid uses engaging Case Studies to show what its projects are achieving.
Source: asehnxkt2025-annual- report.pdf
Strategy
The purpose and strategic goals of the entity are clear.
Users can understand what is expected of the entity and how it fits with other entities.
Andium Homes makes clear its focus on four priority areas.
Source: Andium Homes Annual Report 2025
Jersey Water uses a clear, single page illustration to set out how it responds to challenges with
actions and the
outcomes it delivers.
Source: JW-ANNUAL- REPORT-2025.pdf
Digital Jersey sets out clearly the four core workstreams designed to deliver its five-year strategy.
Source: Annual Report 2025 | Digital Jersey
Risks
Risks and risk management processes are clearly set out.
This helps the user to understand the focus the entity has on risk management.
Jersey Water uses a five-phase cycle to explain how it manages risk and incorporates it into its business strategy.
In its risk register, each rating takes
into account the specific risk appetite.
The approach also aligns emerging risks and relates each risk to Customer Outcome objectives.
Source: JW-ANNUAL- REPORT-2025.pdf
Jersey Resolution Authority describes clearly its approach to ensuring the board keeps under review the entity's risk appetite and effectiveness of its risk management framework.
Source: 20260323-JRA-2025-Report-on-Operations-and-Audited-Financial-Statements-v01.00-for- publication.pdf
The States of Jersey Development Company
illustrates clearly the governance structures
used to manage risk.
It also sets out, for each strategic risk, the impact, risk appetite, rating and trend.
Source: Financials | Jersey Development Company
Operations
The delivery model used and how it achieves value for money are set out.
Users are able to understand how entities manage operations, contracts and capital to deliver best value for money.
Jersey Sport's 2025 annual report sets out how it adjusted its delivery model to deliver efficiency savings.
Source: JS-Annual-Report-2025.pdf
Jersey Resolution Authority explains how its operating model meets strategic responsibilities in a cost-effective way.
Source: 20260323-JRA-2025-Report-on-Operations-and-Audited-Financial-Statements-v01.00-for- publication.pdf
The Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman makes clear how its hybrid operating model seeks to deliver value.
Source: Annual Report – 2025 | Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman
The Jersey Competition Regulatory Authority includes detailed narrative in its 2025 annual report setting out spend on contracts and consultants, and reasons for changes year on year.
Source: jcra_annual-report_2025-final-interactive-and-video-link-for-website.pdf
Governance
The corporate governance arrangements and performance are clear including transparent information on how the board works effectively to govern the organisation.
Users should be able to understand how the entity is managed and held to account. Enough information and evidence should be provided to enable users to assess how well the governance structure operates to support delivery of the entity's purpose and objectives.
Jersey Water has established a three- year Board review cycle. It also declares that a process has been established to ensure non-executive directors have the capacity to discharge their responsibilities.
Source: JW-ANNUAL-REPORT-2025.pdf
Jersey Post identifies the key in-year decisions made by each of its board committees.
For example, its Remuneration Committee:
Source: Annual report - Jersey Post
The Jersey Care Commission makes a clear statement about internal controls.
It also benchmarks staff fair pay' and analyses gender pay.
Source: RPT_JCC_Annual-Report-2025_20260330.pdf
The States of Jersey Development Company shares comprehensive information on its staffing, including a range of pay ratios.
Source: Financials | Jersey Development Company
JT includes an at a glance' breakdown of gender within different roles and types of employment, and overall pay ratios compared to the previous year.
Source: About us - JT Global
Measures of success
An analysis of performance is set out clearly.
Users should easily see how the entity performed against its plans for the year.
The performance report should be quantifiable, understandable, fair and balanced, including both positive and negative aspects of how the entity has performed, compared with what was intended.
Jersey Finance sets out its cornerstone' priorities for delivery and a summary of progress in year against each. Details which follow include key initiatives met and variance from plan.
Source: JFL Annual Report 2025.pdf
The States of Jersey Development
Company sets out its
strategic objectives at
the start of its annual
report and uses the
colours and icons
throughout to
provide linkage.
For example, in reporting performance against a key deliverable:
Source: Financials | Jersey Development Company
Ports of Jersey notes what was achieved against planned activity and describes why some outcomes are not fully delivered.
Source: Annual reports | Ports of Jersey
Andium Homes includes Sustainable Reporting Standards (SRS) for Social Housing in its summary of aims, 2025 performance and 2026 targets. For example, sustainable neighbourhoods.
Source: Andium Homes Annual Report 2025
Financial performance
Financial performance is clearly set out.
Users should be able to easily understand the entity's spend against its budgets and targets.
The States of Jersey Development Company provides an at a glance' summary of financial performance.
Source: Financials | Jersey Development Company
The States of Jersey present a great deal of complicated financial information in ways which get in increasingly granular.
For example, expenditure by type of spend is benchmarked against previous years.
Source: States of Jersey 2025 Annual Report and Accounts.pdf
The Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman's annual report 2025 sets out a straightforward but effective financial summary of actual income and expenditure against plan.
Source: Annual Report – 2025 | Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman
Digital Jersey reports actual spend in specific areas of business, against budget and as compared to the previous year.
Source: Annual Report 2025 | Digital Jersey
External factors
The annual report considers the external drivers influencing and impacting on current and longer term objectives.
The user can understand the external risks and opportunities the entity has faced in year and how these have affected performance.
Ports of Jersey identifies climate change as a factor that will influence the long-term performance, safety and reliability of its infrastructure and services. It sets out seven risks (two here).
Source: Annual reports | Ports of Jersey
The Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman explicitly sets out its board's assessment of external factors – both risks and opportunities - and how it is managing these.
Source: Annual Report – 2025 | Channel Islands Financial Ombudsman
Visit Jersey includes detailed narrative on its assessment of the impact of changing market opportunities.
Source: Visit Jersey Annual Reports & Financial Statements | Visit Jersey Trade & Media
LYNN PAMMENT CBE
Comptroller and Auditor General
Jersey Audit Office, Jubilee Wharf, 24 The Esplanade, St Helier, Jersey JE2 3QA
T: +44 1534 716800 E: [email protected] W: http://www.jerseyauditoffice.je