On Board - A guide for Board Members of Public Bodies in Scotland (April 2015)

Gifts and Hospitality

As a Board member, you should ensure that the reputation of your public body is not damaged through the receipt (or provision) of inappropriate gifts and hospitality.

GIFTS AND HOSPITALITY

• Do not canvass or actively seek gifts or hospitality;
• Your conduct should not foster the suspicion of any conflict between your official duties and your private interests;
• Your actions, when acting in an official capacity, should not give the impression of having been influenced by a gift or consideration to show favour or disfavour to any person or organisation;
• Do not accept any offer of a gift or hospitality from any individual or organisation that stands to gain from a decision that your public body may be involved in determining or that is seeking to do business with your public body;
• You should usually refuse offers of gifts and/or hospitality except in the following cases: gifts of an isolated and trivial character under £50; normal hospitality associated with your duties and reasonably regarded as appropriate; or gifts received on behalf of the public body;
• Do not accept repeated hospitality or repeated gifts from the same source;
• If you are in doubt about the propriety of accepting a gift or an item of hospitality you should contact the Standards Officer and/or the Chair for advice.