As online communications begin to play a larger role in communications efforts, the decision to include an online format was a natural one. This year, to ease the transition from print to online, the company decided to create both versions. The online report was also viewed as an opportunity to provide a multitude of audiences valuable information in a more accessible and timely manner.

Investigate
Research, Visual and Competitive Review
Savage conducted a competitive analysis, interviews with key management and executives and a review of current Sysco materials and presentations. For the sustainability report, meetings and interviews were held with Sysco’s Sustainability Committee.

Internalize
Analyze Findings
The most used word in the annual report-focused interviews was Quality. Sysco states that the goal of every employee is to help the customer succeed by providing consistent quality services and products. Sysco believes the level of quality it provides its customers translates to a quality performance for shareholders.

Research for Sysco’s sustainability efforts concluded with an overwhelming sense of commitment to responsible business practices that meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. Overall, Sysco is committed to doing the right thing – for customers, employees, suppliers and society as a whole and believes that this commitment to sustainability creates shareholder value. Commitment to doing the right thing and providing the best quality and nutrition while being environmentally responsible and promoting economic fairness was a message that Sysco was eager to communicate.

Additional initiatives and imperatives key to the company’s ongoing success and sustainable growth are Sysco’s Business Reviews, vendor standards that exceed the expectations of regulatory agencies and the broad range of products Sysco offers beyond food.

Interpret
Brand Strategy, Core Messaging, Visual Concepts and Communications Plan
Created in tandem and as companion pieces, it was important to the creative strategy to design both reports to share the same design concept. Under the overarching messages of Quality and Commitment, imagery was selected to visually communicate the theme and reflect Sysco’s brand.

The pear on the cover of the printed annual report and homepage of the online version represents the freshness and quality of something as small and delicate as a piece of fruit. It instills the promise that each individual Sysco product is held to their high standards of quality and care. Likewise, the sustainability report features imagery of a seedling sprouting through soil and reinforces the message that Sysco is committed from soil to plate to making sure their suppliers, growers and providers produce and deliver quality products.

The narrative and photography woven throughout both reports reinforce and validate Sysco’s corporate mission and values in terms of their products, employees, suppliers and service to consumers. In both reports, photography was styled and shot candidly to capture Sysco employees and vendors working, moving and living. Clean and simple graphs were used to illustrate the environmental strides Sysco is taking to ensure an environmentally responsible product and service. A bright and clean color palette was selected to evoke a cheerful, fresh, healthy living feeling.

The strategy behind the design coordination of the annual and sustainability reports was devised to help Sysco leverage its high standards of social responsibility in an effort and reinforce this brand message with the investment community and other key audiences.