Tesco has been named the UK’s best FTSE 100 company when it comes to investor relations.

The supermarket giant was the overall winner at the Investor Relations Society’s 2008 Investor Relations Best Practice Awards. Home Retail Group won the equivalent award for UK companies in the FTSE 250.

The ceremony – held at the Royal Hospital Gardens, Chelsea in London on 25 November – is organised annually to celebrate best practice across a range of IR disciplines.

This year, Anglo American was deemed to have produced the best business review, RSA Insurance Group were named best communicators of CSR, VT Group took the trophy for most improved web communication and – in an award sponsored by Communicate magazine – Tullow Oil won the award for most improved communication in the annual report.

Four awards were given for best practice corporate website. The winning companies were Imperial Tobacco Group (FTSE 100), Cookson Group (FTSE 250), GlobeOp Financial Services (small cap and Aim) and Nyrstar (international).

Elsewhere, David Keens of Next was named best CFO at IR among the FTSE 100, while Peter Williams of Daily Mail and General Trust won the FTSE 250 prize.

“The Investor Relations Society Best Practice Awards are acknowledged as the gold standard of investor communications to which all companies aspire,” said Peregrine Riviere, chairman of the Investor Relations Society. “At such a difficult commercial time, there is even greater need for clarity in communications with stakeholders.”

Here’s the full list of winners:

Best Business Review
Sponsored by Hugin Group
Winner: Anglo American plc

Best Communications of CSR
Sponsored by Richard Davies Investor Relations
Winner: RSA Insurance Group plc

Most Improved Communication - Annual Report
Sponsored by Communicate magazine
Winner: Tullow Oil

Most Improved Communication - Web
Sponsored by Precision IR
Winner: VT Group plc

Best Practice Corporate Website 2008 - FTSE 100
Sponsored by World TV
Winner: Imperial Tobacco Group plc

Best Practice Corporate Website 2008 - FTSE 250
Sponsored by Cantos Communications
Winner: Cookson Group plc

Best Practice Corporate Website 2008 - Small Cap & Aim
Sponsored by The Investor Relations Society
Winner: GlobeOp Financial Services

Best Practice Corporate Website 2008 - International
Sponsored by CLS Communication
Winner: Nyrstar

Best Practice Communication Through The Annual Report 2008
(Printed and Online) - FTSE 100
Sponsored by Black Sun
Winner: Legal & General Group plc

Best Practice Communication Through The Annual Report 2008
(Printed and Online) - FTS 250
Sponsored by Deutsche Bank
Winner: Premier Farnell

Best Practice Communication Through The Annual Report 2008
(Printed and Online) - Small Cap & Aim
Sponsored by IR Magazine
Winner: Robert Wiseman

Best Practice Communication Through The Annual Report 2008
(Printed and Online) - International
Sponsored by Bank of New York Mellon
Winner: BASF SE

Thomson Reuters Extel Awards

Best IR Website For Investors - FTSE 100
Winner: BT Group

Best IR Website For Investors - FTSE 250
Winner: Aveva

Best Annual Report For Investors - FTSE 100
Winner: BG Group

Best Annual Report For Investors - FTSE 250
Winner: Provident Financial

Best CFO at IR - FTSE 100
Winner: David Keens, Next

Best CFO at IR - FTSE250
Winner: Peter Williams, Daily Mail and General Trust

Best Overall IR for a UK Company - FTSE 100
Winner: Tesco

Best Overall  IR for a UK Company - FTSE 250
Winner: Home Retail Group