Technology and Reporting Insights from Our Hybrid Event in Johannesburg

On 18 November, the IR Society of South Africa IRSSA and Tangelo hosted the final session in their four part series on the future of corporate reporting. Held at the Alexander Forbes Protea Auditorium in Johannesburg and streamed live to remote participants this fourth event in the series was delivered in a hybrid format and brought together more than 50 reporting, IR and sustainability professionals for a morning of discussion, debate and practical insight.

South Africa has long been recognized for its advanced reporting culture, shaped by the King Codes and a sustained focus on integrated thinking. This background added useful context to the discussions in Johannesburg, where technology and evolving reporting practices naturally connected with an already mature view on transparency and value creation.

The session opened with an in person breakfast for attendees on site, followed by a panel conversation exploring how technology is reshaping reporting workflows as sustainability disclosures and electronic formats continue to grow. On stage were representatives from Tangelo, Greymatter Finch and Ince our two design agency partners as well as the Integrated Reporting Committee of South Africa.

Insights from the panel

The panel, moderated expertly by Jacques de Bie (Singular Systems) and supported by program director Servapalan Govender Tangelo brought together a diverse mix of perspectives:

• Erwin Groenendal, Product Evangelist and Co founder, Tangelo
• Andrew Watt, Head of Digital and Data Solutions, Ince
• Lelanie Hohls, Reporting Strategist, Greymatter Finch
• Leigh Roberts, CEO, Integrated Reporting Committee

During the discussion, Tangelo highlighted three areas that are becoming increasingly important for reporting teams:

• The shift toward digital reporting and what it truly means beyond new formats or buzzwords
• How digitizing the reporting process affects the day to day work of building, reviewing and publishing reports
• The growing global interest in mandating electronic reporting for sustainability disclosures, and how companies can prepare without adding unnecessary complexity

A key takeaway from the session came from Lelanie Hohls, who offered the following perspective:

“Corporate reporting tools bring a range of benefits from real time collaboration, version control and increased accuracy, to time and resource efficiencies. However, a company’s reporting culture will still determine its reporting strategy, its view on transparency and whether it sees reporting as mere compliance or a value creation activity.”

Her remark captured a central theme of the morning: technology can strengthen reporting, but culture ultimately shapes how far organizations can go and South Africa’s long standing commitment to integrated reporting provides a
strong base for further innovation.

A brief platform demonstration

Following the panel, attendees were invited to a short demonstration of the Tangelo platform, showing how teams can manage reporting in a more structured and connected way. Both onsite and online participants remained engaged as the session offered a practical look at how technology can support evolving reporting requirements without adding complexity.

A strong close to a four part series

This event marked the conclusion of the IRSSA Tangelo series, and it wrapped up on a high note. The hybrid format allowed us to connect with a broad community, and the discussions reflected a clear shift: organizations want to simplify reporting, not complicate it and they want tools that genuinely support that direction.

A sincere thank you to all panelists, to everyone who joined, and especially to Jacques de Bie for his excellent moderation. We also appreciate the support of our partners Greymatter Finch and Ince, whose perspectives added real depth to the conversation.

We look forward to continuing the dialogue as the reporting landscape evolves in South Africa and beyond.