Partnership-Interview PwC Germany

Working together for greater security, transparency, and efficiency in tax compliance

PwC and Impero launch partnership for digital risk and internal control systems for tax applications

Companies are facing growing demands in terms of tax compliance. Tax compliance requirements are becoming more complex, risks more diverse, and processes more technology-dependent. Documentation requirements are increasing. To meet these challenges, PwC Germany and Impero are now combining their strengths: technical expertise in setting up, operating, and auditing tax compliance management systems combined with a leading digital platform for risk and internal control management. In this interview, Tim Rensing, Director of Tax Reporting & Strategy at PwC Germany, explains the background to the cooperation and its added value for companies.

The new partnership between PwC and Impero is being launched now. What was the reason for this collaboration and why now?

Tim Rensing: The requirements for an effective tax control system (Tax CMS) have increased significantly in recent years. Many companies still manage their risks and controls in an unstructured manner and, if at all, document them electronically using local document files. This is error-prone, non-transparent, and hardly scalable. With Impero, we have a partner that closes this gap. The platform offers digital, structured, and transparent risk and control management with clear dashboards, clear responsibilities, and key performance indicators such as completion rate or on-time rate. This enables companies to make their tax processes more efficient, secure, and traceable.

Efficiency and quality in dealing with tax risks are key issues for many companies. How do PwC and Impero approach this in concrete terms?

Tim Rensing: Many tax departments struggle with fragmented systems, unclear responsibilities, and a high level of manual effort when dealing with tax issues. This leads to a lack of transparency regarding risks and controls and makes it difficult to provide evidence to internal and external stakeholders. By combining PwC professional expertise with Impero's technological strength, we create an integrated solution: we increase transparency regarding risks and controls at group and company level, digitize the control environment, and enable continuous monitoring of controls. This enables companies to manage their tax risks in a more targeted manner and ensure the long-term effectiveness of their Tax CMS.

There are already various vendors in the market for digital Tax CMS solutions. How does the joint solution from PwC and Impero differ?

Tim Rensing: Impero offers a SaaS solution that has established itself as the market standard in Germany numerous DAX40 companies already use it. The platform enables a clear link between risks and controls, for example via risk maps, risk registers, and customizable control programs.

PwC complements this technological basis with our in-depth experience in tax practice and the implementation and auditing of Tax CMS. Thanks to our many years of advisory experience, we know which controls are required in the tax area, how they must be documented, and how regulatory requirements can be optimally integrated into the system landscape. The combination of both areas of expertise creates real added value compared to competitive approaches.

Many companies are either facing initial implementation or want to further develop existing systems. What services does PwC offer as part of the partnership?

Tim Rensing: We support our clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their digital Tax CMS – from initial implementation and technical design to ongoing maintenance and improvement of the existing system. This also applies when switching from other solutions to Impero. As a certified Impero partner, we ensure that technology and technical requirements work together optimally. Our goal is to create systems that are not only efficient, but also effective in the long term and audit-proof.

Where do you see the joint solution from PwC and Impero heading in the long term?

Tim Rensing: Our aim is to enable tax functions to manage risks and controls efficiently, transparently, and comprehensibly—with a system that creates security and promotes collaboration.

The combination of Impero's technological strength and our advisory expertise enables us to take Tax CMS to a new level. In this way, we support companies in understanding tax compliance not only as an obligation, but as a strategic component of modern corporate management.

Working together for greater security, transparency, and efficiency in tax compliance

PwC and Impero launch partnership for digital risk and internal control systems for tax applications

Companies are facing growing demands in terms of tax compliance. Tax compliance requirements are becoming more complex, risks more diverse, and processes more technology-dependent. Documentation requirements are increasing. To meet these challenges, PwC Germany and Impero are now combining their strengths: technical expertise in setting up, operating, and auditing tax compliance management systems combined with a leading digital platform for risk and internal control management. In this interview, Tim Rensing, Director of Tax Reporting & Strategy at PwC Germany, explains the background to the cooperation and its added value for companies.

The new partnership between PwC and Impero is being launched now. What was the reason for this collaboration—and why now?

Tim Rensing: The requirements for an effective tax control system (Tax CMS) have increased significantly in recent years. Many companies still manage their risks and controls in an unstructured manner and, if at all, document them electronically using local document files. This is error-prone, non-transparent, and hardly scalable. With Impero, we have a partner that closes this gap. The platform offers digital, structured, and transparent risk and control management with clear dashboards, clear responsibilities, and key performance indicators such as completion rate or on-time rate. This enables companies to make their tax processes more efficient, secure, and traceable.

Efficiency and quality in dealing with tax risks are key issues for many companies. How do PwC and Impero approach this in concrete terms?

Tim Rensing: Many tax departments struggle with fragmented systems, unclear responsibilities, and a high level of manual effort when dealing with tax issues. This leads to a lack of transparency regarding risks and controls and makes it difficult to provide evidence to internal and external stakeholders. By combining PwC professional expertise with Impero's technological strength, we create an integrated solution: we increase transparency regarding risks and controls at group and company level, digitize the control environment, and enable continuous monitoring of controls. This enables companies to manage their tax risks in a more targeted manner and ensure the long-term effectiveness of their Tax CMS.

There are already various vendors in the market for digital Tax CMS solutions. How does the joint solution from PwC and Impero differ?

Tim Rensing: Impero offers a SaaS solution that has established itself as the market standard in Germany numerous DAX40 companies already use it. The platform enables a clear link between risks and controls, for example via risk maps, risk registers, and customizable control programs.

PwC complements this technological basis with our in-depth experience in tax practice and the implementation and auditing of Tax CMS. Thanks to our many years of advisory experience, we know which controls are required in the tax area, how they must be documented, and how regulatory requirements can be optimally integrated into the system landscape. The combination of both areas of expertise creates real added value compared to competitive approaches.

Many companies are either facing initial implementation or want to further develop existing systems. What services does PwC offer as part of the partnership?

Tim Rensing: We support our clients throughout the entire lifecycle of their digital Tax CMS – from initial implementation and technical design to ongoing maintenance and improvement of the existing system. This also applies when switching from other solutions to Impero. As a certified Impero partner, we ensure that technology and technical requirements work together optimally. Our goal is to create systems that are not only efficient, but also effective in the long term and audit-proof.

Where do you see the joint solution from PwC and Impero heading in the long term?

Tim Rensing: Our aim is to enable tax functions to manage risks and controls efficiently, transparently, and comprehensibly with a system that creates security and promotes collaboration.

P.S. This interview was help in German and translated to English. The original interview an can be accessed here.