Hiring people with close ties
Taking part in the decision to hire, pay or benefit relatives, close friends, business partners or people with a personal relationship.
Governance and integrity
Document Institutional policy
Conflict of Interest Policy
ONG É Por Amor establishes this policy to guide conduct, prevent situations of undue favoritism and protect the trust of beneficiaries, volunteers, donors, partners, suppliers and society.
On this page
An organized reading of the institutional policy.
Use the index to quickly access the main points on preventing, declaring and addressing conflicts of interest.
Conflicts of interest do not always represent wrongdoing, but they must be declared, reviewed and addressed transparently in order to preserve the integrity of ONG É Por Amor.
Purpose
Protect the institutional mission above personal interests.
This policy aims to prevent, identify and guide the handling of situations in which personal, family, professional, commercial, political or financial interests may interfere, or appear to interfere, with decision-making at ONG É Por Amor.
The policy also seeks to ensure that relationships with suppliers, partners, donors, volunteers, beneficiaries and other stakeholders are conducted according to technical and ethical criteria compatible with the organization’s social purpose.
Scope
Who this policy applies to
These rules apply to all people who participate in, represent, support or maintain an institutional relationship with ONG É Por Amor.
- Directors, board members, legal representatives and people with institutional decision-making authority.
- Staff, service providers, volunteers and consultants connected to the organization’s activities.
- Suppliers, partners, supporters, sponsoring companies and organizations that maintain a relationship with the NGO.
- People involved in campaigns, social actions, projects, events, fundraising or administrative activities.
- Anyone who, on behalf of ONG É Por Amor, participates in decisions, negotiations, purchases, hiring, transfers, donations or public representation.
Definition
What a conflict of interest is
A conflict of interest occurs when a person involved with ONG É Por Amor has a private interest that may influence, compromise or raise doubts about their impartiality in an institutional decision.
This interest may be direct or indirect, financial or non-financial, real or merely apparent. For this reason, even the possibility of a conflict must be reported for proper review.
Situations requiring attention
Examples of situations that may create a conflict
Selection of suppliers
Recommending or approving a supplier, service provider or company in which the person has ownership, a family connection, a professional relationship or an economic interest.
Use of institutional position
Using the NGO’s name, image, network of contacts or credibility to obtain personal, professional, political or commercial advantage.
Improper benefits
Receiving gifts, commissions, favors, advantages, discounts or benefits that may influence decisions related to the organization.
Decisions regarding donations
Directing donations, resources, goods or opportunities to people or groups with whom there is an undeclared personal relationship.
Privileged information
Using internal NGO information to favor third parties, anticipate decisions, influence hiring or obtain external advantage.
Expected conduct
What should be done when a possible conflict exists
Declaring a conflict is a governance practice. It protects the person involved, the institutional decision and the organization’s reputation.
Declare the situation
The person must report the existence of a personal, family, professional, commercial or financial interest that may interfere with the decision.
Step away from the decision
When there is a real, potential or apparent conflict, the person involved must withdraw from the analysis, negotiation, vote or approval related to the matter.
Record the occurrence
The situation must be recorded in a simple and objective way, indicating the identified connection, the decision made and the preventive measures adopted.
Adopt an independent decision
The final decision must be handled by people without a conflict of interest, based on technical, financial, ethical and institutional criteria.
Guidelines
Principles that guide this policy
The integrity of a social organization is also measured by how it makes decisions, hires, receives support, distributes resources and reports back. At ONG É Por Amor, institutional decisions must always be connected to the mission of fighting hunger and poverty with responsibility, dignity and transparency.
Transparency
Situations involving a possible conflict must be reported before they create doubts about the legitimacy of a decision.
Impartiality
Hiring, purchases, partnerships and selections must follow institutional criteria, not personal connections.
Responsibility
Everyone involved with the NGO must safeguard public trust, the proper use of resources and the protection of the social mission.
Restrictions
Prohibited conduct
Some situations are incompatible with the governance of ONG É Por Amor and must not be practiced by people who represent or act on behalf of the organization.
- Using the NGO’s resources, assets, contacts, image or structure for personal benefit or for the benefit of third parties.
- Participating in a decision involving one’s own interest, or the interest of a family member, close friend, company or organization with which one has a connection.
- Directing suppliers, hiring, purchases or partnerships without objective criteria and transparency.
- Receiving payments, commissions, gifts or advantages in exchange for institutional favoritism.
- Failing to disclose a connection or private interest in a decision-making process, hiring, partnership, transfer or selection.
- Using internal information to obtain personal, commercial, political or financial advantage.
Purchases and hiring
Criteria for institutional decisions
Whenever possible, purchases, hiring and partnerships should consider criteria such as real need, price compatibility, quality, delivery capacity, proper documentation, relationship history and alignment with the institutional mission.
The existence of a personal connection with a supplier or partner does not automatically prevent hiring, but it requires transparency, removal of the interested person from the decision-making process and an objective justification for the choice, when applicable.
Practical application
How the policy should be interpreted
Actual conflict
When there is a direct personal interest in a given decision, hiring, partnership, transfer or benefit.
Potential conflict
When a situation has not yet compromised the decision but may influence it or raise questions.
Apparent conflict
When, even without a concrete benefit, the situation may appear inappropriate in the eyes of donors, partners, beneficiaries or society.
Responsibilities
Duties of those who work with ONG É Por Amor
- Act in good faith, ethically, transparently and responsibly in institutional relationships.
- Disclose in advance any connection or interest that may compromise the impartiality of a decision.
- Preserve the confidentiality of internal information, beneficiary data, documents and institutional strategies.
- Avoid situations that may raise doubts about the proper use of the NGO’s resources, image or structure.
- Cooperate with clarifications whenever there are questions about a possible conflict of interest.
- Respect other institutional policies, including rules on ethics, integrity, anti-corruption, safeguarding and the protection of people.
Reporting
How to report a conflict situation
Situations involving conflicts of interest, questions of interpretation or suspected undue favoritism must be reported to the leadership of ONG É Por Amor in a clear, objective and responsible manner.
Reports may be sent to the institutional email address contato@eporamor.org.br, preferably with the subject line “Conflict of Interest”, including a description of the situation, the people involved and any relevant documents or information, when available.
ONG É Por Amor will review reports with discretion, responsibility and a commitment to institutional protection, without tolerating retaliation against people who submit good-faith reports.
Institutional measures
Handling identified situations
When a conflict of interest is identified, ONG É Por Amor may adopt measures proportionate to the situation, including formal guidance, removal of the person involved from the decision, internal recordkeeping, review of hiring or partnership arrangements, communication to the board and other steps necessary to preserve institutional integrity.
Serious, repeated or bad-faith situations may result in the termination of the relationship with the organization, without prejudice to any other applicable measures.
Public commitment
Integrity is also part of care.
ONG É Por Amor understands that fighting hunger and poverty requires not only direct action, but also responsibility, transparency and governance in every decision made.