Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of interest occur when a personal interest influences your business decisions and takes precedence over or could interfere with the best interest of our organization. Some examples of conflicts of interest include the following:
- Family and friends
Do not use your position in the organization to benefit family and friends.
- Outside employment
Employment outside our organization should not interfere with your job performance or business decisions.
- Inappropriate business relationships
Employment by a competitor, supplier, or customer would likely create a direct conflict of interest and is prohibited; any such employment must first be disclosed to and approved by management.
- Material financial interests
Ownership by an employee, or a member of his or her immediate family, of a material financial interest in a competitor or a company that has a current or potential business relationship with our organization is likely a conflict of interest and would first have to be disclosed to and approved by management.
- Outside business interests
Serving as an officer, director, partner of, or consultant to a competitor or a company that has a current or potential business relationship with our organization would likely be a conflict of interest that would first have to be disclosed to and approved by management.
- Public service conflicts
Serving in a public office that may require you to vote or rule on an issue that directly relates to our organization is a possible conflict of interest.
- Outside activities
Participation in any outside activities should not be done as a representative of the organization without prior management approval.
Guidelines
To avoid conflicts of interest and ensure compliance with our Code, follow these guidelines:
- If you have a conflict of interest, or believe there may be a potential or perceived conflict of interest, you must fully disclose it in a timely manner to management, who will decide whether the conflict is acceptable and you can proceed or not acceptable and that you must abstain from taking part in or influencing any business decisions affected by your interest.
- Do not accept gifts or entertainment that could influence or appear to influence your business judgment. See the “Gifts, Entertainment, and Improper Payments” section for more details.
For further details, please consult the Code or contact your supervisor. Click the Continue button to advance to the next slide.