• Connectivity of information
• Materiality
• Reliability and completeness
• Strategic focus and future orientation

Key observations:

Aegon's 2014 Annual Review provides insight into the operating environment in which the company conducts business and creates value through the presentation of five industry trends currently facing the company and the financial services industry.  The importance of each of these trends to Aegon is demonstrated through the use of a materiality matrix (p. 15).  The diagram reflects the relative importance of each issue to Aegon and to external stakeholders.  Aegon's ability to control or influence each issue is depicted on the same matrix by using a color-coded model. On the subsequent pages, Aegon draws a connection between these trends and the risks and opportunities that each presents to the business.  This section concludes with a discussion of the possible impacts, both positive and negative, that these trends might have on the company's financial performance.