CASE STUDY /
SS&C Technologies
Beyond the Report
What started as an ESG report became an opportunity to think bigger about how SS&C could use, share and build on the work behind it. I expanded the project from a publication into a broader communications strategy designed to give the content a longer life.
What started as an ESG report for SS&C Technologies evolved into what is now their Corporate Responsibility Report. While the initial brief was focused on producing the report itself, I saw an opportunity to think beyond the deliverable.
A substantial amount of work had gone into gathering the company’s ESG information, goals and initiatives. Simply publishing the report meant that much of that content would have a relatively short life—and a limited audience.
The question became: How could SS&C get more value from the work they had already done?
The goal was to create a report that felt more contemporary and engaging while staying recognizably within the SS&C brand. But I also wanted to help the client think about what happened next: how the content could be communicated, shared and used to support broader business and brand objectives.
I designed the report with digital use in mind, introducing a more expressive visual approach while maintaining a clear, structured information hierarchy.
Because the document was substantial, I also proposed an interactive sidebar navigation system to make the report easier to explore. Rather than treating the report as a static document, the navigation gave readers a simple way to understand where they were and move between sections.
The response to the design was strong enough that elements of the approach were subsequently adopted for other SS&C documents.
But the bigger opportunity was outside the report itself.
I developed a strategic presentation that reframed the report as the starting point for an ongoing ESG communications campaign. Rather than simply checking the box of publishing an annual report, the strategy explored how SS&C could extend the life of its content and reach different audiences through multiple channels.
The proposed campaign centred around three key areas:
Social campaign
Translate complex ESG information into accessible, engaging content that could highlight milestones, data and initiatives while creating opportunities for ongoing conversation.
Event collateral
Equip leadership with polished, consistent materials for stakeholder briefings, investor events and community forums—turning the report's content into tools for real-world conversations.
Microsite
Create a dedicated digital hub where ESG information could live beyond the report itself, making goals, data and initiatives easier to find while creating opportunities for multimedia storytelling and continued engagement.
Throughout the presentation, I used the same visual language established for the report, creating a cohesive system that could extend naturally across these different applications.
The project evolved from a single publication into a broader conversation about how SS&C could communicate its ESG work.
The report became more than a document to publish and archive. It became a source of content that could be adapted for social, presentations, events and digital experiences—helping the company communicate its work to a wider range of stakeholders.
The design approach was also carried forward into other SS&C materials, extending the impact of the work beyond the original report.
Most importantly, the project demonstrated the value of looking beyond the immediate deliverable. By combining editorial design, information design, art direction and strategic thinking, I was able to help the client see the report not as the finish line, but as a starting point.
