Formally declaring an interest does not necessarily mean that any potential or actual conflicts of interest have been satisfactorily addressed.
Any potential or actual conflicts of interest must be actively managed on a case by case basis in line with the University’s Policy on Declaring Interests, Managing Conflicts of Interest, and Gifts and Hospitality, in order to protect your good standing as an individual, and the integrity of the University’s activities.
Annual process
Annual process
From 2022/23 onwards, the annual process for declaration of interests is as follows:
- Council and UEB members make their annual returns via an enhanced procedure managed by the Governance and Assurance Office
- All other staff should make their returns to the University’s electronic Central Register of Interests.
The following groups of staff are required to make a return:
- Senior decision-making teams in Faculties/departments/schools/PSS, including HoDs/equivalent
- Members of University Committees (Council, Senate, UEB and their subcommittees)
- Any staff who are on the board of directors or who act as company secretary for the University's wholly or majority owned subsidiary companies or joint ventures
- Staff who have a material influence on contracts/partnerships on behalf of the University, or have access to highly sensitive and commercial information (e.g. Finance, Procurement, Legal Services, OPPA).
There is an option within the central pro-forma to record a ‘nil return’ as necessary.
For all other staff, you only need to make a declaration if you have interests which are relevant to your work for the University.
Your department/school/professional service will circulate the annual request for returns to you at the start of the academic year, including a link to the Central Register proforma. You are asked to complete your return by the end of October for the academic year in question.
In addition to completing a declaration, if you have any interests which raise concerns, you should inform the person/people responsible for oversight of the relevant area, so that they are aware. You are asked to confirm that you’ve done this as part of your annual return. Should any conflicts of interest arise on the ground, these should be actively managed in line with the University’s policy.
What do I need to declare?
What do I need to declare?
Your ‘interests’ are defined as any activity or association which has a potential or actual bearing on the work you do under the University's auspices. They include both your direct interests and those of your family, partner and close personal friends or other internal or external associates. Interests may be financial or non-financial in nature.
- A financial interest refers to anything of non-trivial monetary value, including but not limited to: pay, commission, consultancy, equity interest, forgiveness of debt, property, licensing income, honoraria.
- A non-financial interest refers to any benefit or advantage including but not limited to: potential enhancement of an individual’s career, education or professional reputation, access to privileged information or facilities and property, Intellectual Property rights.
All pecuniary, family or other personal interests which have a potential or actual bearing on the work you do under the auspices of the University, including in relation to its subsidiary companies or joint ventures, must be declared.
All required information must be provided in full. Declarations should describe the interest clearly, and where it carries financial interests, state whether these are direct or indirect. However, if you wish to disclose the existence of an interest but are prevented on contractual or other grounds from disclosing specific information, you may choose to declare the broad category and nature of interest without necessarily naming the body or company concerned.
The table below provides an indicative (although not exhaustive) list of the sort of information you should be declaring as relevant to your situation.
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Category of Interest
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Information to be disclosed
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Paid employment
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Nature of employer and position held
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Self-employment
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Nature of business
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Directorship of commercial companies, including University subsidiaries
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Names of companies
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Significant share holdings
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Names of companies in which the corporation member owns 5 per cent or more of the issued share capital
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Investments in University subsidiary companies
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Name of company and extent of investment and/or shareholding
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Substantial property interests (or other non-cash or non-equity asset) in a company connected with the University
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Name and nature of holding
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Elected office
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Name of authority and office held
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Trusteeships or participation in the management of charities and other voluntary bodies
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Name of body and nature of office held
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Public appointments (paid or unpaid)
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Name of body and office held
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Membership of professional bodies and/or honorary positions at other institutions
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Name of professional body
Name of institution and position held
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Interests which may influence University procurement decisions
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Name of relevant supplier(s) and name of any relevant staff members involved
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Consultancy undertaken as a private individual
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Organisation name, nature or the relationship and indication of whether paid or unpaid
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Family members, friends or close associates who are current University of York employees or students
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Names and details
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Keeping your return up to date
Keeping your return up to date
Please ensure that your record is kept up to date by reporting any substantive additions or alterations promptly. To do this, you will need to make a new entry to the Register. The link to this year's proforma is available from your departmental admin team, or via the Governance and Assurance Office. Please complete Section 1 of the form in full, and then just note your changes as appropriate in the subsequent sections: there is no need to fill out the whole thing again.
