Introduction
An organisation’s approach to tax is defined by its ability to balance tax obligations with business activities, as well as ethical, societal, and sustainable development-related expectations. In our world, taxation is one of the most important enablers of domestic resource mobilisation. Tax contributions are about much more than simply raising revenue, it is inextricably linked to the process of nation building. An organisation that demonstrates their commitment to sustainable tax, is equipped to establish and build trust in the economies in which they operate. King IV™ and other guidance on best practice in corporate governance indicates that the board should be responsible for a tax policy that is compliant with the applicable laws, but that is also congruent with responsible corporate citizenship, and that takes account of reputational repercussions.
This is certainly a big shift in thinking, meaning that a company must be and must be seen to be a good corporate citizen and a responsible taxpayer. The role that tax plays in an organisation in changing significantly. For the most part tax has been seen as a compliance function and as such only a compliance risk. Unfortunately, the rapidly changing tax environment is leading to additional risk of unexpected surprises resulting in unplanned cash outflows and the risk of reputation damage. It’s therefore necessary for tax to be considered as a prominent item on the boardroom agenda.
What you will learn
• Understanding the responsibility of the governing board as per King IV™ as it relates to tax – and the practical implications thereof
• Elevating tax to the boardroom agenda – why this is necessary
• Why risk management includes tax risk management
• Tax stakeholder engagement – who are the stakeholders (e.g. investors), what do they want to know, what is the organisations position on tax.
• Balancing the needs of shareholders (profit) with the needs of other stakeholders (purpose) and why tax is relevant
• Understanding the role of tax related to ESGs, SDGs and ethics
• Tax governance best practice
• Samples and case studies
Course outline
Governing boards are now expected to give serious consideration to the purpose of their company, and to reflect on how that informs behaviour in relation to tax. The cornerstone of mitigating tax risk is a strategic tax governance framework. It is also a key driver to build trust with stakeholders. The governing board requires a framework to establish a sustainable and coherent approach to tax governance.
In this course we will look at a variety of visible trends, globally and locally that indicate the important role of tax governance, not only to create shareholder value, but moving towards providing enduring value to stakeholders and sustainable participation in societies. This course is for you if you are responsible for governance and risk in your organisation and need to understand your role and obligation in the process of managing tax risk.
• CFOs
• Boards/NED’s
• Risk Managers
• Governance & Compliance
• Tax professionals
• Company Secretaries
