Conflicts of interest, and charitable and political donations

Conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest exists when your personal interests could improperly influence, or appear to influence, your professional judgement. Common examples include a family member working for a supplier you help select, a financial stake in a company bidding for your organisation's business, a second job with a competitor or customer, or a close personal relationship with someone you manage or procure from.

Having a conflict is not misconduct. Hiding one is. The rule is simple: declare it as soon as you become aware of it, to your manager or through whatever declaration process your organisation uses. Once declared, a conflict can be managed, usually by removing you from the affected decision. An undeclared conflict, discovered later, poisons every decision you touched and is very difficult to explain innocently.

Perception matters as much as reality. Even if you are confident you can be impartial, others cannot see inside your head. Declare, and let someone independent decide how to manage it.

Charitable donations

Charitable giving is a good thing, and it can also be a disguise for bribery. A donation to a charity connected to a decision-maker, made while that person is weighing up your bid, is a classic route for an improper advantage. Before making a donation on the organisation's behalf, check that the charity is genuine, that no decision-maker connected to a live opportunity benefits from it, and that it goes through the proper approval process. Never make a donation at the request of a customer or official in connection with winning business.

Political donations

Political donations carry even higher risk because they involve people with public power. Many organisations prohibit them entirely; where they are permitted at all, they require senior approval and full transparency. You should never make a political contribution on the organisation's behalf without explicit authorisation, and never in connection with any business advantage.