A standing item on conflicts of interest

A standing item on conflicts of interest at the start of every agenda takes less than a minute, and it is one of the simplest protections a small board has. The usual set-up has three parts:

1. An annual declaration from every trustee, kept in a register of interests
2. A short item at the top of each meeting asking whether anyone has a conflict on today's business
3. A record in the minutes of any declaration and what happened next, for example that the trustee left the room for that item

Conflicts are normal in small charities, where trustees often know the suppliers, the funders and the families the charity works with. Having a conflict is not a problem in itself, as long as it is declared and managed.

The Charity Commission's guidance (CC29) and OSCR's guidance for Scottish trustees both set out what is expected, and both are free to read.

General guidance, not legal advice.