Conflict of Interest
The purpose of this policy is to help board members of Regina Cat Rescue (RCR) to effectively identify, disclose and manage any actual, potential or perceived conflicts of interest in order to protect the integrity of Regina Cat Rescue and manage risk.
The Regina Cat Rescue Board members and Team Leads are obligated to disclose any conflicts of interest that they may have, and to comply with this policy to ensure they effectively manage those conflicts of interest as representatives of Regina Cat Rescue.
This policy has been developed because conflicts of interest commonly arise, and can be openly and effectively managed. It is the policy of Regina Cat Rescue, as well as a responsibility of the board, that conflicts of interest be avoided and managed so that they do not compromise an individual’s obligations to Regina Cat Rescue.
Regina Cat Rescue will manage conflicts of interest by requiring board members and committee chairs to:
Avoid conflicts of interest where possible
Identify and disclose any conflicts of interest
Carefully manage and mitigate conflicts of interest
Follow this policy and respond to any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.
The board is responsible for establishing a system for identifying, disclosing and managing conflicts of interest across Regina Cat Rescue and monitoring compliance with this policy to ensure that the policy is operating effectively.
Identification and disclosure
Board members and Team Leads are obligated to disclose any conflicts of interest they may have, in writing by letter or email, to the Board. Any individual who is concerned about a conflict of interest of a board member or Team Lead may also provide, in writing, to the Board, their concerns about a conflict of interest. If a person suspects that a Board member has failed to disclose a conflict of interest, they must notify the board.
Once an actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest is identified, it must be formally documented (including the nature and extent of the conflict of interest and any steps taken to address it) and a copy stored in the Governance folder.
Definition of conflict of interest: A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s personal or professional interests - family, friendship, nature or place of work, colleagues, financial, or social factors - could compromise his or her judgement, decisions, or actions in their RCR role.
Confidentiality of Disclosure
Only board members will have access to the information disclosed.
Management
Once the conflict of interest has been disclosed, the Board (excluding the Board member disclosing and any other conflicted Board member) must decide whether or not those conflicted board members should:
Vote on the matter
Participate in any debate
Be present in the room during the debate and the voting
In deciding what approach to take, the board will consider the following:
Asses the risk to Regina Cat Rescue that the conflict presents; whether the conflict needs to be avoided or simply documented
Whether the conflict will realistically impair the conflicted person’s capacity to impartially participate in decision-making
Alternative options to avoid or mitigate the conflict
The possibility of creating an appearance of improper conduct that might impair confidence in, or the reputation of, Regina Cat Rescue
Whether it is appropriate for the person conflicted to resign from the board, such as where a conflict is very significant or likely to prevent a board member from regularly participating in discussions.
The approval of any mitigating action requires the agreement of a majority of the board (excluding any conflicted board member/s) who are present and voting at the meeting called for the purpose of addressing the conflict. The action and result of the vote will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
If the board has a reason to believe that a person subject to the policy has failed to comply with it, it will investigate the circumstances. If it is found that this person knowingly failed to disclose a conflict of interest, the board may take any action it deems reasonable to mitigate the conflict, including terminating the person’s relationship with Regina Cat Rescue.