17th March 2025

Lawsons are delighted to announce the achievement of a Fair Tax Mark accreditation standard becoming the first building materials merchant group in the UK to be awarded the gold standard of responsible tax conduct.

The Fair Tax Mark certifies that a business seeks to follow the spirit, as well as the letter of the law, shuns corporate tax avoidance such as the artificial use of tax havens and is transparent about profits made and taxes paid.

As a third-generation family-owned business, Lawsons has grown into the largest independently owned Builders Merchant group in the South East of England.

Lawsons demonstrates full commitment to a wide agenda of corporate social responsibility and believes that the UK taxation system underpins and supports the societies and communities where they operate their branch network, along with contributing to the economic well-being of the UK.

Chris Harrison, Group Finance Director of Lawsons, commented “We have a culture of transparency across our entire business, whether in our dealings with customers, suppliers or our people.  As a significant player in the Builders Merchant sector, which is a key sector for the UK economy, it is only right that we should publicly demonstrate our approach to paying our fair share of tax in full and at the right time.”

Jeremy Norris, Group Managing Director, noted “The Fair Tax Mark is another way we demonstrate our values and best practices to our customers, suppliers and people. We also believe that this inspires confidence and trust in our goods and services and I would not be surprised to see this accreditation becoming a mandatory requirement for all public construction contracts.”

Enquiries                                           01727 226660

  • Chris Harrison, Group Finance Director
  • Ciaran Morton, Group Marketing Director

Notes to Editors

About Lawsons:

Established in 1921, the Lawsons Group is now the largest independent Timber, Building Materials & Fencing merchant in London and the South East, with branches located from Lincolnshire to the South Coast. The Group includes 19 Lawsons branches, 12 branches of AVS Fencing & Landscaping Supplies, in addition to Basingstoke Building Supplies, Briants of Risborough, The Landscape Centre, Oxford Fencing Supplies and Witham Timber.

About Fair Tax Mark:

Fair Tax Mark is the world’s first certification for responsible tax conduct.  Certification has now been secured by 270 businesses, which together employ more than 400,000 people and contribute £5.3bn / €6.1bn / $5.8bn annually in corporate income tax worldwide.