Policy on Conflict of Interest

What​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Conflict​ ​of​ ​Interest?

A​ ​conflict​ ​of​ ​interest​ ​(COI)​ ​arises​ ​where​ ​members​ ​and/or​ ​staff​ ​of​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​have​ ​a​ ​personal​ ​interest that​ ​conflicts​ ​or​ ​might​ ​conflict​ ​or​ ​may​ ​be​ ​perceived​ ​to​ ​conflict​ ​with​ ​the​ ​interests​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Toronto​ ​Animated Image​ ​Society​ ​(TAIS),​ ​and/or​ ​an​ ​interest​ ​that​ ​conflicts​ ​or​ ​might​ ​conflict​ ​or​ ​may​ ​be​ ​perceived​ ​to​ ​conflict with​ ​the​ ​duties​ ​and​ ​responsibilities​ ​of​ ​staff,​ ​committee​ ​members,​ ​or​ ​members​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors.

Scope​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​COI​ ​policy

This​ ​policy​ ​applies​ ​to​ ​all​ ​​staff,​ ​committee​ ​members,​ ​and​ ​members​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors.​ ​All staff,​ ​committee​ ​members,​ ​and​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​board​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​have​ ​an​ ​obligation​ ​to​ ​carry​ ​out​ ​the functions​ ​and​ ​activities​ ​of​ ​their​ ​roles​ ​with​ ​the​ ​highest​ ​level​ ​of​ ​integrity,​ ​consistency​ ​and transparency,​ ​in​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​and​ ​ethical​ ​manner,​ ​ensuring​ ​adherence​ ​to​ ​the​ ​principles​ ​and​ ​ethics, outlined​ ​in​ ​TAIS​ ​Code​ ​of​ ​Conduct.

Access​ ​to​ ​TAIS​ ​COI​ ​policy

TAIS​ ​COI​ ​policy​ ​is​ ​posted​ ​online:​ ​http://tais.ca/conflict-of-interest-policy

Reporting​ ​COI

Actual​ ​or​ ​perceived​ ​COI​ ​should​ ​be​ ​declared​ ​at​ ​the​ ​earliest​ ​possible​ ​opportunity,​ ​and​ ​must​ ​be​ ​brought​ ​to​ ​the attention​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​board​ ​as​ ​a​ ​written​ ​or​ ​verbal​ ​declaration​ ​during​ ​a​ ​meeting​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors. Declaring​ ​COI​ ​is​ ​a​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​agenda​ ​for​ ​all​ ​TAIS​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Director​ ​meetings.

Where​ ​an​ ​actual​ ​or​ ​perceived​ ​COI​ ​is​ ​declared,​ ​the​ ​board​ ​member(s)​ ​and/or​ ​committee​ ​member(s)​ ​and/or staff(s)​ ​involved​ ​must​ ​recuse​ ​themselves​ ​from​ ​the​ ​meeting​ ​so​ ​that​ ​those​ ​remaining​ ​may​ ​discuss​ ​the​ ​matter and​ ​any​ ​proposed​ ​procedures​ ​arising.​ ​The​ ​members​ ​or​ ​staff​ ​may​ ​return​ ​to​ ​the​ ​meeting​ ​once​ ​the​ ​discussion has​ ​concluded.

Procedures​ ​pertaining​ ​to​ ​COI

Possible​ ​procedural​ ​consequences​ ​of​ ​an​ ​actual​ ​or​ ​perceived​ ​COI​ ​may​ ​include​ ​a​ ​requirement​ ​to:​ ​recuse​ ​from meetings​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​subject/issue/event​ ​in​ ​which​ ​the​ ​actual​ ​or​ ​perceived​ ​COI​ ​is​ ​being​ ​discussed​ ​or deliberated;​ ​abstain​ ​from​ ​further​ ​activity​ ​related​ ​to​ ​the​ ​COI;​ ​or​ ​​​dismissal​ ​or​ ​leave​ ​from​ ​the​ ​board​ ​or committee(s).​ ​For​ ​COI​ ​with​ ​staff,​ ​the​ ​Human​ ​Resources​ ​committee​ ​must​ ​consult​ ​on​ ​appropriate​ ​action.

Responsibilities​ ​pertaining​ ​to​ ​COI

Avoiding​ ​COI​ ​is​ ​the​ ​responsibility​ ​of​ ​staff​ ​and​ ​all​ ​members​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​committees​ ​and​ ​board​ ​of​ ​directors.​ ​To meet​ ​this​ ​obligation,​ ​staff,​ ​committee​ ​members,​ ​and​ ​members​ ​of​ ​the​ ​board​ ​of​ ​directors​ ​are​ ​expected​ ​to:

• Base​ ​decisions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​best​ ​interests​ ​of​ ​the​ ​organization.
• Ensure​ ​that​ ​board​ ​and​ ​committee​ ​members​ ​derive​ ​no​ ​financial​ ​benefit (whether​ ​direct​ ​or​ ​indirect​ ​-​ ​excluding​ ​reimbursement​ ​for​ ​eligible expenses)​ ​from​ ​their​ ​position,​ ​and​ ​avoid​ ​any​ ​situation​ ​that​ ​may​ ​create,​ ​or appear​ ​to​ ​create,​ ​a​ ​COI​ ​for​ ​the​ ​organization.
• ​Disclose​ ​all​ ​COI,​ ​and​ ​report​ ​the​ ​nature​ ​and​ ​extent​ ​of​ ​the​ ​COI​ ​in​ ​a​ ​timely​ ​and​ ​meaningful​ ​manner​ ​so​ ​as​ ​not to​ ​put​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​at​ ​risk.

Types​ ​of​ ​COI

A​ ​COI​ ​could​ ​arise​ ​in​ ​relation​ ​to​ ​a​ ​staff​ ​or​ ​committee/board​ ​member’s​ ​involvement​ ​in​ ​matters​ ​including​ ​but not​ ​limited​ ​to:

• Proposals/submissions​ ​to​ ​present​ ​an​ ​artistic​ ​work​ ​or​ ​project​ ​and/or​ ​present/teach​ ​a​ ​technical​ ​skills development​ ​workshop​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​TAIS​ ​programming,​ ​where​ ​the​ ​staff,​ ​committee​ ​member,​ ​or​ ​board member​ ​does​ ​not​ ​declare​ ​the​ ​COI​ ​and/or​ ​take​ ​steps​ ​to​ ​limit​ ​or​ ​avoid​ ​the​ ​(actual​ ​or​ ​perceived)​ ​COI​ ​thereby placing​ ​the​ ​organization​ ​at​ ​risk.
• Undisclosed​ ​professional​ ​or​ ​personal​ ​associations/relationships​ ​with​ ​other​ ​organizations/groups​ ​with whom​ ​TAIS​ ​is​ ​involved
• Undisclosed​ ​employment​ ​with​ ​organizations​ ​or​ ​individuals​ ​with​ ​whom​ ​TAIS​ ​is​ ​involved.
• Undisclosed​ ​personal​ ​associations​ ​or​ ​family​ ​relationships,​ ​obligations​ ​or​ ​commitments,​ ​relationships​ ​or interests​ ​that​ ​may​ ​conflict,​ ​or​ ​may​ ​be​ ​perceived​ ​to​ ​conflict​ ​with​ ​duties​ ​as​ ​staff,​ ​and/or​ ​as​ ​a​ ​committee member,​ ​and/or​ ​as​ ​a​ ​member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors.

*​ ​It​ ​is​ ​recognized​ ​that​ ​TAIS​ ​board/committee​ ​members​ ​and​ ​staff​ ​may​ ​have​ ​interests​ ​and​ ​involvements​ ​with other​​ art​​ centres​ a​nd​​ organizations.​​These​​ multiple ​​involvements​​are ​​what​​ constitute ​​our ​​artist-run community ​​and​​ do ​​not​​ necessarily ​​represent​​ a​ C​OI. ​​TAIS​​ board/committee​​ members​​ and​​ staff​​ are​​ asked ​​to disclose​ ​their​ ​involvements​ ​at​ ​the​ ​earliest​ ​possible​ ​date.

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Approved​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Toronto​ ​Animated​ ​Image​ ​Society:​ ​February​ ​11,​ ​2017.​ Amended and​ ​approved​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Board​ ​of​ ​Directors​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Toronto​ ​Animated​ ​Image​ ​Society: October 4, 2017