Conflicts of Interest Policy
- Introduction
- Purpose
- Scope
- General expectations
- IDENTIFY potential conflicts of interest
- DECLARE potential conflicts of interest
- MANAGE potential conflicts of interest
- Data protection
- Responsibilities of chartered members
1. Introduction
1.1. One of Trustees’ key legal obligations under the Trustee Act 2000 is to “act only in the best interests of the charity”. The Charity Commission’s guidance to Trustees states “you must avoid putting yourself in a position where your duty to your charity conflicts with your personal interests or loyalty to any other person or body”. This obligation is also referenced in the RTPI’s Trustee Code of Conduct.
1.2. However, managing conflicts of interest is not just something for the RTPI’s Trustees to consider and respect. Everyone representing the RTPI, either as a member of staff or as a volunteer, has their own obligation to act in the best interests of the RTPI and not for their personal interest or gain.
1.3. When the interests of the RTPI and an individual’s personal interests conflict, it can lead to actions and decisions being taken which are invalid, open to challenge and/or contrary to the best interests of the Institute and its members.
1.4. It is a recommendation of the 2025 Charity Governance Code and general best practice for charities to have a Conflicts of Interest Policy in place and clear, well communicated processes for identifying, declaring and managing conflicts of interest.
2. Purpose
2.1. The RTPI actively manages conflicts of interests to prevent damage to the reputation and integrity of the RTPI and the individuals involved, and to preserve public trust and confidence in the Institute and charities in general.
2.2. This Policy sets out the RTPI’s expectations of Trustees, volunteers and RTPI staff in relation to identifying, declaring and managing potential, or perceived, conflicts of interest between their personal interests and the interests of the RTPI.
3. Scope
3.1. This policy applies to all staff and volunteers representing the RTPI.
4. General expectations
4.1. The RTPI expects all RTPI volunteers and staff to:
a) Put the interests of the RTPI first and foremost in their decision-making and actions when acting in their RTPI role.
b) Make decisions on behalf of the RTPI which are impartial, objective and have not been improperly influenced from external parties. Examples of improper influence includes social or relationship pressures, manipulation, threats, blackmail, bribery or excessive gifts and hospitality. See the RTPI Gifts and Hospitality Policy.
c) Read and use the guidance below on how to Identify, Declare and Manage conflicts of interests quickly and effectively.
d) Raise any concerns they might have in relation to how other Trustees, staff or volunteers are declaring or managing their conflicts of interests to their line manager, or if it relates to their line manager, to the Chief Operating Officer. Staff can also disclose their concerns using the confidential whistleblowing service.
5. IDENTIFY potential conflicts of interest
5.1. Everyone will have interests outside of the RTPI, but it is important to recognise when these may come into conflict with the RTPI’s interests. This includes, but is not limited to:
a) having a financial interest in a supplier or partner of the RTPI, for example paid employment or shareholdings.
b) receiving or potentially receiving non-financial benefits, such as an unpaid board position or prospective future employment from a supplier or partner of the RTPI.
c) having a close personal relationship with, or duties or loyalties to someone who could potentially leverage that relationship with you to influence your decision-making or actions. This might be a potential supplier, partner organisation, or someone linked to a member application, appeal or investigation.
d) personal beliefs or political views which could interfere with your ability to act only in the best interests of the RTPI. Charity Commission guidance states that a charity’s activities must support the delivery and achievement of its charitable purpose and not a political purpose. Activities undertaken on behalf of RTPI must be politically neutral, regardless of any political affiliations or beliefs.
6. DECLARE potential conflicts of interest
6.1. The Governance team will maintain a centrally held Register of Interests for the following individuals:
· Trustees
· Members of the Board’s sub-committee
· Members of the standing committees/panels
· Members of National Executive Committees
· Members of English Regional Management Boards
· The Senior Executive Team (SET)
· All RTPI colleagues with purchasing or expenditure authority of over £5,000
6.2. Everyone listed at 5.1 is required to complete a declarations of interest form. They will be contacted by the Governance team on an annual basis and asked to make a full declaration of their interests via an online form. They make sure their declarations are complete and submitted in a timely manner. The Governance team are happy to provide guidance and advice on how to complete the declaration form.
6.3. It is the responsibility of those individuals a 5.1 to keep their declaration up-to-date and complete at all times throughout the year. The Governance Team must be informed of any changes which occurred during the year, such as a change of employer and may ask the individual to complete a fresh declaration form.
Boards and committees
6.4. The Chair of the Board, Chairs of the Board’s sub and standing committees and Chairs of the National Executive Committees and English Regional Management Boards will receive a confidential summary of the declaration
forms by their members at the start of each calendar year from the Governance Team.
6.5. Board and Committee members who have a potential conflict of interest with an item of business must raise potential conflict at the earliest opportunity either with the Chair or with a member of the Governance team.
6.6. Each Board and Committee listed within 5.1 shall have a standing item for the declarations of interest at the start of every agenda.
6.7. All declarations of interest and associated abstention from items will be recorded in the meeting minutes.
6.8. If a Chair knows of an interest of a member/s and that/those member/s fails to declare that interest, the Chair may declare that interest on their behalf.
6.9. Where an RTPI Trustee benefits from a Board decision, this will be reported in the annual report and accounts in accordance with the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).
6.10. All payments or benefits in kind to Trustees will be reported in the accounts and annual report, with amounts for each Trustee listed for the year in question.
RTPI staff
6.11. Line managers will receive a confidential summary of the declaration forms for their team members at the start of each calendar year from the Governance team.
6.12. RTPI staff must be open and honest with their colleagues when they have a potential or perceived conflict of interest with something they are involved with at work. Examples may include commissioning research, supplier procurement, securing and managing contracts including sponsorship, making offers of employment, involvement in decisions about member
awards, applications, appeals or investigations or having access to data/reports about a matter where they have a possible conflict of interest.
7. MANAGE potential conflicts of interest
7.1. When a potential conflict of interest has been identified, this conflict must be actively managed. Actions taken to manage that conflict must be agreed and formally recorded.
Boards and committees
7.2. Newly appointed Trustees and members of Board subcommittees may be asked at application or interview stage to confirm they have no conflicts of interests that would impede their contribution.
7.3. Trustees and SET will not be permitted to join board of Trustee meetings until an up-to-date Declaration of Interest form has been completed and received by the Governance team.
7.4. The Chair of a meeting within the scope of this Policy shall decide whether a member with a known conflict of interests should leave the physically meeting for the relevant item (the most likely option) or be present but abstain from any decision making. When this relates to the Chair, the Vice Chair will be asked to take this decision. Advice can be sought from the Governance team.
7.5. Members must not vote on matters affecting their own interests.
7.6. Interested parties will not be counted when deciding whether the meeting for that item is quorate.
7.7. All declarations of interest and associated abstention from items will be recorded in the meeting minutes.
RTPI staff
7.8. When a potential conflict of interest arises for a member of RTPI staff they must discuss with their line manager and seek advice from the Governance team if needed.
7.9. Their line manager must decide whether that member of staff should recuse themselves from relevant discussions or decision making or hand over
relationship management with a particular member, client, sponsor or supplier to a colleague.
7.10. The outcome of the discussion between the member of staff and their line manager must be recorded and should note:
a) the nature and extent of the conflict
b) when it was declared
c) who or what it affects
d) the actions taken to manage the conflict and any timeframe for those actions.
7.11. When procuring new suppliers, staff must not be involved in agreeing, managing or monitoring a contract in which they have an interest. Monitoring arrangements for such contracts will include provisions for an independent scrutiny of payments and invoices, and termination of the contract if the relationship is deemed unsatisfactory. For further details, staff should refer to the RTPI’s Financial Policies and Procedures and Procurement Policy
8. Data protection
8.1. All information provided relating to potential conflicts of interest will be processed in accordance with data protection principles as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018, the GDPR and the RTPI’s Data Protection Policy. Data will only be processed to ensure that Trustees, committee members and RTPI staff and volunteers act in the best interests of the RTPI. The information will not be used for any other purposes.
9. Responsibilities of chartered members
9.1. The responsibilities in this policy are in addition to those contained within the Code of Professional Conduct for Chartered Town Planners which applies to Trustees, committee members and staff who are members of The Royal Town Planning Institute.
Policy approved by Audit & Risk Committee: 20 November 2025
Date of next policy review: November 2028