I have reviewed many corporate websites. Many are acceptable, some quite good, but few are model or benchmark sites that really stand out. Edison, an energy company based in Italy is truly a stand out.
First, look at the Home page.
There is much information but because of a good design, it is not overwhelming. Noteworthy items starting from the upper left —
- A noteworthy corporate award is prominently displayed
- Share price
- Links organized by stakeholder class
- Bravo, an interactive Annual Report is available
Many other information sources are also nicely displayed.
Next, another aspect of an effective corporate website is that Edison describes its Strategy and performance measures. (Click on the image for a clearer view)
You don’t have to give away the “Corporate Jewels”, but companies need to communicate where they are headed. Edison does this well.
Next, navigate to the the Management Structure section and see an organization chart. Do a mouseover on the titles–
A picture of the senior manager appears along with links to more information. Good communications via the corporate website must include telling visitors about the leadership team. Venture capitalists look at who runs the company before reading the business plan. This is also true for stakeholders of an existing company.
Edison’s website includes much more. For example, The Market section includes —
Once again, more information for stakeholders to learn more about the company.
Final comments, visit the Governance page and note the use of word clouds and page reader options. Bravo Edison for a website that is comprehensive, well organized and provides a model for other companies.
Ed Konczal has an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business (with distinction). He has spent the last 10 years as an executive consultant focusing on human resources, leadership, market research, and business planning. Ed has over 10 years of top-level experience from AT&T in the areas of new ventures and business planning. He is co-author of the book "Simple Stories for Leadership Insight," published by University Press of America.
