Schroders has long been recognised as a leader in corporate reporting, with a reputation for clarity, consistency, and best practice.
In 2024, following a leadership transition and against a backdrop of wider macroeconomic uncertainty, the business decided to take an “evolution, not revolution” approach to its reporting suite. The goal was to maintain continuity while enhancing content across five key reports: the Annual Report, TCFD Report, Inclusion Report, Active Ownership Report, and Modern Slavery Statement.
Schroders asked the Black Sun team to bring greater cohesion and precision to this suite, ensuring consistency across tone, message, and design during a critical moment of organisational change.
At the same time, the Annual Report was being migrated to Workiva for the first time, with a challenging eight-week deadline for full implementation. This required close coordination across multiple teams, including PwC as Schroders’ Workiva partner.
Another core challenge was maintaining alignment across the full suite of reports and the online reporting site, while also evolving content in response to internal shifts and external expectations. Alongside the print and PDF materials, Black Sun was also tasked with reviewing and updating the Results and Annual Report section of Schroders’ corporate website.
Right from the initial kick-off, this was a highly collaborative project. With a clear focus on integration, Black Sun worked closely with Schroders and PwC to build the FY23 Annual Report directly in the Workiva platform.
The timescale was tight - just eight weeks to deliver a full migration - often with three deadlines a day. Strong planning, clear communication, and proactive project management kept things on track. In the end, the team delivered ahead of schedule, marking the fastest Workiva onboarding to date for both PwC and Black Sun.
To shape the broader reporting suite, we ran a series of discovery sessions with teams across the business. These conversations helped define shared objectives, understand what mattered most internally, and bring together a balance of disclosure, performance, and narrative.
The core narrative for 2024 had to reflect two things: continuity through a moment of change, and the opportunity to signal a refreshed vision under new CEO, Richard Oldfield. We looked to Schroders’ 200-year history of delivering for clients as an anchor, while also giving space for future direction to come through.
With certain sections, like Strategy and Business Model, likely to evolve, our Advisory team recommended a dual-track approach. We developed ‘Plan A’ and ‘Plan B’ versions of key spreads, allowing the content and design to adapt as internal conversations progressed. This flexible framework helped avoid delays and gave the team confidence to move forward without compromise.
Throughout the process, close collaboration was key. We brought together specialists in advisory, digital, brand, and design, ensuring every report and the online site stayed consistent in tone,
structure, and message. With regular check-ins and a shared sense of purpose, the team delivered a reporting suite that was aligned, resilient, and ready to support Schroders’ next chapter.
The outcome was more than a set of well-delivered reports; it reflected strong partnership and a shared commitment to delivering excellent client outcomes.
Black Sun became a trusted advisor to Schroders, working across all levels of the organisation - from strategic conversations with senior leadership to day-to-day coordination with cross-functional teams. That close collaboration shaped a strong, integrated reporting suite and a new way of working together.
Across five reports and multiple channels, we introduced new processes that supported delivery while safeguarding quality. Our Advisory team offered consistent counsel throughout, helping Schroders navigate complexity with clarity and keeping the suite aligned to the firm’s long-term vision.
The reporting suite became more than a compliance exercise. It became a platform for new leadership, refreshed strategy, and a renewed sense of purpose, delivered during an important time of transition. The result was cohesive, high-quality reports that strengthened Schroders’ communication with stakeholders and reinforced its leadership in best practice reporting.
