Conflict of Interest Policy

 CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY

Name of governing body: Trustees of the Inniskillings Museum

Date on which this policy was approved by governing body: 20^th June 2024

Date on which this policy is due for review: June 2027

 

Purpose and scope of this policy statement:

The purpose of this policy is:

• To protect the integrity of the Inniskillings Museum’s decision-making process;
• To enable our stakeholders to have confidence in our integrity;
• To protect the integrity of and reputation of our Board of Trustees.

 

All Trustees, staff, and volunteers of the Inniskillings Museum will strive to avoid situations where there may be a potential conflict of interest between the interests of the Inniskillings Museum and the personal interests of members. This includes avoiding actual conflicts of interest as well as perceived conflicts of interest.

This policy applies to all working on behalf of the Inniskillings Museum, including senior managers and the Board of Trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers/facilitators, agency staff, and students.

 

Definition

Ref: Conflicts of Interest: A Guide for Charity Trustees (updated 31 October 2022).

A conflict of interest occurs where there is the possibility that a Trustee’s personal or wider interests could influence decision-making at the museum, for example: when a Trustee participates in discussion or decision-making about a matter or organisation from which they, or someone with whom they have a close personal relationship, benefit directly or indirectly.

A conflict of interest also arises where a Trustee has a past, current, or future interest in an external organisation and participates in discussion or decision making about a matter that potentially affects that organisation.

The existence of a conflict of interest does not reflect on the integrity of the affected Trustee, so long as it is properly addressed.

Examples of conflicts of interest include:

• A Trustee who is related to a member of staff or a volunteer and there is a decision to be taken on staff pay and/or conditions.
• A Trustee who has shares in a business that may be awarded a contract to do work or provide services for the organisation.

Such conflicts of interests may result in decisions or actions that are not in the best interests of the museum, and may suggest that the museum has acted improperly. Where there has been a perceived conflict of interest which is inaccurate, the Board of Trustees should respond appropriately by providing an explanation for decisions made in the best interests of the museum.

 

Declaration

Upon appointment, each Trustee must make a full, written disclosure of interests, such as relationships, posts held, and personal interests (including but not limited to personal financial interest) that could potentially result in a conflict of interest. This written disclosure will be kept on file during the Trustee’s time in post and a subsequent 2 years thereafter, and will be updated as appropriate.

In the course of meetings or activities, Trustees will disclose any interests in a decision where there may be a conflict between the best interests of the museum and the best interests of the Trustee or a conflict between the best interests of two organisations that the Trustee/s is/are involved with. The conflicted Trustee will be asked to leave during the part of the meeting at which there is discussion of the relevant matter or organisation. The conflicted Trustee does not cast a vote in decision-making on the matter or organisation and is not to be counted when considering whether a quorum of Trustees is present at a meeting.

Any such disclosure and the subsequent actions taken will be noted in the minutes of the meeting.

 

Data Protection

The information provided by Trustees will be held in accordance with the museum’s data protection policy. The purpose of holding this data is to ensure that the Trustees act in the best interest of the museum. The information will not be used for any other purpose.

 

Communicating and reviewing the policy

The Inniskillings Museum will make users aware of the policy through the following means:

• The policy will be permanently available on the museum website for public information.
• The policy will be circulated to Trustees, staff and volunteers, and will be accessible on site via the museum’s policy handbook.
• Where relevant, users will be made aware of the policy and how to access it online or via the museum’s policy handbook.

 

This policy will be reviewed when there are changes in legislation and by the Board of Trustees every 3 years.