The water company collected the award for Best Overall Strategic Value Added by a FTSE250 Company at the prestigious Strategic Value in Corporate Reporting Awards, held at the Royal Overseas League in London last month.

The awards, organised by the Strategic Planning Society, reward FTSE350 companies for effective communication through annual reporting. 

Annual reports of more than 300 companies published from October 2008 to September 2009 were analysed by a panel of judges, with companies shortlisted in nine categories on merit alone and not nominations. 

Northumbrian Water Group beat off tough competition from PartyGaming plc, Halma plc and Brit Insurance Holdings NV to be crowned winner in their category. 

Chris Green, Northumbrian Water Group’s finance director, said:

“As a business, we aim to be open and honest in everything we do. This award honours the clear way in which we give investors and the general public an understanding of our business model and strategy. 

“We only receive honours such as this prestigious award because of the excellent work of our employees, who have worked hard to produce such a high-quality and transparent report.” 

Ian McDonald-Wood, chairman of the Strategic Planning Society, said:

“Northumbrian Water’s 2009 Annual Report provides a comprehensive demonstration of strategic leadership. 

“The judges are of the opinion that report users will be left without any doubt that this is a company that thinks strategically, pursues effective strategic management, invests appropriately in its underlying strategic capability and demonstrates a fundamental, integral commitment to sustainability.” 

Northumbrian Water Group owns a number of companies, including Northumbrian Water Limited, which operates in the North East of England as Northumbrian Water, and in the South East of England as Essex & Suffolk Water.