AN ETHICALLY minded campervan firm will present at an online Scottish Parliament briefing on fair tax to highlight the issue of corporate avoidance.
Simon Poole of North Berwick-based Jerba Campervans, will join Fair Tax Mark Chief, Paul Monaghan, to speak to a group of cross-party MSPs at Holyrood on Wednesday.
Chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Rhoda Grant, the presentation will highlight the importance for all businesses to ‘pay their way’. The briefing comes during the Fair Tax Week – a UK-wide recognition of the companies and organisations that are proud to promote responsible tax practices.
With an estimated £7bn of UK corporation tax receipts still going astray because of profit shifting alone, the briefing will explore why corporation tax matters and what government can do to incentivise more businesses to focus on ethical practices, pushing more money towards social impact.
The employee-owned campervan converter has been Fair Tax Mark accredited since January 2021, after demonstrating how its ethos applied throughout its business, from its commitment to work-life balance and paying the living wage, to its tax arrangements, supplier relationships and customer care.
Simon Poole, Co-Founder of Jerba Campervans, said: “Tax is vital for funding public services and creating a balanced and fairer economy for everyone. It is important in creating a level playing field within business by encouraging all firms to pay their fair share of tax and not to continually seek loopholes where profits can be sheltered away.
“In an age where too many multinational firms take advantage of profit shifting and international tax havens, anything we can do to raise the profile of good and honest tax practice can only be a positive thing.
“In speaking at the briefing, Jerba hopes to raise awareness of the importance of the Fair Tax Mark accreditation and help rework the thinking around tax legislation in the hope that more businesses will follow suit.”
The Fair Tax Mark was launched in February 2014 and is now one of the underpinning objectives of the Good Business Charter, it seeks to encourage and recognise organisations that pay the right amount of corporation tax at the right time in the right place.
More than 60 businesses have now been certified by Fair Tax Mark, including national brands Timpson, Lush, and Richer Sounds and FTSE listed companies like SSE and Marshalls Plc, as well as family businesses, social enterprises, and co-operatives.
Paul Monaghan, said: “You might not know it from reading the news, but there are a great many businesses in the UK who not only pay their taxes fairly but are proud to do so.
“We need a tax system that ensures everyone pays their way, not just for vital public services to be funded, but to ensure that businesses can compete on a level playing field.
“Jerba Campervans is pioneer of responsible tax ownership, with a unique and important story to share. We are delighted to have them prominently involved in Fair Tax Week.”
The 100% employee-owned Jerba Campervans was launched in 2006 and specialises in converting and customising Volkswagen Transporter vans for those passionate about adventure and the outdoors.
Jerba is officially recognised by Volkswagen as a converter of their Transporter T6.1 model.
Offering five standard conversions of the base T6.1 Transporter van, the expert team of cabinetmakers and mechanics then build the vans by hand, customising each vehicle to the customers’ needs.
To find out more about Jerba Campervans, visit www.jerbacampervans.co.uk.
To find out more about the Fair Tax Week, which is from 5th-13th of June 2021, https://fairtaxmark.net/supporters/fair-tax-week/.
