Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”) 

The role of the tax leader is evolving to be a sustainable value creator with a good overview of all touch points between sustainability and tax in the organisation, whilst being capable of communicating with multiple stakeholders including in the boardroom.

Our ESG tax experts bring a range of skills and experience to support our clients at all stages of their ESG evolution. We can share insight on best practices and thought leadership within a fast-changing landscape of governance and regulation.  We can also help our clients to understand the role of tax within ESG, identify, manage, and mitigate tax risk and optimise tax relief through shaping strategies and action plans.

Following the unparalleled increase in focus on the sustainability of a business, and the associated ESG programmes, the role of an in-house tax leader is changing. The days of focusing solely on compliance and the Effective Tax Rate (“ETR”) are behind us. A tax leader must evolve to be a sustainable value creator with a good overview of all touch points between sustainability and tax in the organisation, whilst being capable of communicating with multiple stakeholders including in the boardroom.

Critically, the role of the in-house tax leader encompasses the responsibility of ensuring that tax is not at risk of causing damage to the organisation’s reputation, brand, or business and financial relationships.

It is now imperative to align the tax strategy with the wider business strategy, manage and mitigate new and increasing tax risks, and address ESG governance all within a backdrop of a rapidly changing regulatory landscape on a global stage. Consequently, the level of trust demanded of the quality, reliability, and accuracy of data is increasing, alongside the requirement for on-demand access. In short, the role, level of knowledge, and responsibilities of the tax leader and their team has widened significantly.

How We Help 

Our ESG tax experts bring a range of skills and experience to support our clients at all stages of their ESG tax evolution. We can share insight on the best practices and thought leadership within a fast-changing landscape of governance and regulation. We can also help our clients to understand the role of tax within ESG, identify, manage, and mitigate tax risk and optimise tax relief through shaping strategies and action plans. 

In addition, as a UK member of the WTS Global network our clients have access to the latest thought leadership in ESG and tax with local experts across a global reach. Learn more 

Our ESG Tax Services include: 

• Reviewing the tax strategy, its implementation and application
• Governance for reporting and accounts including Total Tax Contributions and stakeholder communications
• Completion of tax risk registers
• Conducting risk assessments for the Corporate Criminal Offence with accompanying workshops and training
• Reporting on compliance with the Senior Accounting Officer regulations
• Independently reviewing historic tax planning (as planning that was historically viewed as benign may now become a target for criticism)
• Global tax policy monitoring, modelling and influence
• Supply chain redesign for transfer pricing
• Reward and benefits for employees and directors including the impact of new and historic share schemes
• Advising and supporting with environmental taxes, incentives, grants and levies