Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of Interest
Conflicts of Interest
Course Overview
Conflicts of Interest
Identifying, Disclosing, and Managing Competing Interests
Understand why a conflict of interest is damaging even when nobody acts on it, and why people consistently underestimate their own. You will learn to distinguish actual, potential, and perceived conflicts, apply the reasonable-observer test, disclose properly and on time, choose the right mitigation from recusal to divestment, and maintain a defensible conflict register.
What You Will Learn
The main objectives of the course are:
- Define a conflict of interest and the duty of loyalty.
- Distinguish actual, potential, and perceived conflicts.
- Identify common sources of conflict at work.
- Explain how conflicts erode trust and institutional integrity.
- Recognize self-serving bias and gradual compromise.
- Apply fiduciary duty and governance obligations.
- Navigate the FCPA, UK Bribery Act, and OECD standards.
- Manage financial, family, and outside-employment conflicts.
- Apply gifts, entertainment, and hospitality thresholds.
- Protect integrity in procurement and supplier selection.
- Disclose conflicts fully, promptly, and to the right people.
- Mitigate conflicts through recusal, screening, and oversight.
Who Should Enroll
This certificate is designed for compliance and ethics officers, board directors and company secretaries, procurement and sourcing professionals, HR and recruitment leads, finance and audit teams, public-sector and healthcare administrators, research and advisory staff, and managers who approve decisions involving competing interests.
Skills You Will Build
- Conflict Identification
- Actual vs Perceived Conflicts
- Bias Awareness
- Fiduciary Duty Application
- Financial Interest Disclosure
- Gifts & Hospitality Controls
- Procurement Integrity
- Disclosure & Declaration
- Recusal & Screening
- Conflict Register Management
- Impartial Decision-Making
- Reasonable-Observer Testing
- Self-Assessment Discipline
- Governance & Regulatory Awareness
- Nepotism & Favoritism Control
- Outside Activity Approval
- Supplier Relationship Integrity
- Confidential Disclosure Handling
- Mitigation Documentation
- Integrity Culture Building
Course Outline – Conflicts of Interest
Module 1: Understanding Conflicts of Interest
- Defining a Conflict of Interest
- Duty, Loyalty, and Competing Interests
- Why Impartial Judgment Matters
- Conflicts Across Sectors and Roles
Module 2: Types of Conflicts: Actual, Potential & Perceived
- Actual Conflicts: When Interests Collide Now
- Potential Conflicts: Foreseeable Future Risks
- Perceived Conflicts: The Appearance Problem
- Why Perception Can Be as Damaging as Reality
Module 3: Common Sources of Conflict
- Financial and Economic Interests
- Personal and Family Relationships
- Outside Activities and Dual Roles
- Information, Access, and Insider Advantage
Module 4: Why COI Undermines Trust & Integrity
- Trust as the Currency of Institutions
- How Conflicts Distort Decisions
- Fairness, Equity, and Stakeholder Harm
- Reputational and Financial Fallout
Module 5: The Psychology of Bias and Self-Interest
- Motivated Reasoning and Self-Serving Bias
- Why We Underestimate Our Own Conflicts
- The Slippery Slope and Gradual Compromise
- Reciprocity, Obligation, and Social Influence
Module 6: The Legal & Governance Context
- Fiduciary Duty and the Duty of Loyalty
- Corporate Governance Codes and Board Oversight
- Regulatory Expectations and Enforcement
- Liability, Sanctions, and Personal Exposure
Module 7: Ethics, Integrity & Professional Codes
- Ethical Principles Behind Conflict Rules
- Integrity, Objectivity, and Independence
- Professional Codes of Conduct in Practice
- Balancing Competing Ethical Obligations
Module 8: The Global Regulatory Landscape
- The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
- The UK Bribery Act and Adequate Procedures
- OECD Guidelines and Public-Sector Standards
- Sector Regulators: Finance, Health, and Public Procurement
Module 9: Financial Conflicts of Interest
- Investments and Shareholdings
- Ownership Stakes and Beneficial Interests
- Compensation, Bonuses, and Incentives
- Insider Information and Trading Risks
Module 10: Personal & Family Relationships
- Nepotism and Favoritism
- Reporting Lines and Romantic Relationships
- Recruitment, Promotion, and Contracting Decisions
- Friendships and Social Obligations
Learn at your convenience
*Note: These are self-paced courses, allowing learners to study independently at their own pace.
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