Make a positive contribution to sustainability and transparency in the current context by complying with tax obligations

The event began with a speech by Abel Veiga, Dean of the Faculty of Law, who underlined the importance of this type of meeting to encourage debate and collaboration between the academic and business sectors. He was joined by Francisco Javier Alonso Madrigal and Cristino Fayos Cobos, co-directors of the Chair, who offered words of welcome. Also participating in the opening of the event was Roberta Poza, partner at Deloitte Legal and EU Tax Policy leader, who highlighted the growing relevance of taxation in the context of European policies.

Current trends in tax governance and sustainability

The first round table, entitled "Tax Governance, Disclosures & Sustainability Reporting: EU and Domestic Trends", was moderated by Dave Reubzaet, Director of Deloitte in the Netherlands, with the participation of Jorge Girola, partner at Deloitte Legal. This session analysed the latest trends in tax governance and how companies are adapting their policies to the requirements of tax disclosure and sustainability, both at European and domestic level. Experts highlighted the importance of transparency in tax management and how this can influence public perception and investor confidence.

Transparency and tax liability

At the second table, entitled "Voluntary disclosure: presentation of the Tax Responsibility and Transparency Index", Paul Monaghan, representative of the Fair Tax Foundation, together with José María Vallejo, Global Head of Tax at BBVA, and Gregory Jullien, Director of the EU Policy Centre at Deloitte, presented the Tax  Responsibility and Transparency Index. This index evaluates the voluntary disclosure practices of companies in tax matters, highlighting those that adopt a proactive stance in communicating their tax policies and their contribution to the economies in which they operate. The session highlighted how voluntary tax transparency is increasingly seen as a key component of corporate responsibility.

Best practices in tax and sustainability

The last table of the day, "The Tax Directors' Journey: Sustainability & ESG - Best practices", brought together representatives from some of Spain's leading companies, such as Iberdrola, Inditex, Repsol and Telefónica, who shared their experiences and best practices in integrating sustainability into their tax strategies. Begoña García-Rozado (Iberdrola), Andrés Sánchez (Inditex), Luis López-Tello (Repsol) and Ángel Martín (Telefónica) discussed the challenges facing tax directors in the ESG era, highlighting the importance of adopting a comprehensive approach that aligns fiscal responsibility with sustainability objectives.

The day concluded with lecturer Francisco Javier Alonso Madrigal; Enrique Gutiérrez de la Rocha, Partner in charge of Deloitte Legal; and Roberta Poza, who thanked the participants and underlined the commitment of the Deloitte Chair to the debate on these crucial issues.

Once again this year, this meeting has proven to be a key forum for the exchange of ideas on how companies can not only comply with their tax obligations, but also contribute positively to sustainability and transparency in the current context.