ECS Escritório Contábil Spolavori

Porto Alegre in southern Brazil is home to ECS Escritório Contábil Spolavori, an accounting office founded in 1982. Its founder, a merchant who had just completed a technical accounting course, wanted to simplify and cut the red tape from the way most offices dealt with clients at the time. He began in a small room in a commercial centre on Avenida Assis Brasil and handled everything himself.

How the office grew

A second partner joined in 1989 after qualifying in accounting, and the partnership has lasted to the present. The office followed the change in the profession, from handwritten books and forms to computer programs and systems that made services faster and more precise. In 2004 it moved into a headquarters it owns at Avenida do Forte, in the north zone of the city, built with ample space for receiving clients. A further partner, who had been on the team since 2004, joined the ownership in February 2014 after earning a degree in accounting sciences. ECS says it became a reference in its field through tradition and quality of service.

Tax and accounting routines

The tax side covers choosing the right tax regime for a company, calculating federal, state and municipal taxes, posting tax documents and preparing payment slips. Bookkeeping handles the routine records and obligations of running a business.

Staff and payroll

The personnel department manages the relationship between employer and employee, including hiring and termination procedures, payroll, holiday expiry control, and taxes, contributions and social obligations.

Opening, changing and closing companies

A registration department deals with opening companies, contract changes and closures, sends documents for operating permits, handles environmental licensing and negotiates federal, state and municipal debts. A tender team collects certificates, organises cost sheets and prepares proposals for public bids.

Tax planning, returns and certificates

The office watches for tax alternatives so clients pay the legal minimum, prepares income tax returns for individuals and companies, and sells digital certificates. Its mission is to offer personalised information and security, with technology and qualified staff, to satisfy and surprise clients.