Conflict of Interest Policy for SOA Volunteers

Any individual involved in an SOA activity or decision-making process has an obligation to disclose any conflicting or potentially conflicting personal, professional or business interest he or she may have, directly or indirectly, with the affected activity or decision.  Potentially conflicting interests may relate to the SOA’s programs and services (e.g., educational courses) or its operations (e.g., contracts with third parties).

In particular, participants in SOA-related activities must disclose the positions they hold or relationships they have with other organizations or entities that may conflict, directly or indirectly, with their SOA activities. They also have an obligation to disclose any material financial interest in, or other relationship with, an entity having a “commercial interest” in the activity or in the outcome or deliverable of the activity.  A commercial interest may exist not only where the entity’s products or services are under consideration by the SOA, but also where the entity’s products or services are in competition or potential competition with those under consideration or where the entity’s products or services may be affected by the activity or outcome.  By the disclosure of such interests, the Board of Governors or its designee(s) will be in a better position to determine whether the participant may have an interest in conflict with the interests of the SOA.

Although the SOA primarily is concerned with potential conflicts of interest involving individuals participating directly in SOA–related activities, participants also should disclose interests or relationships of individuals with whom they directly share income (e.g., spouse, domestic partner, minor children).  In addition, participants should disclose interests or relationships held by others that may affect the participant’s decision-making (e.g., business partner), but only to the extent they are aware of such information.  Participants do not need to determine the nature of every interest held by a sibling, business partner, etc. if they have no independent knowledge of such interests.