On 5 April 2021 Allied Universal “AUS”, a leading security and facility services company in North America announced the acquisition of the G4S group (headed by G4S plc, now named G4S Limited). 

Allied Universal is a world-leading integrated security company, providing an unrivalled breadth of capability for customers. Allied Universal is now the 3rd largest employer in North America, and the 7th largest employer in the world. The company remains laser focused on its purpose, to service and safeguard customers, communities and people in today’s ever-changing world.

As a high-profile provider of public services, the group considers it important that we increase the public’s understanding of tax matters and their trust in larger corporate groups by being transparent about our tax affairs and cooperating with the tax authorities.

For the rest of this policy reference to ‘the group’ refers to the worldwide AUS/G4S group, ‘the UK group’ refers to the AUS/G4S UK entities. Prior to acquisition by AUS, the G4S group’s approach to Taxation was published in the 2015 and 2016 G4S Integrated Reports and Accounts. In 2017 to fulfil the new requirements under UK law¹, and to support transparency of our approach to taxation, the G4S group refreshed its tax policy to set out:

• the approach to governance, risk management and compliance
• the approach to tax planning
• the approach towards dealings with Tax Authorities
• the level of tax risk the G4S group was prepared to accept

We continue to review this on an annual basis. This version has been updated for 2024.

By responsibly managing the group’s tax affairs in line with our tax policy, the UK group is also adhering fully to the Confederation of British Industry’s ‘Statement of Tax Principles’². 

The group operates in a large number of countries and is typically subject to tax in those jurisdictions. The group employs an in-house team of tax professionals who interface with the regional and country business and finance teams to manage the group’s tax risks in a controlled and proactive manner. 

We endeavour to fully involve our tax team in all significant business developments so that we can fully assess any potential tax consequences of our actions in advance.

The complex international tax environment means that there is always an element of tax risk and uncertainty inherent with the group’s operations. In common with other multinational groups, the group’s most significant source of uncertainty arises where two or more governments adopt different interpretations in relation to pricing inter-company cross border transactions, i.e. transfer pricing. 

We have established and maintain appropriate policies and compliance processes to ensure the integrity of our tax returns, and timely and accurate tax payments in all countries in which we operate. 

Group companies are routinely subject to tax audits, which can take a considerable period of time to conclude. As and when appropriate, the group obtains advice from external professional firms to support its positions.

We manage our tax affairs responsibly and transparently. We only undertake tax planning which aligns with our commercial and economic activity and does not lead to an abusive result.

We utilise government-sponsored tax incentives, reliefs and exemptions in line with the tax legislation. In the UK, this includes the Patent Box regime, Research and Development Expenditure Credits and group relief.
In international matters, we follow the terms of the relevant Double Tax Treaties and OECD guidelines in dealing with such issues as transfer pricing and establishing tax presence. 

Further, we have established appropriate policies and compliance processes to ensure integrity of tax filings and timely and accurate tax payments in all countries in which we operate. We expect employees to comply with all applicable policies and compliance processes and to ensure they do not involve any AUS/G4S entity in tax evasion. In addition, employees and agents must not knowingly facilitate the evasion of any tax by any non-AUS/G4S entity such as a customer, supplier or contractor.

We actively seek open dialogue with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and other tax authorities, in pursuit of a professional relationship of constructive compliance, with the aim of achieving early agreement on disputed items and obtaining certainty where possible. Consistent with this relationship, we seek to interpret tax laws in a reasonable way.

We provide all relevant information when requested to do so by HMRC or other tax authorities. If we discover errors in tax returns or correspondence with tax authorities, we disclose and correct them promptly.

We comply with reporting requirements proactively and fully as and when they are introduced.

We take an active role in contributing to the UK and international tax policy-making process, where relevant, including taking part in formal and informal consultations.

The group’s approach to tax risk is integrated within our broader business risk management and compliance framework.

AUS/G4S’ processes, policies and governance operate to ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations in the territories in which we operate and are designed to identify and mitigate material tax risks. In the event that applicable tax laws and regulations are subject to interpretation, we seek appropriate assurance regarding the position taken (e.g. in relation to transfer pricing matters through advance pricing agreements).

Approved by the G4S Limited Board of Directors and published in December 2024.

 ¹ Our Tax Policy complies with the UK legislative requirements under paragraph 16(2) Schedule 19 Finance Act 2016 for the year ended 31 December 2024.
 ² http://www.cbi.org.uk/cbi-prod/assets/File/pdf/statement-of-tax-principles.pdf as published on 7 May 2013 and updated 2 July 2018.