Guía de conflicto de intereses para organizaciones del movimiento Wikimedia

Un conflicto de intereses (COI) existe cuando usted tiene un interés personal o financiero que compite con su deber para con la misión de Wikimedia. Si tiene un deber con una organización Wikimedia, ese deber es su obligación principal. Otro interés personal no debe influir en su capacidad para tomar una decisión en el mejor interés de su organización Wikimedia.

Esta guía se centra en el conflicto de intereses desde la perspectiva de la gobernanza, es decir, si usted tiene una relación externa que pueda interferir con su deber de actuar en el mejor interés de Wikimedia. La guía representa la perspectiva de la WMF, y no es asesoramiento legal. No pretende ser una lista exhaustiva de recomendaciones, pero debería ayudarle a dar el primer paso para identificar y gestionar un conflicto de intereses. Tenga en cuenta que una jurisdicción concreta puede tener requisitos diferentes o adicionales. Si cree que necesita asesoramiento personalizado, póngase en contacto con un abogado.

Paso 1: Identifique el conflicto.

Usted tiene un potencial conflicto de intereses si está tomando una decisión sobre los recursos del movimiento Wikimedia, y sus decisiones también afectarán su interés personal. Los recursos del movimiento Wikimedia incluyen todo tipo de beneficios financieros o personales, como subvenciones, tiempo del personal, becas, licencias de marcas registradas, becas, oportunidades de empleo, reembolsos de viajes y recursos para conferencias. Sin embargo, cuando el beneficio es demasiado intangible o atenuado como para influir en usted, no desencadena un conflicto de intereses.

Un interés personal incluye una relación financiera o personal con otra organización, como el empleo y la propiedad, incluidos el empleo y la propiedad de su familia inmediata. Cuanto más estrecha sea la relación, más probable es que cree un conflicto de intereses. Las relaciones estrechas, como la familia, los socios comerciales y los buenos amigos, tienen muchas probabilidades de crear uno.

Major categories of conflicts of interest include:

• Self-interested funding, contracting, or hiring: you may not use your position in an organization to influence a decision to provide funding to another organization where you (or your business partner or family member) have a financial ownership interest; or give a job to a friend, business partner, or family member without going through the normal hiring process.

• Improper influence: you may not accept a personal benefit (such as money or a personal favor) in exchange for influencing your organization activities or promoting another person or entity's interests in the organization.

• Misuse of information or property: you may not use information or property you have access to at the organization, which others do not, for a personal benefit (such as money or a personal favor).

• Accepting undue benefits: you may not accept a significant gift or favor that puts you under obligation to the person who gave it to you.

Paso 2: Gestionar el conflicto.

Being in a conflict of interest is not itself unethical—it is how you handle a conflict of interest that may raise ethical issues. Conflict of interest problems are not uncommon and can often be avoided (or managed) by vetting the decision through existing procedures. Please recognize that legally managing a conflict of interest may have other rules in your jurisdiction, so you should consult an attorney if you have a significant conflict.

Remember to always:

• Actively disclose potential conflicts of interest. Strive to achieve a "culture of candor" where people feel free to discuss possible conflicts when they are unsure. Record your disclosures for reference by your organization's directors.

• Discuss whether a conflict of interest exists. Discuss the potential conflict of interest, and decide whether one actually exists, without the participation or presence of the interested person. Please note, the board may still ask the interested person for information about the conflict so it can make the proper decision. If you are still unsure, we recommend you seek local legal advice.

• Exclude the interested person from the decision making. An interested person should not participate in voting or otherwise exert influence over the decision. In some situations, they may need to leave the room during the vote on issues they have a conflict with.

• Exercise due diligence when making the decision. The organization should research alternatives that do not present a conflict (if possible). Otherwise, decide if the decision is in the organization's best interest and whether it is fair and reasonable to the organization (e.g., is it the best price? Is this person the most qualified candidate for the job?). Record the process and basis that you used to reach this decision.

Consider taking some preemptive steps to avoid future conflicts of interest:

• Implement a policy on identifying conflicts of interest. You may use the Guidelines on potential conflicts of interest implemented by the WMF's Board or reference the WMF conflict of interest policy. Another reference you may use is Supbart B of the US Code of Federal Regulations related to the standards of ethical conduct for government employees.

• Implement a gift policy to avoid the appearance of bias. Consider prohibiting staff and board members from accepting gifts, money, or gratuities from: (1) anyone receiving benefits or services from the organization; (2) any person or business performing or looking to perform a service under contract with the organization; (3) any person who is otherwise in a position of receiving a benefit from the actions of an employee.

Further reading

• Other conflict of interest guides: Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action: Conflict of Interest Guide; National Council of Nonprofits; Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

• Major categories on conflicts of interest were adopted from Canadian Council for International Co-operation's Example Policy.

Practical examples

The following examples generally create a potential for a conflict of interest:

Chapter members sit on a Wikimedia advisory committee, such as the Funds Dissemination Committee, and decide a matter that impacts their chapter.

• In this example, the chapter member has a potential conflict between their duty to the Wikimedia Board and the chapter, which are two separate entities. In this case, the committee member should manage the potential conflict by recusing from any decisions that may affect their chapter.

Chapter officials (e.g., President) uses his title to achieve private gain, like sending an official chapter email to ask for a grant to an organization that his wife heads up.

• This presents a potential conflict between the personal interests of the official and their duty to their chapter. Even if the chapter official discloses the private gain to the chapter's board, he or she (or his or her family) must not receive any personal benefit.

The Wikimedia Foundation seeks to enter a contract with a board member's employer.

• The board member has a personal interest (their employer's financial interest) that may compete with their role on the board. Therefore, under the WMF's conflict of interest policy, the interested board member must be recused from any decisions about the contract.

The following examples generally do not present conflict of interest issues:

Board members decide on procedural matters that may affect their seat on the board (e.g. changing the number of seats on the board or selecting board officers).

• Board members have an obligation to vote on decisions that will affect the overall structure of the organization, even if it may have some consequences for their position within the organization. Board members may not need to be recused from these decisions, although they should make a decision in the best interest of the organization, and not their own personal interest.

Committees within a single organization working together.

• Communications among staff and committees of an organization are not precluded by a conflict of interest, simply because of the focused mandate of the committee or staff. The WMF staff and committees are required to serve the same mission, ultimately report to the WMF Board, and do not have competing interests.

Decisions affecting an acquaintance or casual friend.

• If the relationship is nothing beyond a general acquaintance, and there is no exchange of goods of value or exchange of promises, recusal is normally not necessary. Working with people we already know is merely evidence of a strong network, which is a positive thing for our movement.