Overview of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and tax landscape

This chapter introduces the changing landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and contextualises tax reporting as part of it. We address tax-related reforms worldwide that are meant to increase the transparency of the tax system. Chapter 1 provides regulators’ views on the subject of tax reporting and disclosure by multinationals. This chapter is essential for placing our research in the rapidly changing world of tax-related international legislative forces. We provide examples of tax transparency reforms from the European Union (EU), countries falling into common law systems (USA, UK), code-law systems (Germany and France) and Finland. We explain the driving forces behind changing tax legislation for multinationals and highlight the difference between voluntary CSR reporting and instances when CSR and tax transparency are demanded by law. We provide examples of tax scandals, increased media attention and changing public opinion when citizens demand greater accountability and transparency from multinationals.