Table 1 An Overview of Conflict of Interest Policies of Selected Procurement and PD-PPPs

PATH

The conflict between the private interests and official responsibilities of an individual or an institution in a position of trust, which may compromise impartiality or integrity or lead to unfair competitive advantage

Guiding Principles for Managing COI

Values

1. Disclosure

2. Transparency

3. Respect

4. Support

5. Options

Responsibilities

1. Acknowledgement

2. Accountability: individual COI

1. Accountability: institutional COI

Actions

1. Training staff

2. External monitoring

3. Internal monitoring

http://www.path.org

(general)

http://www.path.org/files/ER_gp_conflict.pdf

(COI specific)

Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization

(GAVI)

A conflict of interest arises whenever the personal or professional interests of an employee or board member are potentially at odds with the best interests of the organization.

The GAVI secretariat hires Procurement Expert(s) to:

1. Address COI issues as related to procurement

2. Link up with broader policy on COI

http://www.gavialliance.org/resources/jec_23mar2006_AF2.ProcPrince.pdf

GAVI

See above

GAVI applies specific conflict of interest policies to its different partners. For example, WHO/UNICEF are requested to complete a 'conflict of interest form' when executing contracts and participating in meetings.

http://www.gavialliance.org/resources/oslo_annex2.doc

The Global Fund

A conflict of interest arises when a Covered Individual participates personally or substantially in an official capacity in any particular matter in which, to his or her knowledge, he or she or an Associated Person or Institution has a financial interest, if the particular matter will have a direct and predictable effect on that interest.

Transparency and Disclosure

- all covered individuals have a duty to disclose the existence of any conflict of interest and the nature of such conflict

- all covered individuals must complete and submit the "Declaration of Interest" to the Secretariat

- disclosure statements shall be updated annually and whenever there is a material change in the information they contain

- all conflict of interest are immediately disclosed to a Ethics and Conflict of Interest Committee

http://www.theglobalfund.org/documents/policies/PolicyonEthicsandConflictofInterestforGlobalFundInstitutions.pdf

International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT)

Operational Guidelines for Assessing the Impact of Agricultural Research on Livelihoods

"A conflict of interest should be dealt with openly and transparently so as not to compromise the reliability and credibility of the process and the IA results"

No

http://www.aec.msu.edu/fs2/zambia/sweet/CIMMYT_impact_assessment_guidelines_Rovere-Dixon_2007.pdf (CIMMYT COI policy)

http://www.cgiar.org/impact/research/maize.html (CGIAR information on Maize)

http://dtma.cimmyt.org/

(Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project)

IITA

All matters which may tend to interfere with the Member's ability to participate in the activities of the Governing Board in a disinterested manner.

Policy

1. During consideration of any proposed commitment of funds of IITA to a beneficiary, any trustee who is formally connected with any interested party shall indicate that connection and withdraw from all related activities

2. No member of the board, other than the director general, shall enter into a direct contract with IITA

Implementation

- letters will be sent to individuals considered for election to membership to advice them of the policy so that they may consider whether they are prepared to undertake the obligations required.

No

IITA is a CGIAR research centre that has done extensive work on maize including developing a "Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa" project with CIMMYT. http://www.iita.org/cms/details/maize_project_details.aspx?zoneid=63&articleid=273 (IITA work on maize)

http://dtma.cimmyt.org/

(Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa Project)

http://www.iita.org/cms/articlefiles/306-conflict.pdf

(COI Policy)

World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

The policy only mentions conflict of interest once as ICRAF seems to place minimal emphasis on conflict of interest within research.

No

http://www.worldagroforestry.org/downloads/policies%20and%20guidelines/ICRAF_policy_research_ethics.pdf

African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF)

"Operational risks

2. Conflicts of interest at Board or partner level: Board members will be appointed in their personal capacity and not as representative of their institution. AATF Management shall periodically conduct partnership analysis and take appropriate action when cases of conflict of interest are identified."

Yes

http://www.aatf-africa.org/UserFiles/File/strategicdirection1.pdf (AATF Strategy document)

AATF

"These [public-private] partnerships are usually governed by agreements that attempt to identify and articulate shared risks and are viewed as separate from stakeholders"

Yes

http://www.aatf-africa.org/partnerships

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

CGIAR provides a legal and symbolic role and a statement to set and reinforce ethical standards, values, policies and basic responsibilities of individual board members

Some examples of the mandate:

- To maintain organizational integrity and guarantee that the actions of the Boards are in the best interests of the Center, Board Members need to understand their collective and individual responsibilities to avoid conflict of interest

- Ensure that the Center has in place policies needed for effective performance (including conflict of interest)

-Individuals should avoid conflict of interest, declare potential conflicts ahead of meetings, and recuse himself or herself from Board debates and decisions on matters for which he or she has a conflict

CGIAR's policy is targeted to board members. Guidelines for individual employees or the institution's values itself could not be found. The annex at the back of the document includes a sample self-assessment checklist for CGIAR Boards and Board Members.

No

http://www.cgiar.org/

Convention of Biological Diversity

2006

The policy on the webpage (or in hardcopy) is much more extensive than the overview of the guidelines given here.

This PPP's COI policy states that "it would be almost impossible to foresee the different circumstances under which conflict of interest could possibly arise, and that there was limited experience of compliance mechanisms under other international instruments in elaborating what constitutes conflict of interest, or in handling practical cases of conflicts of interest.

The rational given for this position is that there is already a procedure of compliance which requires members to serve objectively and in a personal capacity, which taken together with rules of procedure provide general guidelines to conflict of interest.

No

http://www.cbd.Int

International Potato Centre (CIP)

CIP has an external review system comprised of two parts. Center Commissioned External Reviews (CCERS) which originate with the board of trustees and Internally Commissioned External Reviews (ICERS) which originate from management.

The reasons for commissioning a review can be many including:

"The desire of the Board or management to have an external opinion of the status, relevance, quality or direction of a particular set of activities. Interestingly, the selection of any board members who want to participate in the reviews must take into account possible conflicts of interest they may have with the reviewing process or subject matter

Yes

http://www.cipotato.org/

Bioversity International

Bioversity International has a whistle-blower policy which protects individuals who whistle-blow, provides guidance for how and where to report instances of wrongdoing including conflict of interest.

The policy is unique in that it protects individuals who report other employees' conflicts of interest. Most policies only cover the obligation of employees to report and manage risks of possible conflict of interests in their own actions, rather than that of their fellow employees. The Whistle-Blower Policy provides the purpose, definition and applicability of the policy. It provides guidance to individual employees on what and when to report, what reporting channels are available, and their rights for feedback and protection.

No

http://www.bioversityinternational.org