Declaration of interest, gifts or hospitality

CIRCULAR: Annual declaration of interests exercise 2023/24

FAO: all staff (excluding members of Council and UEB, who have been contacted separately)

Deadline for completion: 31 October 2023

The annual declaration of interests exercise plays an important role in promoting transparency and ensuring that audit trails are in place to protect the good standing of the University and of individual members of staff.

If you fall into one or more of the following groups, a return is mandatory (a ‘nil return’ option is available if necessary):

1. Senior decision-making teams in Faculties/departments/schools/PSS, including HoDs/equivalent. 

2. Anyone who sits on a University Committee 

3. 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).

4. 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.

For all other staff, you only need to make a declaration if you have interests which are relevant to your work for the University.

Guidance on what you might need to declare is provided on the University webpages.

Please make your return by 31 October 2023, using this central Google Form.

Note: Council and UEB members make their returns via a separate exercise and no further action is required from these colleagues.

After 31 October 2023, HoDs/equivalent and University Committee chairs/secretaries will have access to returns from their area in a secure format. Please keep your return up to date as the academic year progresses. 

If you have any interests which raise concerns in relation to your work for the University, you should also inform the person responsible for oversight of that area, so that if necessary, further measures can be agreed to actively address any potential conflicts of interest.

For queries or concerns, please contact governance@york.ac.uk.

Please use this form to declare any gifts/hospitality, given or received over £40 per person (including cumulative value over a short period), and anything declined, regardless of value.

Decisions re whether to offer/accept:

• Seek advice from line manager in first instance
• If you can’t refuse without causing offence, agree to donate to department or
  charity

Registering exchanges:

• Record at departmental level
• All gifts/hospitality given or received over £40 per person (including cumulative
  value over a short period)
• Anything declined, regardless of value
• Inform line manager

What can I keep?

• Modest items e.g. pens, keyrings, food and drink
• Consider sharing/donating where appropriate
• Symbolic corporate gifts to be retained by the University/department and location
  noted in register

In order to avoid misunderstanding or offence, consider introducing a standard messaging to your students from the outset that gifts and offers of hospitality to staff are not expected.