Maya Forstater

Some thoughts on the @fairtaxmark which recently certified AMT coffee https://fairtaxmark.net/amt-coffee-fair-tax/ … (1/10)

Public controversies over tax affairs of businesses tend to fall into the #taxmantra cycle. Biz gets criticised. Biz says “we pay tax according to the law”. Critics say “we don't think its moral/fair”. There are no clear criteria, so debate is frustrating & confused

Idea of @Fairtaxmark is attractive –clear criteria and kitemark. Announcement on AMT Coffee makes much of contrasting AMT (a ‘fair tax payer’) with Starbucks (presumably not a fair tax payer?) and suggests this would make it a ‘natural fit for public sector procurers’.

But what is it that AMT that has done which is good? It has a v.short published tax policy http://amtcoffee.co.uk/about/fair-tax/  which is less than the standard UK gov requires for larger companies. And its statutory accounts are downloadable at Companies House https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02857483/filing-history …

It looks like a lot of points are for the normal disclosures of a UK Ltd company. Then there are points for country by country reporting. AMT breaks its accounts up into UK and ‘rest of Europe’. But you have to cross reference with the website to work out this means Ireland!

This is really interesting. Is it really just the same as UK legislation? If so, why does it exist? What's the win? Just to privilege the ones that can comply, domestic companies?