Clean for Good achieves the Fair Tax Mark

London-based Clean for Good has secured its first Fair Tax Mark certification, and joins the growing movement of responsible businesses who are proud to ‘say what they pay with pride’.

Clean for Good delivers professional cleaning services to work spaces across the capital, and also provides fair pay and dignified work to its cleaners. The church-founded social business was launched in 2017, is a Living Wage Employer, directly employs its own team on decent terms and conditions and works hard to operate to high eco and ethical standards.

Its range of ethical credentials is now bolstered by a commitment to responsible tax conduct and transparency.

The Fair Tax Mark is an independent certification, which recognises organisations that demonstrate they are paying the right amount of corporation tax in the right place, at the right time. More than 55 businesses have now been certified. These include national brands such as Timpson, Lush, and Richer Sounds, FTSE listed companies including SSE and Marshalls Plc., as well as co-operatives, family businesses and social enterprises.

As part of the accreditation process, Clean for Good has published a Fair Tax Mark Statement that makes clear:

• who owns and controls the business;
• what profits the business has made in recent years;
• how much tax has been charged and an explanation for any variances with the headline rate of tax over that period.

Tim Thorlby, Managing Director of Clean for Good, said: “Clean for Good’s mission as a business is not only to deliver great cleaning services, but also to do so in a way which is fair, dignified and socially responsible. We’re delighted to have been awarded The Fair Tax Mark – an independent confirmation that our approach to paying tax is transparent and fair. Corporation Tax pays for essential public services and so that is something to be proud of.”

Justin Thacker, Director of Church Action for Tax Justice, said: “It’s always been said that cleanliness is next to godliness. Clean for Good is a business founded by the churches but now serving the whole community. Its Fair Tax Mark accreditation was then the inevitable next step and we applaud them for their efforts.”

Paul Monaghan, Chief Executive, Fair Tax Mark, said: “We are delighted to announce that Clean for Good is the first business in the cleaning industry to achieve the Fair Tax Mark, and is demonstrating a deep commitment to responsible tax conduct. It’s great to see Clean for Good’s Fair Tax Mark accreditation sitting alongside their other ethical credentials, such as being a Living Wage Employer.

“The public rightly expects responsible behaviour, but far too often they’re reading headlines that describe the tactics businesses employ to avoid contributing the tax they should to the public purse. It is estimated that annually, due to corporate profits being shifted to tax havens, corporate tax revenue losses in the UK amount to at least £7 billion. Just think of the nurses, doctors and teachers we could employ, or the renewable energy infrastructure we could build if that tax was paid as it should be?”

Polling* commissioned by the Fair Tax Mark from ICM has recently found record levels of post-Covid concern among the public about the use of tax avoidance practices by business in the UK. Over three-quarters of people responded said that they would rather shop with (79%) or work for (82%) a business that can prove it is paying its fair share of tax. Eight in 10 people (82%) believe businesses benefiting from Government bailouts should be forced to agree terms that prohibit tax avoidance and enforce responsible tax conduct.

* 2020 ICM Omnibus: a nationally representative omnibus survey of c.2,000 adults across GB between 15th and 17th May 2020.