UK finance directors want to become more involved with company shareholders, employees, consumers and the local community to build their reputation and improve their share price, a consultancy has found.

More than three quarters – 84% – of 100 finance directors of top 350 companies want an active role in building relations with stakeholders outside the investor base and 80% believe that improving such relations delivers a valuation premium, according to research by Edelman, the public relations consultancy.