Clever Desk: how we can help

Our Clever Desk professionals will make their time and expertise available to devise an assistance plan to proactively meet the requirements and needs of interested clients, overcoming possible difficulties and trying, where possible, to turn them into growth and development opportunities.

Assistance and coordination with tax and SSCs benefits and incentives

Thanks to our understanding of specific situations and to an analysis of urgent issues and/or opportunities we can assist entrepreneurs, thus allowing to devise the most appropriate solutions in the light of the recent extraordinary law provisions related to the Coronavirus emergency. The current emergency situation lead to the introduction of new tax measures aimed at supporting taxpayers’ economy. The implementation of such measures by taxpayers implies a preliminary careful analysis of subjective and objective requirements, as well as a careful evaluation of possible related issues.

Our professionals play a key role in supporting our clients during the evaluation and actual application of these various measures (tax credit, refunds, reliefs, incentives, etc.), thanks also to the multidisciplinary approach characterising the various service lines of our firm.

Assistance with corporate and financial matters and Financial Statements Our professionals will help you steer through the legislation novelties which are regulating and sometimes disrupting the various aspects of the Italian civil and business life. The continuous refinements and amendments to the provisions imply the need of keeping constantly updated on all the measures the Government is enacting to face the crisis and guarantee to all business activities the necessary operational continuity of production cycles. The aids and provisions devised have an impact on both the labour and financial aspects, as well as on that of tax benefits.

The tax measures package includes provisions which stop or delay tax fulfilments and payment of taxes, social security contributions and withholdings. Our professionals support clients dealing with the complexities related to deferments, deadlines and suspensions related to tax law. The new provisions also include measures aimed at a moratorium on loans, financing, credit lines and leases, which require a thorough understanding to avoid missing on useful chances of mitigating the inevitable financial strains.

No less important is the impact that the “Cura Italia” Decree has on the process of approval of Financial Statements and on the effects (to name but one, the going concern) to be considered in the Directors’ Reports and in the Notes to the Financial Statements in order to best safeguard both stakeholders and directors, with win-win solutions for all the subjects involved.

Assistance with tax litigations and collection

Our Desk provides a prompt, straightforward and practical response to all tax litigation and tax collection issues, on which the Italian legislation is focusing in the last days. We assist our clients on a case by case basis, supporting them in interpreting the complex tax and administrative norms introduced, identifying the best operating solutions to safeguard both the need of a defensive protection and the corporate assets.

Thanks to our experience in preventively managing administrative and criminal-tax risks, we are available to provide a qualified opinion, from an operation perspective, to clarify doubts on the specific issues which may arise while managing the Covid-19 emergency.

Our Desk can carry out an in-depth analysis aimed at assessing the opportunity to benefit from the measure provided under art.56 of “Cura Italia” Decree, concerning the moratorium on loans and the subsequent possibility to qualify as a SME, or, alternatively, it can provide insights on the actual eligibility to obtain tax credit provided under art.65 of the same Decree. Basing on a tailored evaluation of clients’ operations, we are also available to suggest possible activities and actions concerning the refund of tax and charges which could promptly guarantee an additional financial support in the recovery phase post Covid-19.

Labour and HR consultancy

Our HR experts are available to help clarify the issues and opportunities offered by the “Cura Italia” Decree - Law Decree n. 18 dated 17 March 2020. In particular, our professionals are available to provide a dedicated assistance on the main measures introduced by the “Cura italia” Decree in favour of businesses and employees, such as:

• layoff arrangements: preliminary advice on layoff arrangements due to the Covid-19 emergency;
• suspension of the payment of taxes: specific analysis on the application of the provisions relevant to the suspension of the payment of taxes under the “Cura Italia” Decree;
• measures supporting families and employees: definition of the measures made available by the Government in favour of employees and for the care of their families.

Marketing and communication

Being able to manage a crisis is crucial for any type of business and communication plays a major role in sharing the ability to react, renew and grow. Tough moments like the one businesses are experiencing give rise to the need of targeted communication strategies. This is the case for example of companies which have reconverted their manufacturing lines to face the growing demand of new products, especially in the medical and healthcare sector.

But also of all those entrepreneurs who, once the lockdown will be over, will have to resume contacts with their clients and face the market in a very different economic environment compared to that of the pre-crisis period, with changed needs and new opportunities. We will all face unforeseeable and often confused situations and the possibility to rely on clear, flexible and resilient communication strategies can represent an anchor point for businesses. In this perspective, Grant Thornton communication services go hand in hand with the traditional services lines and offer a highly customisable assistance.

Joining the expertise of various professionals and benefitting from the existing synergies among the various service lines, we can analyse the situation of a business from various points of view and structure a communication plan to maximise the existing strengths. Our proposal is mainly structured around two macro areas: on line and off line media; in each area, we can take on a strategic role, coordinating activities, selecting and supervising suppliers. We help clients manage the effects of the crisis on the brand and corporate image, planning communication activities consistent with the new corporate vision.

Smart working: today’s need, tomorrow’s opportunity

The situation resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic compelled everybody to test new ways to work, such as teleworking or smart working; nowadays, thanks also to the incentives available, it is advisable to turn these options into an organised, structured and informed choice. The digitalisation of manufacturing processes and the technologic transformations actually allow a new structuring of business and new organisational arrangements of work; in this changed environment, our professionals can combine the compliance needs with the need to adopt a more pragmatic approach in line with the pressing need to contain costs.

In order to implement a smart-working or teleworking policy, it is necessary to properly consider and address at least the following aspects, which, if overlooked, can undermine or even nullify their effectiveness:

• Strategy and planning;
• Norms and contracts;
• ICT and security;
• Privacy;
• Work organisation;
• HR management.

The programme we propose is based on a multidisciplinary approach combining organisational, ICT, cybersecurity, labour law, tax, and other skills and it is aimed at attaining efficiency and effectiveness through cost saving, improving performances and maximising the organisational productivity focusing on various areas in a coordinating and synergic way:

Organisation, processes and HR:

• identification of organisational areas and processes;
• definition of tools to evaluate performance;
• organisation of corporate activities and process also in terms of communication protocols.

ICT & Cybersecurity:

• definition of IT requirements consistent with the scope of the project;
• identification of interventions basing on the state of the art of the infrastructure, applications and devices uses;
• design and implementation of cybersecurity solutions aimed at guaranteeing the protection of smart-working or teleworking solutions;
• support to the realisation of interventions, also by coordinating existing providers;
• evaluation of the impact on the structure;
• identification of new regulatory and corporate fulfilments (labour, health and safety aspects);
• management of personal data;

support with the amendment of corporate policies and procedures.