Corporate governance refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled, balancing the interests of a company's many stakeholders. It encompasses the mechanisms that ensure accountability, fairness, and transparency in a company's relationship with its stakeholders, including shareholders, management, customers, suppliers, financiers, government, and the community.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By practicing CSR, companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental.
Binding Corporate Rules (BCRs) are internal rules adopted by multinational companies to allow the transfer of personal data across borders within the organization, in compliance with European Union data protection laws. They serve as a legally binding framework ensuring that all group entities adhere to the same data protection standards, thus facilitating international data flows while safeguarding individuals' privacy rights.
Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) rules are designed to prevent tax avoidance by requiring domestic taxpayers to include certain types of income from their foreign subsidiaries in their taxable income. These rules are particularly relevant for multinational corporations seeking to shift profits to low-tax jurisdictions and are a critical component of international tax compliance and anti-deferral regimes.
The OECD/G20 BEPS Project is an initiative aimed at curbing tax avoidance strategies that exploit gaps and mismatches in tax rules to artificially shift profits to low or no-tax locations. It provides governments with solutions for closing these gaps and ensuring that profits are taxed where economic activities generating the profits are performed and where value is created.
Social Security Agreements are international treaties that coordinate the social security systems of two or more countries, ensuring that individuals who work in multiple countries receive benefits without facing double taxation or loss of entitlements. These agreements are crucial for expatriates and multinational companies, as they facilitate the portability of benefits and provide clarity on contributions and entitlements across borders.
Global economic integration refers to the increasing interdependence and connectivity of national economies through trade, investment, technology, and labor markets. This process fosters economic growth and development but also poses challenges such as economic inequality and vulnerability to global financial crises.
Direct investment involves an individual or business making a long-term investment in a foreign country by acquiring a significant stake in a local company or establishing a subsidiary. It is a crucial driver of economic growth, facilitating the transfer of technology, skills, and capital across borders.