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Why Grant Thornton
Whether you’re growing in one market or many, looking to operate more effectively, managing risk and regulation, or realising stakeholder value, our firms can help.
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Culture and experience
Grant Thornton’s culture is one of our most valuable assets and has steered us in the right direction for more than 100 years.
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Global scale and capability
Beyond global scale, we embrace what makes each market unique, local understanding on a global scale.
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Join our network
In a world that wants more options for high quality services, we differentiate in the market to grow sustainably in today’s rapidly changing environment.
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Leadership governance and quality
Grant Thornton International Ltd acts as the coordinating entity for member firms in the network with a focus on areas such as strategy, risk, quality monitoring and brand.
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Africa
24 member firms supporting your business.
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Americas
31 member firms, covering 44 markets and over 20,000 people.
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Asia-Pacific
19 member firms with nearly 25,000 people to support you.
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Europe
53 member firms supporting your business.
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Middle East
8 member firms supporting your business.
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Business consulting services
Our business consulting services can help you improve your operational performance and productivity, adding value throughout your growth life cycle.
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Business process solutions
We can help you identify, understand and manage potential risks to safeguard your business and comply with regulatory requirements.
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Business risk services
The relationship between a company and its auditor has changed. Organisations must understand and manage risk and seek an appropriate balance between risk and opportunities.
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Cybersecurity
As organisations become increasingly dependent on digital technology, the opportunities for cyber criminals continue to grow.
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Forensic services
At Grant Thornton, we have a wealth of knowledge in forensic services and can support you with issues such as dispute resolution, fraud and insurance claims.
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Mergers and acquisitions
We work with entrepreneurial businesses in the mid-market to help them assess the true commercial potential of their planned acquisition and understand how the purchase might serve their longer-term strategic goals.
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Recovery and reorganisation
Workable solutions to maximise your value and deliver sustainable recovery.
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Transactional advisory services
We can support you throughout the transaction process – helping achieve the best possible outcome at the point of the transaction and in the longer term.
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Valuations
We provide a wide range of services to recovery and reorganisation professionals, companies and their stakeholders.
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Sustainability advisory
We can assist you with a variety of sustainability advice depending on your needs, ranging from initial strategy development, reporting and compliance support, through to carbon measurement and management.
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IFRS
At Grant Thornton, our IFRS advisers can help you navigate the complexity of financial reporting from IFRS 1 to IFRS 17 and IAS 1 to IAS 41.
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Audit quality monitoring
Having a robust process of quality control is one of the most effective ways to guarantee we deliver high-quality services to our clients.
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Global audit technology
Our global assurance technology platform provides the ability to conduct client acceptance, consultations and all assurance and other attestation engagements.
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Sustainability assurance
Our sustainability assurance services are based on our global network of specialists, helping you make more efficient decisions for the good of your organisation.
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Corporate and business tax
Our trusted teams can prepare corporate tax files and ruling requests, support you with deferrals, accounting procedures and legitimate tax benefits.
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Direct international tax
Our teams have in-depth knowledge of the relationship between domestic and international tax laws.
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Global mobility services
Through our global organisation of member firms, we support both companies and individuals, providing insightful solutions to minimise the tax burden for both parties.
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Indirect international tax
Using our finely tuned local knowledge, teams from our global organisation of member firms help you understand and comply with often complex and time-consuming regulations.
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Transfer pricing
The laws surrounding transfer pricing are becoming ever more complex, as tax affairs of multinational companies are facing scrutiny from media, regulators and the public
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Africa tax desk
A differentiating solution adapted to the context of your investments in Africa.
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Sustainability tax
Through our sustainability tax advisory services, we can advise how environmental taxes, incentives, and obligations can impact your progress, requiring alignment with governmental and legislative pressures.
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Banking Holding banking to account: the real diversity and inclusion pictureWe explore how the banking sector can continue to attract, retain and nurture women to build a more diverse and inclusive future.
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Sustainability From voluntary to mandatory ESG: How banks can future-proof their operationsAs we move from voluntary ESG initiatives to mandatory legislation, we explore what the banking sector needs to prioritise.
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IFRS IFRS 9 - Audit of Expected Credit LossesGPPC releases The Auditor’s response to the risks of material misstatement posed by estimates of expected credit losses under IFRS 9
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growthiQ Steering your company to long-term successHistory has something important to tell us about the difficulties of steering a business to long-term success – through seismic shifts in technology, consumer demands and product development. With that in mind it’s unsurprising that over half the world’s largest companies in the early 1900s had shut their doors by the late 1990s. Some, however, have endured.
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International Financial Reporting Standards Implementation of IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’The auditor’s response to the risks of material misstatement arising from estimates made in applying IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’
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IFRS Get ready for IFRS 17After twenty years of development the IASB has published IFRS 17 ‘Insurance Contracts’, find out more.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - Sector analysis Clear patterns of damage from COVID-19 across the industriesThe index results for 12 key sectors of the mid-market reveal just how much or little the various parts of the economy were impacted by COVID-19.
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Not for profit Mission: possible – putting impact at the heart of charityGlobal charitable continues to decline and charity leaders are increasingly looking at their own unique impact journey.
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Access to finance Raise finance to invest in changePrepare your business to raise finance to invest in change.
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Private equity firms Private equity in the mid-market: reshaping strategies for 2021When the global COVID-19 pandemic stormed across the globe in early 2020, the private equity sector was hit hard but deals are coming back to the market.
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Mid-market businesses Getting ready for private equity investmentOur specialists explore how private equity firms are now working with their portfolios and how the mid-market can benefit from investment.
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Mid-market businesses Myth-busting private equityNervous about partnering with Private Equity? We explore some of the common myths we come across when speaking to mid-market businesses about PE investment.
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Public sector Helping build the government of tomorrow, todayLearn about the Grant Thornton US public sector team.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - Sector analysis Clear patterns of damage from COVID-19 across the industriesThe index results for 12 key sectors of the mid-market reveal just how much or little the various parts of the economy were impacted by COVID-19.
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Industries European Real Estate PodcastJessica Patel, Tax Partner at Grant Thornton UK speaks with tax partners and directors across the network to share their insights on the real estate market and some of the challenges.
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Industries European Real Estate PodcastJessica Patel, Tax Partner at Grant Thornton UK speaks with tax partners and directors across the network to share their insights on the real estate market and some of the challenges.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Retail How retail is positioning for successCOVID-19 provided some hard lessons for the retail industry. It is time to turn those into sustainable and well executed growth strategies in 2021.
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Telecoms Can tech and telecom leverage economic headwindsAs most businesses brace for an economic downturn, tech and telecom could see new prospects. But, to turn the headwinds to your advantage, you need to find your unique opportunities and risks.
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Technology Mid-market tech companies lead the way on diversity and inclusionWe explore how the mid-market tech sector can continue to build and nurture a culture that’s increasingly more diverse and inclusive for women.
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Tax Resetting global tax rules after the pandemicBusinesses are seeing rising challenges, and finance heads are dealing with a range of new measures. To say the next 12 months are critical for businesses is an understatement.
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TECHNOLOGY International tax reform: the potential impact on the technology industryIn this article, we’ve summarised key elements of the global tax reform proposals, their potential impact on technology industry and advice from our digital tax specialists on what technology companies can do to prepare.
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Telecoms Can tech and telecom leverage economic headwindsAs most businesses brace for an economic downturn, tech and telecom could see new prospects. But, to turn the headwinds to your advantage, you need to find your unique opportunities and risks.
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TMT TMT industry: Fully charged or on standby?Our research revealed five key trends that resonated with Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) industry leaders around the world. We asked a panel of our experts from UK, US, India Ireland and Germany, to give us their reaction to the findings.
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Cybersecurity One size fits nothingTechnology companies must adopt a new approach to digital risk: those that successfully develop a reputation for digital trust by demonstrating an unwavering commitment to cyber security and data privacy will be able to carve out a competitive advantage.
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Technology, media & telecommunications Why it’s time for a 5G reality checkFigures suggest the mobile sector is maturing. While data usage continues to soar, mobile revenues are expected to flatten out over the next few years.
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International business Mid-market businesses lifted by rising tide of optimismOptimism among global mid-market business leaders rose to 67% in the first half of this year and they are markedly more optimistic about their prospects with global optimism having increased by 8%.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis Mid-market recovery spreads to more industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
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Hotels COVID-19: Checking in with the hotel industry one year onCOVID-19 provided some hard lessons for the hotel sector. It is time to turn those into sustainable and well executed growth strategies.
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Global business pulse - industry analysis A very uneven recovery across industriesThe index results for 13 key industries of the mid-market reveals a very uneven recovery from COVID-19
- By topic
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Women in Business 2024
2024 marks the 20th year of monitoring and measuring the proportion of women occupying senior management roles around the world.
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COP28: Mid-market firms should seize the opportunity from adaption and innovation
COP28 was the first time there has been a global stocktake on progress against the Paris Agreement.
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Scanning the horizon: Mid-market sets sights on global trade growth
The latest International Business Report (IBR) data shows that mid-market businesses have high expectations for global trade.
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Mid-market sees business optimism reach record high
Grant Thornton's latest International Business Report (IBR) sees optimism among mid-market business leaders reach a record high with 74% optimistic about the outlook for their economy over the next 12 months.
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Women in tech: A pathway to gender balance in top tech roles
Grant Thornton’s 2024 Women in Business data suggests we are far from achieving parity within the mid-market technology sector.
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Women in leadership: a pathway to better performance
What makes the benefits of gender parity compelling is the impact it can have on commercial performance.
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Women in Business 2024
2024 marks the 20th year of monitoring and measuring the proportion of women occupying senior management roles around the world.
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Women in business: Regional picture
We saw an increase in the percentage of senior management roles held by women, on a global level, but there are some significant regional and country variations.
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Pathways to Parity: Leading the way
To push towards parity of senior management roles held by women, who leads within an organisation is vital.
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Generating real change with a long-term focus
The most successful strategy to achieve parity of women in senior management is one which stands alone, independent of an ESG strategy.
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People at the heart of great business
Businesses have started to put guidelines and incentives in place, focused on driving employees back to the office.
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Focusing and developing a solid strategy around diversity, equity and inclusion
Grant Thornton Greece is pioneering a growing set of diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives that centre around three strategic pillars.
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Ten considerations for preparing TCFD climate-related financial disclosures
Insights for organisations preparing to implement the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)’s Standards.
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COP28
COP28 was the first time there has been a global stocktake on progress against the Paris Agreement.
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Transition Plan Taskforce publishes its final disclosure framework
As organisations in the private sector make commitments and plans to reach net zero, there's a growing need for stakeholders to be able to assess the credibility of their transition plans.
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Promoting ESG excellence through tax
ESG considerations have never been more important for an organisation’s long-term success, but how can tax be used to add value to an ESG agenda?
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International business: Mid-market growth and expansion
The mid-market looks to international business opportunities for growth.
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Top five constraints to international business in the mid-market
Top five major constraints that are testing the mid-market’s ability to grow their businesses internationally.
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Brand and international marketing – breaking global barriers
Brand has been identified as a key driver of mid-market success when looking to grow and develop international business.
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The key to international business: Investing in people
How can recruitment and retention help grow international business?
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Building resilience in international business
Evolving supply chains and trade patterns amid ongoing global uncertainty.
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IFRS Alerts
IFRS Alerts covering the latest changes published by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
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Example Financial Statements
General guidance for preparers of financial statements that supports the commitment to high quality, consistent application of IFRS.
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Insights into IFRS 2
Insights into IFRS 2 summarises the key areas of the Standard, highlighting aspects that are more difficult to interpret and revisiting the most relevant features that could impact your business.
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IFRS 3
Mergers and acquisitions are becoming more common as entities aim to achieve their growth objectives. IFRS 3 ‘Business Combinations’ contains the requirements for these transactions.
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IFRS 8
Our ‘Insights into IFRS 8’ series considers some key implementation issues and includes interpretational guidance in certain problematic areas.
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IFRS 16
Are you ready for IFRS 16? This series of insights will help you prepare.
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IAS 36
Insights into IAS 36 provides assistance for preparers of financial statements and help where confusion has been seen in practice.
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IFRS 17
Explaining the key features of the Standard and providing insights into its application and impact.
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Pillar 2
Key updates and support for the global implementation of Pillar 2.
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Global expatriate tax guide
Growing businesses that send their greatest assets – their people – overseas to work can face certain tax burdens, our global guide highlights the common tax rates and issues.
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International indirect tax guide
Navigating the global VAT, GST and sales tax landscape.
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Global transfer pricing guide
Helping you easily find everything you need to know about the rules and regulations regarding transfer pricing and Country by Country reporting for every country you do business with.
Mid-market recognises ESG is a business imperative
Here at Grant Thornton, we’re close to mid-market businesses internationally. Around the world our member firms support mid-market companies across all sectors, from retail to manufacturing. This gives us considerable insight into how the mid-market is feeling about the changing risks and opportunities it faces. Every year we deepen this understanding through our International Business Report (IBR), the longest running survey of mid-market attitudes, including views on sustainability.
We know that mid-market companies are keen to become more sustainable, reflecting their forward-looking, entrepreneurial nature. We also recognise the vital role we, as service providers can play in supporting the transition to net-zero. This is why we recently joined the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance. As the COP26 goals point out: 'We can only rise to the challenges of the climate crisis by working together'.
Mid-market businesses see action on sustainability as a business imperative, rather than just ‘doing the right thing’, given increasing pressure from their large multinational supply chain customers, consumers and competitors. Our most recent IBR research confirms this – 62% of those surveyed say sustainability is as important as, or more important than, financial success. And 72% say that prioritising sustainability has become more important than it was pre-pandemic.
Mid-market businesses form the engine room of economies around the world. So they are critical to realising the goals of COP26. But, if the mid-market is to play its part to the full, it’s going to need significant support. So how can governments, policymakers and standard-setters meet the mid-market’s needs, and, in the process, create the right environment to help secure global net zero and ‘unleash the trillions in private finance that are needed to power us towards net zero by the middle of the century’.[i]
Reducing the barriers – what policymakers need to do:
1. Make things easier: create a route map
When I talk to sustainability experts in our member firms who are helping mid-market businesses around the world articulate their ESG agenda, one thing is abundantly clear – wherever they are on their net zero journey, mid-market businesses need more clarity.
Angela Jhanji, director, ESG and sustainability, Grant Thornton US, says, many don’t know where to start.
“In the US, mid-market companies are trying to sort their way through all the noise and confusion to find out what ESG and sustainability mean for their particular industry and business size. As in other countries, ESG disclosure isn’t regulated but they’re feeling top-down pressure from investors and horizontal pressure through the supply chain from suppliers, vendors and customers. When they come to us for help, they ask questions like ‘What’s step one? What does that look like for my company?
“This is a huge journey for the mid-market. It's not just the reporting, it's how to think about sustainability, how to develop an authentic perspective, how to think about material topics and how to benchmark yourself so you have a good understanding of where you sit in your market and industry group. Not surprisingly, many mid-market companies feel confused.”
Our recent IBR research confirms that this feeling of confusion is widespread – 31% of those surveyed said the lack of clarity around new regulations and requirements was slowing their progress on sustainability.
If this lack of clarity is addressed then, as Ivri Verbin, CEO of Good Vision, an affiliate of Fahn Kanne Grant Thornton in Israel points out, mid-market businesses have the agility to act fast. “They have less complex structures and can use this to their advantage. But they need support to understand what applies to them.”
So, the number one imperative for national governments is to make things easier for the mid-market segment. There needs to be a clear, accessible roadmap with detailed practical advice so mid-market companies know what’s expected of them, how they can get started on sustainability integration and eventually the steps they need to take to introduce and implement a net zero strategy.
At the same time, a number of market leaders are seeking internal audit and assurance support, and we see a gap emerging between larger companies seeking to validate sustainability across their supply chains, and many mid-market businesses who are only getting started.
2. Help integrate net zero strategies into their business operations
Once mid-market companies have developed a net zero strategy, they then need guidance and support on how to integrate this strategy into their operations. Without full-scale business strategy and operating model integration, the mid-market won’t be able to achieve the systemic change that’s needed. It’s clear that mid-market businesses don’t always have the necessary resources and competencies to achieve this integration. For example, in our recent IBR research, 30% of those surveyed cite lack of management time as a key barrier to their business making more progress on sustainability.
There are two main ways in which governments can play a role here. They can use financial, tax and regulatory incentives to encourage businesses to make changes in their business model, for example switching to an electric vehicle fleet. Equally importantly, they can help mid-market businesses to develop their knowledge and understanding of what net zero means for their business at an operational level.
Johanna Forsgren, sustainability manager, Business Advisory, Grant Thornton Sweden, says there are a number of ways in which national governments can help achieve this including:
- funding industry-specific groups to increase knowledge development, collaboration and skills transfer
- offering free or subsidised software, for example to help with reporting
- creating online portals offering free information and guidance that anyone can access
- investing in training programmes, such as climate-related apprenticeships to develop skills and competencies for the future.
“Building the mid-market’s knowledge in this way will really help drive climate change action forward,” says Johanna.
3. Ensure the mid-market has access to funds and projects
Climate finance is going to be critical to funding the new technology and infrastructure needed to support the transition to net zero, such as charging points for electric vehicles and access to low-carbon energy.
Finance is also crucial to fund the innovation necessary to reduce carbon in business activity. Mid-market companies are key drivers of innovation but cost is an issue. Currently climate finance and access to sustainability projects are predominantly targeted at ‘first movers’ and large multinational organisations. But if we’re to achieve net zero, the mid-market needs access to climate finance and projects too.
So it’s important that policy decisions and processes at both a national and local level enable mid-market companies to access funding. This includes providing support to build the right environmental and wider ESG credentials to meet requirements for both public and private finance such as banks and private equity investors.
Alasdair Grainger, director – Net Zero, Grant Thornton UK says: “In the UK, the ESG agenda is here to stay. There is consensus across all political parties in the UK that climate change needs to be addressed and we anticipate that the UK Government will increasingly require businesses to meet sustainability criteria to be eligible for Governmental support, either be as part of the supply chain to the public sector, or to benefit from Government funding and subsidies.
"So, there is an opportunity for mid-market companies with good ESG credentials to get ahead and place themselves at a competitive advantage.”
4. Consolidate reporting frameworks and standards
My final call to policymakers and standard-setters is to continue to accelerate the progress that is already being made in achieving globally consistent reporting frameworks and standards. The plethora of reporting frameworks and standards that currently exist in reporting on ESG matters is confusing for everyone. But it’s particularly challenging for the mid-market.
Scott Wilson, director, ESG and Sustainability, Grant Thornton UK says: “Mid-market businesses don’t typically have a chief sustainability officer who can work through everything and identify the most appropriate framework and standards for businesses. The easier it can be made for them the better.” Angela echoes this sentiment. “In the US, the mid-market is just getting started on this journey. A CFO will google the subject for a while and then come to us and say ‘Is it GRI or SASB?[ii] Or are we talking science-based targets?”
Measures that would increase momentum include:
- developing a plan to formalise reporting structures through templated disclosures guidelines tied to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure framework (TSFD); and
- developing specific Scope 3 emissions monitoring and reporting industry standards to support supply chain decarbonisation
This drive for globally consistent frameworks and standards needs to be mirrored by clear timelines for all nations to adopt reporting/disclosure requirements.
And, as Johanna suggests, technology could play a powerful role in reducing the burden and cost of reporting for mid-market businesses. For example, they would particularly benefit from cost-effective technology solutions provided at scale to the market.
Ready and willing for a role in a low-carbon future
When it comes to sustainability, the interests of governments, policy-makers and business leaders can align. Governments and policy-makers want business to do more. The mid-market is willing and ready to rise to the challenge. It just needs support to do so. On behalf of the Grant Thornton network, I call on national governments, policy-makers and standard setters to harness the energy and momentum generated by COP26 to deliver the four actions we have identified to help the mid-market. If they succeed, they will unleash this entrepreneurial segment’s huge potential to accelerate our journey towards a low-carbon future.
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i. UK climate change conference 2021 - COP26 goal: Finance
ii. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) or Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB)