This policy applies to Trustees
Trustees have a legal obligation to act in the best interests of Born to be Beautiful, and in accordance with the Born to be Beautiful governing document. To avoid situations where there may be a potential conflict of interest. Staff and volunteers have similar obligations Conflicts of interest may arise where an individual’s personal or family interests and/or loyalties conflict with those of Born to be Beautiful. Such conflicts may create problems; they can: • inhibit free discussion • result in decisions or actions that are not in the interests of Born to be Beautiful • risk the impression that Born to be Beautiful has acted improperly. This policy aims to protect both the organisation and the individuals involved from any appearance of impropriety The Declaration of Interests We are asking Born to be Beautiful trustees to declare their interests and any gifts or hospitality received in connection with their role in the charity. A declaration of interest form is provided for this purpose, listing the types of interest you should declare. To be effective, the declaration of interests needs to be updated at least annually and also when any changes occur. If you are not sure what to declare, or whether/when your declaration needs to be updated, please err on the side of caution This register of interests shall also be used to record all gifts of a value over £100 received by the trustees and staff. Interests and gifts will be recorded on the charity’s register of interest, which will be maintained by the charity secretary. The register will be accessible by [level of access, noting any statutory requirements applicable. Data Protection The information provided will be processed in accordance with GDPR. Data will be processed only to ensure that trustees act in the best interests of the charity. The information provided will not be used for any other purpose. What to do if you face a Conflict of Interest if you are a user of the charity’s services or the carer of someone who uses the charity’s services, you should not be involved in decisions that directly affect the service that you, or the person you care for, receives. You should declare your interest at the earliest opportunity and withdraw from any subsequent discussion. The same applies if you face a conflict for any other reason. You may, however, participate in discussions from which you may indirectly benefit, for example where the benefits are universal to all users, or where your benefit is minimal. If you fail to declare an interest that is known to the charity secretary and/or the chair of the board, the charity secretary or chair will declare that interest. Decisions taken where a Trustee or Member of Staff has an Interest In the event of the board having to decide upon a question in which a trustee or member of staff has an interest, all decisions will be made by vote, with a two-thirds majority required. A quorum must be present for the discussion and decision; interested parties will not be counted when deciding whether the meeting is quorate. All decisions under a conflict of interest will be recorded by the charity secretary and reported in the minutes of the meeting. The report will record: • The nature and extent of the conflict; • An outline of the discussion; • The actions taken to manage the conflict. Where a trustee benefits from the decision, this will be reported in the annual report and accounts in accordance with the current Charities SORP. All payments or benefits in kind to trustees will be reported in the charity’s accounts and annual report, with amounts for each trustee listed for the year in question. Where a member of the charity’s staff is connected to a party involved in the supply of a service or product to the charity, this information will also be fully disclosed in the annual report and accounts. Independent external moderation will be used where conflicts cannot be resolved through the usual procedures. Managing Contracts If you have a conflict of interest, you must not be involved in managing or monitoring a contract in which you have an interest. Monitoring arrangements for such contracts will include provisions for an independent challenge of bills and invoices, and termination of the contract if the relationship is at an unsatisfactory rate. Interested board members may not vote on matters affecting their own interests All decisions under a conflict of interest will be recorded by the charity secretary and reported in the minutes of the meeting. The report will record: • The nature and extent of the conflict; • An outline of the discussion; • The actions taken to manage the conflict. Where a trustee benefits from the decision. This will be reported in the annual report and accounts in accordance with the current Charities SORP. All payments or benefits in kind to trustees will be reported in the charity’s accounts and annual report, with amounts for each trustee listed for the year in question. Where a member of the charity’s staff is connected to a party involved in the supply of a service or product to the charity, this information will also be fully disclosed in the annual report and accounts. Independent external moderation will be used where conflicts cannot be resolved through the usual procedures.