It has been a month since we hosted the Responsible Tax Big Tent and we’d like to tell you about progress and next steps.
As you may recall, on the day we welcomed over 100 participants for 18 diverse workshops tackling some of the big issues around tax, co-hosted by experts from organisations including ActionAid, ShareAction, the CBI and Vodafone.
In case you missed the event, you can take a look at some photos from the day as well as read our Storify summary of the discussions on our dedicated web platform!
So what now?
In the last few weeks, the OECD has published its final recommendations to the G20 on tackling base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) on a global level, which was greeted with a mixture of optimism and cries of, what next? On a domestic level, the unveiling that Facebook paid just £4327 in UK corporate tax in 2014 has reignited the debate, years after the first stories of corporation tax abuse surfaced.
The public mood and media reaction to these issues demonstrate that they are still current and of pressing concern. With a new shadow leadership and the government looking to enact new fiscal measures, the context and political landscape is fluid and ever-changing.
One of the key recommendations from CoVi’s interim report “Rebuilding a social compact on responsible tax” has already been implemented, with Margaret Hodge MP announcing the establishment of an APPG on Responsible Tax last month. What other measurable steps could tax advisors, businesses, international organisations and other stakeholders take to progress further towards a fairer, more responsible tax system?
Join the conversation on responsible tax
For the past year we have proactively sought a variety of voices in order to achieve a genuine discussion which has been hosted on our dedicated web platform.
Our most recent blogs include a piece from Luke Gibson, Tax and Inequality Policy Adviser at Oxfam on next steps at the international level, as well as a blog from Grahame Steven, Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University on the implications of devolving tax powers to Scotland which are now available to read and comment on.
We will also be curating regular conversations about some great ideas for practical change sparked from the Responsible Tax Big Tent. We hope this will recapture the energy of the afternoon, keep the conversations rolling, and offer you the chance to share your views.
Help lead the next phase of positive action
From transparency and tax principles, to regulation and the international dimension, the Responsible Tax Big Tent highlighted a number of very interesting and diverse ideas.
We’ve already heard from a number of interested parties who want to help take forward some of these ideas. So, we are convening expert working groups who will meet regularly to initiate a deeper dive into specific issues and pave the way towards tangible change.
Initially, we would like to hear from you which topics you think might be worth exploring further and whether you would like to be involved in or lead one of the working groups
If you would like to lead or suggest a working group, contact:
rebecca.macswiney@covi.org.uk