Conflict of Interest Policy

Purpose

Abundance Canada has adopted this policy to ensure that our business interests are protected and that employee safety and productivity are maintained. Abundance Canada generally allows outside employment where: the secondary employment causes no adverse effects to the employee’s performance of job duties at Abundance Canada; the secondary work is performed after the employee’s regularly scheduled working hours; and, there is no conflict of interest. Where a situation arises in which an Abundance Canada employee is required to conduct business or provide services to a family member or associate, this may create a real or perceived conflict of interest for both the company and the employee in question. As such, Abundance Canada requires any employee who feels he/she may have a conflict of interest to immediately notify the immediate supervisor for relief.

Scope

This Policy Shall:

Provide reporting guidelines for employees with secondary employment;
Examine the Abundance Canada limitations for secondary employment;
Discuss the Abundance Canada Non-Compete, Confidential Information Policy/Agreement;
Outline the Abundance Canada stance on secondary employment with clients and/or vendors;
Define Abundance Canada policy on secondary employment conducted while on leave;
Define Abundance Canada policy regarding potential conflicts of interest in the hiring process;
Define Abundance Canada policy regarding potential conflicts of interest in the transaction of business;
Define Abundance Canada policy regarding potential conflicts of interest in the use of personnel and/or equipment for non-business purposes.

Definition – A conflict of interest arises when a person (or member of the person’s immediate family) may benefit from another’s position, either financially or in other ways. Immediate family is defined as the person’s parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, spouse, child’s spouse, sibling’s spouse, fiancé(e), and any other relative who permanently resides with the person or with whom the person permanently resides.

Guidelines

An employee will not use information obtained as a result of his/her position for personal or family benefit.
An employee will not divulge confidential information obtained as a result of his/her position unless legally required to do so.
An employee will not use the power or authority of Abundance Canada for personal gain or benefit.
An employee will not use his/her position to favour the hiring of immediate family. This does not say such a person cannot be hired.
Immediate family members may not be in a supervisory relationship with each other in any full-time, part-time, or temporary employment.
An employee considering an elected or appointed position with any of the participating Conferences or any organization in which a participating Conference elects the majority of the Board or governing unit and contributes one half or more of the budget, must receive permission from the person to whom he/she reports. Further, an employee is precluded from holding an elected or appointed position on the general board of any of the participating Conferences or the regional conferences thereof.

Conflict of Interest in Hiring Practices

Family Members:

Abundance Canada shall accept applications from and consider a member of an employee’s immediate family for employment, if the candidate has all the requisite qualifications.
An immediate family member shall not be considered for employment if by doing so, it might create a direct or indirect managerial-subordinate relationship with the family member or if his/her employment could create a conflict of interest either real or imagined.
For the purposes of this policy, immediate family members shall be defined as: wife, husband, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, or any in-laws.

Employee Relationships:

Abundance Canada employees involved in romantic relationships, or who become married or live in the same household, shall not be perceived as presenting a conflict of interest provided that there is neither a direct or indirect managerial-subordinate relationship between the employees or a conflict of interest, whether real or perceived, that is created as a result of the relationship.
In the event that either a managerial-subordinate or conflict of interest issue arises, Abundance Canada will work with the employees to accommodate them in a reasonable fashion. Possible resolutions resulting from a conflict of interest may require one of the employees to transfer to another department or position within the company. If this is not possible, one of the employees may be required to resign.

Conflict of Interest in the Transaction of Business

If any Abundance Canada employee has reason to believe that a conflict of interest has occurred or is possible, it is the employee’s duty to report it to his/her immediate supervisor or a member of the Management Team. Abundance Canada policies strictly prohibit any retaliation for fulfilling this obligation.

Employees should avoid any interest, investment, or association that creates a conflict of interest or that interferes with the employee’s ability to perform his/her duties at Abundance Canada. This would include being an Executor or Power of Attorney for an Abundance Canada client.
Abundance Canada employees should avoid the creation of any personal interest or relationship with any organization, whether direct or indirect, that competes with or provides products and/or services to Abundance Canada.
If any employee believes that he/she may have a conflict of interest, the employee must immediately disclose this fact to his/her immediate supervisor or to a member of the Management Team.

Use of Personnel and/or Equipment for Non-Business Purposes

Abundance Canada strictly prohibits the use of personnel (including volunteer staff) for non-Abundance Canada business, as this may be improper, illegal, or create a conflict of interest.
Where Abundance Canada resources are used for unapproved purposes (including property, equipment, and personnel), a negative impact on our business may be created which could affect the community perception of the organization.

Reporting a Conflict of Interest

Employees

Abundance Canada must be made aware of all conflicts of interest by employees, who believe they have witnessed a conflict of interest or where they reasonably believe that they may be engaged in any activity which could present a conflict of interest, in order to take appropriate action. Employees are obligated to report any conflict of interest to their immediate supervisor or a Management Team member.

Supervisors and Managers

Supervisors and managers are directed to take all appropriate steps to prevent and stop conflicts of interest in their areas of responsibility. Any supervisor or manager who is subject to, witnesses, or is given written or verbal complaints of conflict of interest shall work to minimize or eliminate the issue at hand. In the event that this is not possible with the available resources, the supervisor or manager is required to report the conflict of interest to a Management Team member.

Investigation

Abundance Canada seeks to resolve claims of conflicts of interest as expediently as possible. The employee’s direct supervisor or a Management Team member shall be responsible for determining and administering the methods and means for addressing complaints. This shall be accomplished through the following methods:

Determining the veracity of allegations of a conflict of interest
Determining whether or not a reported act is indeed a conflict of interest
Resolving the conflict of interest
Administering punitive or corrective actions as appropriate
Administering punitive actions if allegations were knowingly falsely made

Assurance Against Retaliation

This Policy encourages employees to report any conflict of interest encountered in their employment at Abundance Canada. Retaliation against any complainant is strictly prohibited and will result in appropriate disciplinary action. Retaliation by the respondent or anyone acting on behalf of the respondent, or against any witness providing information about a conflict of interest report, is also strictly prohibited. Acts of retaliation include, but are not limited to: interference, coercion, threats, and/or restraint.

This Conflict of Interest Policy will not be used to bring fraudulent or malicious complaints against employees. Any complaint made in bad faith, if demonstrated as being such through convincing evidence, will result in disciplinary action being taken against the individual lodging the fraudulent or malicious complaint.