A worker-owned shop and café in Manchester has become the latest co-operative to achieve the Fair Tax Mark.
The Eighth Day, a vegetarian health food store and café founded in the 1970s, stocks over 5,000 lines and offers a wide range of organic, vegetarian and vegan products. It now joins the growing list of organisations that have achieved the Fair Tax Mark, including the Manchester-based the Co-operative Group and Unicorn Grocery, and also multinational giants such as Lush Cosmetics and FTSE-listed SSE plc.
“We’re delighted to have been awarded the Fair Tax Mark as we strongly believe it’s important that businesses contribute fairly to society,” said the Eighth Day’s Jen Marsh.
“We do this by being a good employer and paying a fair wage, dealing fairly and honestly with our suppliers and behaving in a fair and transparent manner in our approach to paying our taxes.
“Paying the right amount of tax, benefits public services and therefore everyone in our society, and that can only be a good thing. Having the Mark makes a statement about who we are as a business and we hope it will help raise awareness further amongst our consumers and the general public about tax practices.”
Richard Livings, project manager of the Fair Tax Mark, said the announcement means the co-op is giving its customers a certified promise that their tax practices are at the leading edge of best practice.
“Recent scandals where companies have been exposed as tax avoiders have resulted in boycotts and outrage,” he said.
“The Fair Tax Mark is a positive way for consumers to easily identify responsible businesses; companies that pay what they should, not what they can get away with. I’m delighted to say that Manchester is turning into a hub of Fair Tax activity, especially given the recent resolution of the city council to encourage its dissemination and spread.”
Related: Midcounties Co-op recognised for corporate responsibility
The issue of ‘fair tax’ rose to prominence as it emerged high profile businesses had been avoiding paying corporation tax.
The Fair Tax Mark, the world’s first independent accreditation scheme to address the issue of responsible tax, certifies that a company is making a genuine effort to be open and transparent about its tax affairs and pays the right amount of corporation tax at the right time and in the right place.
- Find out more about the Fair Tax Mark and accredited businesses at www.fairtaxmap.com.
