Trustee Conflict of Interest Policy: Difference between revisions

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{{notice|These Rules [[Meetings/2009-09-01|were adopted]] by the Board on 1 September 2009 under [[Article]] 28, amended on [[Minutes_17Nov12#Policy_Revision|17 November 2012]], and further amended on 10 February 2013.}}
{{BoardApproved|Minutes 2015-12-12|12 December 2015|rule28=yes|type=policy|
history = {{BoardApprovedHistory | Meetings/2009-09-01#Conflict_of_interest_policy | 1 September 2009 | Initial adoption | 5621 }}
{{BoardApprovedHistory | Minutes 17Nov12#Policy_Revision | 17 November 2012 | Amendment covering consultancy services | 31682 | lastid=5621}}
{{BoardApprovedHistory | Minutes 9Feb13#Governance_review_2 | 10 February 2013 | Amendment | 35445 | lastid=31682 }}
{{BoardApprovedHistory | Minutes 2015-12-12|12 December 2015 | Amendment | 35445 | lastid=35445 }}
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This '''conflict of interest policy''' applies to Wikimedia UK (WMUK) trustees.


These rules have been drafted after having considered the [http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/charity_requirements_guidance/charity_governance/good_governance/conflicts.aspx Charity Commission guidance].
== Statement of Intent ==
 
WMUK is committed to ensuring its decisions and decision-making processes are, and are seen to be, free from personal bias and that they do not unfairly favour any trustee, committee member, or any associated person or organisation.
 
== Definitions ==
 
A ‘conflict of interest’ arises when the interests or loyalties of an individual trustee are, or could be, different from the best interests of WMUK itself. This may be something that affects the trustee either directly, or indirectly through a family member, friend, business partner or via a personal connection with any organisation other than WMUK.  
 
Conflicts may be potential as well as actual. A 'potential conflict of interest' arises when there is a realistic possibility that the future interests or loyalties of an individual trustee will, or could be, different from the best interests of WMUK itself.  
 
A 'conflicted trustee' is a trustee that in a particular situation has a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest.


== Background ==
== Background ==


Individual board members have personal responsibilities, as directors and trustees, to ensure that the decisions they take are in the interests of the chapter as a whole rather than their personal interest. Where there is a situation where there is a conflict of interest, board members are expected to follow appropriate procedures on disclosure, voting and decision making.
Individual board members have personal responsibilities, as directors and trustees, to ensure that the decisions and actions they take are in the best interests of WMUK.  Where a trustee has an actual or potential conflict of interest it must be disclosed, and action taken to ensure that the trustee's conflict does not affect the charity's decision-making.
 
The chair and The [[Governance Committee]] have responsibility for monitoring the operation of this policy. The [[Audit and Risk Committee]] has responsibility for monitoring the risks to the charity inherent in any particular conflict.
 
== WMUK's articles of association ==
 
The [[Articles of Association|articles of association]] set out some over-arching rules on conflict of interest in clauses M5.1 to M5.7, and clause 22,  which cannot be overridden by anything in this policy.
 
Under article M5.4, no trustee may:
* buy any goods or services from the charity;
* sell goods, services, or any interest in land to the charity;
* be employed by, or receive any remuneration from the charity; or
* receive any other financial benefit from the charity (other than in some very restricted circumstances)
 
Under article M5.5b, the charity may not engage or remunerate any firm or company in which a trustee is:
* a partner;
* an employee, unless the situation cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interest;
* a consultant, unless the situation cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interest;
* a director; or
* a shareholder, unless the shares of the company are listed on a recognised stock exchange and the trustee holds less than 1% of the issued capital.
 
Where a trustee has a conflict of interest, article M5.7 provides that in certain circumstances the unconflicted trustees may may authorise such a conflict of interests where the following conditions apply:
* the conflicted trustee is absent from the part of the meeting at which there is discussion of any arrangement or transaction affecting that other organisation or person;
* the conflicted trustee does not vote on any such matter and is not to be counted when considering whether a quorum is present at the meeting; and
* the unconflicted trustees consider it is in the interests of the charity to authorise the conflict of interest in the circumstances applying.
 
Article 22.2 further specifies that:
 
* A trustee must declare the nature and extent of any interest, direct or indirect, which s/he has in a proposed transaction or arrangement with the charity or in any transaction or arrangement entered into by the charity which has not previously been declared. A trustee must absent himself or herself from any discussions of the trustees in which it is possible that a conflict will arise between his or her duty to act solely in the interests of the charity and any personal interest (including but not limited to any personal financial interest).
 
== Rules and guidance ==
 
The following rules and guidance apply in addition to the provisions in the articles relating to conflict.
 
=== Declarations of interest ===
 
All trustees must, immediately on joining the board, make a declaration of all known conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest.  Declarations will be publicly recorded at [[Declarations of Interest]].
 
Where there is - very exceptionally  - an overriding need for a particular interest to be kept confidential having due regard to the charity's commitment to transparency, it will be recorded privately, and details sent in confidence to other trustees and to the chief executive. The board will determine what and under what circumstances interests should be held in confidence. A conflicted trustee who is unable to disclose a relevant interest to fellow trustees and to the chief executive must step down from the board.
 
Trustees must actively keep their declarations up to date, and must notify the chair immediately that any new conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arises.
 
At the start of every board meeting and board committee meeting, any trustee who knows of a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest relating to an item on the agenda must declare that fact. If any trustee becomes aware of being conflicted during the meeting, the fact must be declared immediately.  Trustees are expected to disclose the nature, extent, and potential value of any relevant interest and the identities of any other individuals involved.
 
Trustees must take a precautionary approach when considering which interests should be disclosed, bearing in mind its importance in maintaining the reputation of WMUK. The following is a non-exclusive list of the matters that are expected to be disclosed:
* all paid positions held or formerly held with the Wikimedia Foundation
* current or recent paid positions with any organisation that is or has within the preceding twelve months been:
** a significant funder of WMUK (in cash or kind), or
** a significant recipient of funds from WMUK
* current or recent paid positions with any Wikimedia movement organisation or group, whether formally recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation or not
* current or recent volunteer positions held on a Wikimedia Foundation project or within the Wikimedia community that permit access to non-public information. (Examples include OTRS agent, checkuser, steward, oversighter, member of the English Wikipedia's arbitration committee; but not editor, administrator or bureaucrat)
* current or recent employment, partnership, directorship or consultancy with an organisation whose activities are or might be relevant to the charitable activities of WMUK, or any shareholding of greater than 1% in such an organisation.
 
It is essential for the reputation of WMUK that all trustees are beyond suspicion of conflict. Anything that could give rise to an appearance of conflict must be disclosed: it is not enough that a trustee has no intention of misusing his or her position, that any conflict may be accidental, nor even that the trustee knows that in fact there is no conflict at all. WMUK not only has to uphold the highest standards of probity but it has to be seen to do so. For that reason, any situation in which there may be a reasonable public perception of conflict has to be treated in the same way as an actual conflict.
 
=== Disclosure to WMUK partners===


The [[Articles of Association]] sets out the over-arching rules on conflicts of interest in clauses M5.5-7. A requirement in those articles cannot be overridden by anything in these Rules. They provide that:
Where WMUK is engaged in a project involving an external organisation where a trustee is conflicted in connection with the project arrangement or activities, that fact must to be disclosed to the organisation.


No board member may:
=== Action to be taken in the event of a conflict ===
* Buy from
* Sell to
* Be employed by, or
* Receive financial benefit from the chapter unless:
** The amount is reasonable
** The transaction is of a type allowed under clause M5.5
** A majority of board members does not receive a benefit


The restriction also applies to close family members and, in respect of remuneration, to companies which employ the board member.
Where a trustee is conflicted in respect of a particular matter, that trustee must be removed immediately and entirely from any decision-making process. He or she must not:
* take part in any board or board committee discussions relating to the matter
* take part in any decision-making related to the matter
* be counted in the quorum for decision-making related to the matter.


No Trustee of Wikimedia UK will receive any financial benefit or consideration from offering or engaging in consultancy services related to Wikipedia or other Wikimedia projects. Trustees must not use their Wikimedia UK position or title to advance any private interests and must ensure a clear distinction between their role as Trustees and any other activity they engage in.
Where a conflict matter arises at a meeting of the trustees or at a board committee meeting, the conflicted trustee must leave the room while related discussion and/or decision-making is taking place. The unconflicted trustees must then consider whether it is in the interests of the charity to authorise the conflict of interest.  


== Likely situations ==
The minutes must note:
* the nature of the conflict
* that the trustee left the room
* that the trustee took no part in discussion or decision-making on the matter
* that the meeting was quorate (not counting the conflicted trustee).


A conflict of interest may occur even where a board member does not have a personal financial interest in a third party, but has a historical connection or loyalty to them. This includes loyalty derived from being a volunteer committee member.
If the requirements of article M5.7 are met, and the non-conflicted trustees resolve that the conflict can properly be handled, they may authorise the charity to do so.  They must ensure that the minutes record the actions that have been or will be taken to ensure that the conflict will not affect the decision-making process. If the non-conflicted trustees resolve that the conflict cannot properly be handled, they must either take action to remove the conflict or the conflicted trustee must stand down or be removed from the board.


The following are examples of where board members may face a conflict of interest:
When considering whether to authorise a conflict of interest, the board must take due regard of the current Charity Commission guidance, and they must consider whether it may be prudent to seek the permission of the Charity Commission in some circumstances.


* Claiming and authorising reimbursement of expenses
A trustee who suspects that that any trustee, candidate for trusteeship, board committee member or staff member has or may have an undisclosed conflict must inform the chair immediately.
* Purchasing goods and services from a connected organisation, such as hiring a room from your university
* Partnership agreements for initiatives with a connected organisation, such as providing a Workplace Learning seminar at your place of work 
* Agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation or other chapters where a board member has previously served on one of their committees, including the English Wikipedia MedCom and ArbCom, unless they have been representing Wikimedia UK on the committee .


Activities as an ordinary Wikimedia project editor, including trusted editors like Administrators, are not considered to create a conflict of interest.
=== Employment and consultancy ===


== Disclosure ==
During the period of trusteeship, and for six months after leaving the board, no trustee may without the consent of the board accept any employed or remunerated consultancy position with, nor may offer remunerated consultancy services to:


Given the likelihood of conflicts arising with regard to agreements with the Wikimedia Foundation, all members are required to list on the [http://board.wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Register_of_interests Register of interests] all positions held or formerly held with the Foundation or on Foundation projects and to conclude whether a potential conflict exists. After each board election, members will be required to declare that they have registered all such positions.
* WMUK. Family members of trustees are ineligible for the same period;
* the Wikimedia Foundation;
* any organisation with which WMUK has a recent financial connection (either as funder or as a recipient of funds or gifts in kind), where the connection is significant enough to both parties to give rise to a reasonable perception of a current conflict of interest.


Any board member's potential conflict of interest must be discussed with the Chair or the full board before any decision is made. The Secretary must ensure the matter is noted in the register of interests. Board members are expected to disclose the nature, extent, and potential value of any relevant interest and the identities of any other individuals involved.
For clarity, the restricted positions include but are not limited to remunerated Wikimedian in Residence posts, administration, advocacy, fundraising and IT-related roles.
Where Wikimedia UK is engaged in a project involving other parties where there is any likelihood a Board member might benefit personally, this must to be disclosed to those parties.


The board must consider the privacy rights of individual board members when discussing conflicts of interest. Appropriate use must be made of in camera board meetings and private discussions with board officers.
=== Prohibited activities ===


When considering whether to authorise a conflict of interest, the Board must take due regard to the Charity Commission guidance "''[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/conflicts.asp A Guide To Conflicts of Interest For Charity Trustees]''"
Trustees must not use their WMUK position or title to advance their private interests or those of any family member, friend, business partner or any external organisation with which they have a connection.  They must at all times ensure a clear public distinction between their role as trustee and any other activity they engage in, including volunteering activity.


If, after discussion, it is concluded that a board member has a conflict of interest in a proposal, the decision must be considered by the Board. The conflicted member must leave the room to allow the rest of the Board to discuss the issue and vote on it. The point at which the conflicted trustee does so must be recorded in the minutes. The conflicted trustee will not be counted as part of the quorum for any votes taken in their absence.
Trustees may not accept non-trivial gifts in connection with their WMUK activities, nor may they accept such gifts for any family member, friend, business partner or for any external organisation with which they have a connection.


== Expenses ==
Trustees are not eligible to receive any prizes or awards in connection with WMUK activities.


We seek to have a board that reflects the diversity of Wikimedia project users and recognise that not all potential board members are able to pay for their own out of pocket expenses. We will therefore normally reimburse expenses that are properly incurred for the benefit of the chapter. Advance payment of expenses will be considered where cost may be an obstacle to any board member carrying out their duties.
=== Expenses ===


Expenses will only be reimbursed if they are approved in principle prior to the expense, are reasonable, are on the proper form and supported by receipts as appropriate and are properly authorised. Board members are expected to keep the expenses they incur to the lowest reasonable level.
It does not represent a conflict for the charity to reimburse trustees their reasonable expenses incurred as a consequence of their trustee activities.


Travel by private motor vehicle or bicycle will be reimbursed at the standard HMRC rates. Travel by train or aeroplane will be reimbursed for standard class only.
WMUK seeks to have a diverse board and recognises that not all trustees may be able or willing to pay for their own out-of-pocket expenses. It will therefore reimburse trustee-related expenses that are properly incurred for the benefit of the charity. Advance payment of expenses will be considered where cost may be an obstacle to any trustee carrying out their duties.


Expense claims must be accurate. Submitting a false or misleading claim, even if not paid, may damage public confidence in the chapter and will be considered a serious disciplinary matter.
Expenses will only be reimbursed if they are approved in principle prior to the expense, are reasonable, are on the proper form, are supported by receipts where required, and are properly authorised. Trustees are expected to keep the expenses they incur to the lowest reasonable level. Authorisers must only pay claims where they have been properly submitted.


Authorisers must only pay claims where they have been properly completed.
Travel by private motor vehicle or bicycle will be reimbursed at the standard HMRC rates. Travel by train or aeroplane will be reimbursed at standard class rates.


When considering whether to submit or authorise an expense payment, due regard must be paid to the Charity Commission guidance "''[http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/cc11.asp CC11 - Trustee expenses and payments]''"
Expense claims must be accurate. Submitting a false or misleading claim, even if not paid, may represent a criminal offence and will be treated as a serious breach of these rules.  


== Benefits ==
== Examples ==


Board members may not accept non-trivial gifts in connection with Wikimedia UK activities.
* If a partner organisation offers to pay for your lunch to discuss joint activities then this may be acceptable, but a judgement should always be made as to whether the gift is appropriate. Where it could be perceived as impairing your ability to make independent decisions in the best interests of the charity, at the time or in the future, then the gift must be declined.


If, for example, a partner organisation offers to pay for a lunch to discuss joint activities then this may be acceptable, but a judgement should always be made as to whether the gift is appropriate. Where it could be perceived as impairing the ability of the board member to make independent decisions, at the time or in the future, in the interests of the chapter, then the gift must be declined.
* Pushing for the charity to pay to hire a room at your workplace would represent a conflict. If you consider that your workplace offers good value, you could mention it to the board, but must absent yourself from any discussions leading up to a decision. Of course, it is quite acceptable to negotiate with your workplace to offer the charity a free room booking.


Board members will not be eligible to receive any prizes in connection with chapter initiatives.
* Should you be offered by virtue of your position free flights or entry to a conference, you should consider carefully whether the offer could be perceived as a personal free gift, with some return expected, rather than as a simple donation to the charity.


==Employment related to the Charity==
* Care needs to be taken to separate trustee and volunteer activities. Claiming expenses in respect of trustee-related activities is allowed, but submitting trustee-based claims for non-board volunteer costs would represent a conflict. Any non-board volunteer expenses should be treated separately, and must be approved in advance by staff in the same way as those of any other volunteer.
Trustees should not seek or accept any post or form of remuneration from organisations funded by Wikimedia UK or Wikimedia movement organisations for a period of six months after they have been a member of the board, without the express permission of the board. Permission will usually be granted in the case of a trustee applying for a Wikimedian in Residence post, provided that that the trustee has absented themselves from discussions that lead to the creation, funding or agreement of the post. It is likely that the Board will need to seek the permission of the Charity Commission in such circumstances.


If at any point a trustee wishes to apply for a central staff post, the trustee must stand down from the board in advance of applying and only apply with the permission of the Charity Commission if this is required. If unsuccessful, they will not be eligible to re-join the board for 12 months.
== Breaches of these rules ==


== Disciplinary actions ==
Any significant breach of these rules by a trustee will be treated as a significant breach of the [[Trustee Code of Conduct]] and will be dealt with in accordance with that code.


When board members nominate themselves as candidates for election, they [[Meetings/2009_AGM/Notice#Invitation_for_candidates|are informed]] of their duties as trustees, including their duty to avoid conflicts of interest.
Minor accidental breaches of these rules may be reparable, at the discretion of the board, but given the importance of maintaining the board's probity and its reputation, deliberate or reckless breaches, even minor ones, are likely to be treated as serious and to result in ejection from the board.


If a Board member does not comply with these Rules with no reasonable excuse, the Board will consider disciplinary action against the board member. Board members will normally be required to pay back any amounts which have been improperly received.
==See also==
[https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conflicts-of-interest-a-guide-for-charity-trustees-cc29/conflicts-of-interest-a-guide-for-charity-trustees Conflicts of interest: a guide for charity trustees]


In extreme cases, disciplinary matters may include removal of membership and hence directorship under [[Article]] 4.


[[Category:Constitution]]
[[Category:Constitution]]
[[Category:Board]]
[[Category:Board]]

Revision as of 17:17, 8 January 2016

This policy was approved by the Board on 12 December 2015 under Article 28. (approved revision, subsequent changes)
Changes to this policy are subject to board approval, and should be proposed either on the talk page or the Engine room
Approval history:

1 September 2009 - Initial adoption (approved revision)

17 November 2012 - Amendment covering consultancy services (approved revision, changes)
10 February 2013 - Amendment (approved revision, changes)

12 December 2015 - Amendment (approved revision, changes)

This conflict of interest policy applies to Wikimedia UK (WMUK) trustees.

Statement of Intent

WMUK is committed to ensuring its decisions and decision-making processes are, and are seen to be, free from personal bias and that they do not unfairly favour any trustee, committee member, or any associated person or organisation.

Definitions

A ‘conflict of interest’ arises when the interests or loyalties of an individual trustee are, or could be, different from the best interests of WMUK itself. This may be something that affects the trustee either directly, or indirectly through a family member, friend, business partner or via a personal connection with any organisation other than WMUK.

Conflicts may be potential as well as actual. A 'potential conflict of interest' arises when there is a realistic possibility that the future interests or loyalties of an individual trustee will, or could be, different from the best interests of WMUK itself.

A 'conflicted trustee' is a trustee that in a particular situation has a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest.

Background

Individual board members have personal responsibilities, as directors and trustees, to ensure that the decisions and actions they take are in the best interests of WMUK. Where a trustee has an actual or potential conflict of interest it must be disclosed, and action taken to ensure that the trustee's conflict does not affect the charity's decision-making.

The chair and The Governance Committee have responsibility for monitoring the operation of this policy. The Audit and Risk Committee has responsibility for monitoring the risks to the charity inherent in any particular conflict.

WMUK's articles of association

The articles of association set out some over-arching rules on conflict of interest in clauses M5.1 to M5.7, and clause 22, which cannot be overridden by anything in this policy.

Under article M5.4, no trustee may:

  • buy any goods or services from the charity;
  • sell goods, services, or any interest in land to the charity;
  • be employed by, or receive any remuneration from the charity; or
  • receive any other financial benefit from the charity (other than in some very restricted circumstances)

Under article M5.5b, the charity may not engage or remunerate any firm or company in which a trustee is:

  • a partner;
  • an employee, unless the situation cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interest;
  • a consultant, unless the situation cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to give rise to a conflict of interest;
  • a director; or
  • a shareholder, unless the shares of the company are listed on a recognised stock exchange and the trustee holds less than 1% of the issued capital.

Where a trustee has a conflict of interest, article M5.7 provides that in certain circumstances the unconflicted trustees may may authorise such a conflict of interests where the following conditions apply:

  • the conflicted trustee is absent from the part of the meeting at which there is discussion of any arrangement or transaction affecting that other organisation or person;
  • the conflicted trustee does not vote on any such matter and is not to be counted when considering whether a quorum is present at the meeting; and
  • the unconflicted trustees consider it is in the interests of the charity to authorise the conflict of interest in the circumstances applying.

Article 22.2 further specifies that:

  • A trustee must declare the nature and extent of any interest, direct or indirect, which s/he has in a proposed transaction or arrangement with the charity or in any transaction or arrangement entered into by the charity which has not previously been declared. A trustee must absent himself or herself from any discussions of the trustees in which it is possible that a conflict will arise between his or her duty to act solely in the interests of the charity and any personal interest (including but not limited to any personal financial interest).

Rules and guidance

The following rules and guidance apply in addition to the provisions in the articles relating to conflict.

Declarations of interest

All trustees must, immediately on joining the board, make a declaration of all known conflicts of interest and potential conflicts of interest. Declarations will be publicly recorded at Declarations of Interest.

Where there is - very exceptionally - an overriding need for a particular interest to be kept confidential having due regard to the charity's commitment to transparency, it will be recorded privately, and details sent in confidence to other trustees and to the chief executive. The board will determine what and under what circumstances interests should be held in confidence. A conflicted trustee who is unable to disclose a relevant interest to fellow trustees and to the chief executive must step down from the board.

Trustees must actively keep their declarations up to date, and must notify the chair immediately that any new conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest arises.

At the start of every board meeting and board committee meeting, any trustee who knows of a conflict of interest or a potential conflict of interest relating to an item on the agenda must declare that fact. If any trustee becomes aware of being conflicted during the meeting, the fact must be declared immediately. Trustees are expected to disclose the nature, extent, and potential value of any relevant interest and the identities of any other individuals involved.

Trustees must take a precautionary approach when considering which interests should be disclosed, bearing in mind its importance in maintaining the reputation of WMUK. The following is a non-exclusive list of the matters that are expected to be disclosed:

  • all paid positions held or formerly held with the Wikimedia Foundation
  • current or recent paid positions with any organisation that is or has within the preceding twelve months been:
    • a significant funder of WMUK (in cash or kind), or
    • a significant recipient of funds from WMUK
  • current or recent paid positions with any Wikimedia movement organisation or group, whether formally recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation or not
  • current or recent volunteer positions held on a Wikimedia Foundation project or within the Wikimedia community that permit access to non-public information. (Examples include OTRS agent, checkuser, steward, oversighter, member of the English Wikipedia's arbitration committee; but not editor, administrator or bureaucrat)
  • current or recent employment, partnership, directorship or consultancy with an organisation whose activities are or might be relevant to the charitable activities of WMUK, or any shareholding of greater than 1% in such an organisation.

It is essential for the reputation of WMUK that all trustees are beyond suspicion of conflict. Anything that could give rise to an appearance of conflict must be disclosed: it is not enough that a trustee has no intention of misusing his or her position, that any conflict may be accidental, nor even that the trustee knows that in fact there is no conflict at all. WMUK not only has to uphold the highest standards of probity but it has to be seen to do so. For that reason, any situation in which there may be a reasonable public perception of conflict has to be treated in the same way as an actual conflict.

Disclosure to WMUK partners

Where WMUK is engaged in a project involving an external organisation where a trustee is conflicted in connection with the project arrangement or activities, that fact must to be disclosed to the organisation.

Action to be taken in the event of a conflict

Where a trustee is conflicted in respect of a particular matter, that trustee must be removed immediately and entirely from any decision-making process. He or she must not:

  • take part in any board or board committee discussions relating to the matter
  • take part in any decision-making related to the matter
  • be counted in the quorum for decision-making related to the matter.

Where a conflict matter arises at a meeting of the trustees or at a board committee meeting, the conflicted trustee must leave the room while related discussion and/or decision-making is taking place. The unconflicted trustees must then consider whether it is in the interests of the charity to authorise the conflict of interest.

The minutes must note:

  • the nature of the conflict
  • that the trustee left the room
  • that the trustee took no part in discussion or decision-making on the matter
  • that the meeting was quorate (not counting the conflicted trustee).

If the requirements of article M5.7 are met, and the non-conflicted trustees resolve that the conflict can properly be handled, they may authorise the charity to do so. They must ensure that the minutes record the actions that have been or will be taken to ensure that the conflict will not affect the decision-making process. If the non-conflicted trustees resolve that the conflict cannot properly be handled, they must either take action to remove the conflict or the conflicted trustee must stand down or be removed from the board.

When considering whether to authorise a conflict of interest, the board must take due regard of the current Charity Commission guidance, and they must consider whether it may be prudent to seek the permission of the Charity Commission in some circumstances.

A trustee who suspects that that any trustee, candidate for trusteeship, board committee member or staff member has or may have an undisclosed conflict must inform the chair immediately.

Employment and consultancy

During the period of trusteeship, and for six months after leaving the board, no trustee may without the consent of the board accept any employed or remunerated consultancy position with, nor may offer remunerated consultancy services to:

  • WMUK. Family members of trustees are ineligible for the same period;
  • the Wikimedia Foundation;
  • any organisation with which WMUK has a recent financial connection (either as funder or as a recipient of funds or gifts in kind), where the connection is significant enough to both parties to give rise to a reasonable perception of a current conflict of interest.

For clarity, the restricted positions include but are not limited to remunerated Wikimedian in Residence posts, administration, advocacy, fundraising and IT-related roles.

Prohibited activities

Trustees must not use their WMUK position or title to advance their private interests or those of any family member, friend, business partner or any external organisation with which they have a connection. They must at all times ensure a clear public distinction between their role as trustee and any other activity they engage in, including volunteering activity.

Trustees may not accept non-trivial gifts in connection with their WMUK activities, nor may they accept such gifts for any family member, friend, business partner or for any external organisation with which they have a connection.

Trustees are not eligible to receive any prizes or awards in connection with WMUK activities.

Expenses

It does not represent a conflict for the charity to reimburse trustees their reasonable expenses incurred as a consequence of their trustee activities.

WMUK seeks to have a diverse board and recognises that not all trustees may be able or willing to pay for their own out-of-pocket expenses. It will therefore reimburse trustee-related expenses that are properly incurred for the benefit of the charity. Advance payment of expenses will be considered where cost may be an obstacle to any trustee carrying out their duties.

Expenses will only be reimbursed if they are approved in principle prior to the expense, are reasonable, are on the proper form, are supported by receipts where required, and are properly authorised. Trustees are expected to keep the expenses they incur to the lowest reasonable level. Authorisers must only pay claims where they have been properly submitted.

Travel by private motor vehicle or bicycle will be reimbursed at the standard HMRC rates. Travel by train or aeroplane will be reimbursed at standard class rates.

Expense claims must be accurate. Submitting a false or misleading claim, even if not paid, may represent a criminal offence and will be treated as a serious breach of these rules.

Examples

  • If a partner organisation offers to pay for your lunch to discuss joint activities then this may be acceptable, but a judgement should always be made as to whether the gift is appropriate. Where it could be perceived as impairing your ability to make independent decisions in the best interests of the charity, at the time or in the future, then the gift must be declined.
  • Pushing for the charity to pay to hire a room at your workplace would represent a conflict. If you consider that your workplace offers good value, you could mention it to the board, but must absent yourself from any discussions leading up to a decision. Of course, it is quite acceptable to negotiate with your workplace to offer the charity a free room booking.
  • Should you be offered by virtue of your position free flights or entry to a conference, you should consider carefully whether the offer could be perceived as a personal free gift, with some return expected, rather than as a simple donation to the charity.
  • Care needs to be taken to separate trustee and volunteer activities. Claiming expenses in respect of trustee-related activities is allowed, but submitting trustee-based claims for non-board volunteer costs would represent a conflict. Any non-board volunteer expenses should be treated separately, and must be approved in advance by staff in the same way as those of any other volunteer.

Breaches of these rules

Any significant breach of these rules by a trustee will be treated as a significant breach of the Trustee Code of Conduct and will be dealt with in accordance with that code.

Minor accidental breaches of these rules may be reparable, at the discretion of the board, but given the importance of maintaining the board's probity and its reputation, deliberate or reckless breaches, even minor ones, are likely to be treated as serious and to result in ejection from the board.

See also

Conflicts of interest: a guide for charity trustees

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