Public affairs 

As a champion of small and medium-sized businesses we campaign for governments to implement policies that enable SMBs to thrive in a digital economy by:

• Supporting effective measures to drive up the digitalisation of business
• Ensuring tech regulation builds trust and supports innovation
• Addressing shared societal and sustainability priorities in partnership with us so small and medium businesses are not left behind in the race to address climate action and to effectively empower underrepresented entrepreneurs, knocking down barriers to success.

We will always take steps to ensure that our customer’s voice is heard in public policy debates by inviting them to participate in events with politicians, through polling or by sharing anonymised insights about how their business is performing (for more information visit our Data for Good site). Just as our technology empowers our customers, our campaigns will do the same.

Governance

Responsibility for coordinating and overseeing political engagement rests with the Sage Director of Public Affairs, reporting to Sage EVP of Corporate Affairs and Sage Group's CMO on our Executive Committee. The public affairs team sits within the marketing function. Implementation is supported by regional managing directors in key markets and their regional communications leaders.

The Sage Board has collective responsibility and oversight of Sage's communications activities. The Sage Board will review and approve any public position the company intends to take about strategically important matters.

Our conduct, and the conduct of any part of our business with government, abides by the following principles:

• We are open and transparent about our relationship with the government.
• Our advice to our customers on government initiatives is informative and politically neutral.
• We put our customers' interests first when we prioritise government relations activities.
• All Sage colleagues take part in ethics and anti-corruption training.
• Sage does not make any contributions to or accept any gifts or hospitality from government, public sector officials or representatives, political parties, campaigns, organisations, or individuals involved in politics.
• We will only make charitable donations that are legal and ethical under local laws and practices. All charitable donations must go through the Sage Foundation.

Sage publishes a code of conduct which brings together our ethical business practice policies and guides our colleagues on where to find them. All Sage colleagues receive training in Sage's Code of Conduct and associated policies, the completion of which is reported to the Audit and Risk Committee monitor. 

Sage Public Affairs submissions

SME growth and digital economy

UK

• Sage response - DESNZ call for evidence on Scope 3 Reporting December 2023 – Dec 2023
• Sage - representation ahead of Autumn Statement 2023 - Oct 2023
• Sage response to Treasury Committee Inquiry on SME Finance - 2023
• Digital Britain: How small businesses are turning the tide on tech June 2022

EU

• Empowering SMEs in the digital decade – Nov 2023
• Sage - EU Late Payment Directive - Supplementary Submission - 17 March 2023
  
  

Artificial intelligence

• Sage response to NIST RFI for Safe Trustworthy and Responsible AI – Feb 2023

Taxation and reporting policy

• Sage response to Irish Revenue e-invoicing consultation – Jan 2024
• Sage response to HMRC consultation into MTD draft regulations – Jan 2024
• Sage Response to the TAFR Information & Data Consultation – July 2023
• Sage Response to the 'improving the data HMRC collects from its customers' consultation – October 2022
• Raising standards in the tax advice market - Sage response – June 2021

Sustainability

• Path for growth: Making sustainability reporting work for SMEs- COP28 – Nov 23

Trade and Brexit

• Submission to International Trade Council: Digital Trade and Data Inquiry Feb 2021

Public affairs agencies

UK: FTI

EU: Nove

Spain: KREAB

US: Impact

Trade associations

Sage is a member of many leading business trade associations globally. Membership trade body working groups must be approved by a member of the Executive Committee.

The government relations team manages public policy engagement with the following:

• UK: TechUK, North East Chamber of Commerce, and Enterprise forum
• EU: Gena, ICC and Biac
• US: Technology Association of Georgia and ITI
• Spain: CEOE, British Chamber of Commerce in Spain, AMETIC and FOMENT, Cámara de Comercio de España, AED and APD

Political and lobbying expenditure

Sage does not engage in party political campaigning or make party political donations.
Sage complies with applicable laws and requirements about the disclosure and publication of lobbying expenditures. Further information can be found on the EU register.

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[1] Sage's Gifts and Hospitalities policy states: Sage does not make any contributions to or accept any gifts or hospitality from Government, public sector officials or representatives, political parties or campaigns or organisations or individuals involved in politics. We will only make charitable donations that are legal and ethical under local laws and practices. All charitable donations must go through the Sage Foundation.