Q: what are your association's ethical purchasing practices or policies on receiving gifts of value?

Our association is small, and frankly, we're often the one giving the gifts and recognition; so the issue does not frequently arise. But we often receive invitations to dinner and small tokens of appreciation. And in those instances, our approach is that it is OK to accept them so long as it's clear that the invitation or token does not come with any expectations attached. Recently, a special events manager on my staff started receiving unsolicited invitations and tokens from someone at a tourism bureau in Puerto Rico, and it became clear that the tourism representative wanted to solicit us to host our annual golf tournament there. While lovely, Puerto Rico is not a place we'd consider because we host our events in certain U.S. cities designated by our board as key locations. I told my staff person to never string anyone along because it could reflect poorly on the association and to be clear that we had no interest in holding an event there.

Veta T. Richardson Executive Director, Minority Corporate Counsel Association, Washington, D.C.; [e-mail]

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In November 2002, our board of directors approved a conflict of interest and confidentiality policy for staff, board, and committee members. Within the policy it states that members and staff "will not solicit or accept gifts, gratuities, free trips, honoraria, personal property, or any other item of value from any person or entity as a direct or indirect inducement to provide special treatment to such person or entity with respect to matters pertaining to the organization without fully disclosing such items to the executive director and receiving approval for acceptance from the executive committee of the board of directors."

Since the policy has been in effect, I have had one board member contact me and disclose a possible conflict of interest. This was easily handled, and you will find many conflicts can be managed if people are up front and disclose them.

Kathleen M. Larmett Executive Director, National Council of University Research Administrators, Washington, D.C.; [e-mail]

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We interact with our vendors in ways that make it clear that our future business depends basically on two considerations: price and customer service. If a vendor (like our printer) wants to send us a barrel of popcorn at Christmas, we tend to take the pragmatic road and treat such acts as acts of kindness, consideration, and even business friendship. However, our business practices and decision making uphold our moral responsibility to operate the association in the most cost-effective way possible so that we can focus all our resources on our members and the profession we serve.

Nelson Fabian Executive Director and CEO, National Environmental Health Association, Denver; [e-mail]

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Our policy on gifts of value that accompany purchases is to require that any such gifts become the property of the association. Because the gifts belong to the association, the nature of what is offered are goods or services that would benefit the association, such as perquisites, free services, free use of equipment, etcetera. And, even though such gifts become the property of the association, staff is expected to decline any gift that could influence the purchase of the good or services. Thus, the value is expected to be negotiated without taking into consideration any proposed gifts.

Mary J. Riemersma, CAE Executive Director, California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, San Diego; [e-mail]

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All nonfood gifts of value are held until our office holiday party, where they are distributed in a raffle format. We used to let staff pick from the gift table or from gifts already selected by other staff, but that created some hostility when the "good" stuff got stolen from one person by another person. So we don't allow that any more. Food gifts are, of course, consumed immediately upon arrival.

Kevin P. Corcoran, CAE Executive Vice President, National Association of Health Underwriters, Arlington, Virginia; [e-mail]

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