As this FT article reports, perceptions of tax avoidance are a growing issue for companies. Exactly what tax avoidance is depends on your standpoint. Christian Aid thinks it means not paying enough tax in poor countries; UK Uncut thinks it means not paying enough tax in the rich UK. And there are plenty more perspectives. The only certainty for companies with an international aspect is that there is no universal or clear answer.
That doesn't mean it isn't an issue, particularly for consumer-facing companies. A company's reputation depends on what its stakeholders perceive - which is their reality. And each group of stakeholders may have different perceptions.
If a company doesn't like its stakeholders' reality, that is the company's problem. The issue needs to be fixed before it becomes toxic. The biggest mistake is to think it is a PR problem. It isn't. As a sage said many years ago, spin won't fix it. You have to fix the fundamentals.
Anthony Fitzsimmons
www.reputability.co.uk
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