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How to tackle conflicts of interest

A conflict of interest arises when an individual, who could influence a decision, has the potential to exploit their position. 

This means that the outcome could benefit them personally, or help a friend, family member or another connection. That could be at the expense of the organisation's best interests.

A committee member would have a conflict of interest if they could benefit from a committee decision. 

It's important that conflicts of interest are recognised, recorded and managed. This promotes integrity and transparency. 

Here's our advice on what to do... 

What's a conflict of interest?

Here's an example.

One of your committee members owns a local building company. Your club is looking to build an extension for the clubhouse. The committee member is in a position to influence which company the club uses. This makes it a conflict of interest for that individual.

It doesn't mean that your committee members has done something wrong. Conflicts of interest can easily arise. What's important is that they are recognised and handled appropriately, so your club's integrity or reputation isn't compromised.

In this example, the committee member should be open about their relationship with the building firm. They should not be involved in the decision-making process over which building company to use.

This means that they can't be accused of influencing the decision for personal gain, at the expense of the club. 

Recognising conflicts of interest 

The first step is to ask committee members to disclose any conflicts of interests, as soon as they can. This will help to ensure that everyone only acts in the best interests of the club.

Ask new committee members to disclose any potential conflicts when they join. Report this in the meeting's minutes or through a register of interests. 

At the beginning of committee meetings, you could check if anyone has any new conflicts to disclose. 

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Recording conflicts of interest

Once committee members have disclosed conflicts of interest, it's a good idea to record these using a Register of Interests.

This can be a simple document summarising any current or potential conflicts. It demonstrates that the committee is aware of the conflicts and taking steps to manage them.

This promotes transparency for your club members, and reduces the risk of your integrity being questioned later on. 

Check in with committee members to keep the register up-to-date. You could do this by setting up a regular slot at committee meetings.

Managing conflicts of interest

So what do you do if someone declares a conflict of interest?

It's usually up to the Chair, who should consult with the rest of the committee before acting. 

The first step is usually to exclude the committee member from any relevant meetings or decision-making processes. 

Any action taken should be noted in the meeting's minutes or on the register of interests.