What?
  • Main business
  • Where operating? Projects, industry and 
   offices
  • Who owns it? Directors; major shareholders
  • Company accounts and annual turnover
  • Subsidiaries and corporate structure
               Sources
   • The company's website: Annual Reports; Company Accounts; CSR 
    Reports; Press Releases
   • Companies House: Annual Reports; Company Accounts
   • Business databases – e.g. access at the British Library (Business and IP 
    Centre reference desk for help with using them): 
    http://www.bl.uk/eresources/business/cd-busin.html 
   • The FT, industry publications, other newspapers
   • NGOs, campaign groups, advocacy groups, trade unions, labour rights 
    organisations, community groups, etc
   • Watchers: Corporate Watch; Corporate Europe Observatory; Spin Watch; 
    Bureau of Investigative Journalism, etc  
   • Freedom of Information Requests – and existing requests at 
    What Do They Know
   • Hansards; Parliamentary Committee reports; They Work For You
       The Annual Report
  • If available, download it from the company’s 
   website
  • And the Annual Return from Companies 
   House: http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
             What’s inside?
   • A lot of PR…
   • But also:
    –Who the directors are (and their remuneration; other interests)
    –Registered office address
    –An idea of corporate structure; subsidiaries; 
    –Picture of the financial performance
    –Principle business activities; revenue
    –Shareholders
    –Vague ideas of future plans
    –Sometimes political donations (e.g. Tesco’s)
          Companies House
   • http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/
   • Find Information -> WebCHeck -> search by 
    company name or company number
    –(Do a bit of research on this beforehand)
   • Check date of incorporation -> compare 
    addresses -> company type -> nature of business
    –E.g. Edelman (addresses)
   • Order information -> ‘Include Allotment of 
    Shares’ ->