Angol
Any decision by a company on how it applies its profits - to pay tax, remuneration or shareholder returns - has ethical implications. Governments have failed to adapt legislation to match the business environment, notably with regard to the internet and globalisation - using tax as a source of comparative advantage but excoriating companies for tax avoidance. Using ethical rules to put strict limits on executive remuneration is unlikely to work, but it can provide a valuable framework for taking decisions. Shareholders are entitled to earn a return, and accepted asset allocation methods can help promote equality of opportunity, but will irreconcilably conflict with wider concerns about inequality. Companies need to adopt clear prioritised ethical frameworks of rights and duties to make informed decisions on how profits are used, and to be transparent about what values are used and how they are implemented. Sharing Profits reviews high-profile ethical issues facing companies in how profits are used, and proposes a framework for understanding the ethical implications of decisions.
