Being aware of high risk areas for conflict of interest can help you to:
Check to see if your organisation has identified its high risk areas for conflict of interest and advised its employees of these in its policy or guidance.
Below are some examples of typical high risk areas for conflict of interest. This information can:
For easier reading, the examples are grouped by risk factors.
If any of the examples apply to you, take extra care in those areas to identify if any conflicts exist.
The risk of a conflict of interest is typically higher if you’re involved in the duties below.
If a conflict of interest arises, declare it to your manager, who will develop a conflict of interest management plan in consultation with you. For details see step 2 and step 3.
Allocating or providing sought-after goods, equipment, services or funds. For example:
Collecting, handling or storing confidential information.
Making binding decisions in which you exercise discretionary powers. For example:
Undertaking work duties in relation to:
For more information see:
Decisions about:
Recruitment and selection, for example, as a member of a selection panel.
For details, see your organisation’s recruitment and selection policy.
A regulatory role, for example:
Allocating or accepting sponsorship.
The risk of a conflict of interest is typically higher in certain operating environments, such as those below.
If a conflict of interest arises, declare it to your manager, who will develop a conflict of interest management plan in consultation with you.
For details see step 2 and step 3.
Working situations such as:
If as a result of your work role you sometimes receive or make offers of gifts, benefits and hospitality
For more information see your organisation’s gifts, benefits and hospitality policy and our guidance on this topic.
The risk of a conflict of interest arising from your private interests will vary depending on factors such as:
If a conflict of interest arises, declare it to your manager. They will develop a conflict of interest management plan in consultation with you. For details see step 2 and step 3.
Below are some examples of private interests that are typically high risk for conflict of interest.
Consensual personal relationships between employees of the same organisation are typically high risk and in some circumstances must be declared.
If you are in or considering entering into a consensual personal relationship we recommend that you read our guidance on this topic.
Strict rules apply as to when the relationship must be declared. Check your organisation’s policy. It may have stricter requirements than in our guidance.
A current or recent association with a person, group or organisation that you are aware or should reasonably suspect of being engaged in serious unlawful activity, now or in the past. The association is declarable if a conflict of interest exists.
If you have a relationship of this type, we recommend you read our guidance on this topic.
Strict rules apply as to when the relationship must be declared. Check your organisation’s policy. It may have stricter requirements than in our guidance.
Financial interests that may be affected.
For example, if you or a family member owns shares, it would be a conflict of interest for you to be involved in any decision made by your organisation that could change the shares’ value.
Other high risk examples include:
If you have a duty or loyalty to another organisation, group, person or cause, there is no typical risk level of a conflict of interest. The risk level will be determined by factors such as:
If a conflict of interest does arise you must declare the interest to your manager, who will develop a conflict of interest management plan in consultation with you. For details see step 2 and step 3.
Read the guidance on any of these topics that affect you: