It is the responsibility of Washington University and its employees to guard against conflicts of interest that might compromise the integrity and objectivity of the university community.
Washington University Code of Conduct (or download full PDF here) Code-of-Conduct-2016
Procurement COI Policy (PDF)
Procurement Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form (PDF)
Frequently Asked Questions
On the university’s website for the Office of Compliance page www.universitycompliance.wustl.edu
Not necessarily. However, disclosure of the facts is required.
No. Gift certificates are considered cash instruments and may not be accepted.
Notify your supervisor.
Decline the offer and make your supervisor aware of the offer.
It depends on the circumstances. If the offer is a clear attempt to curry favor then you should absolutely decline the offer and notify your supervisor. If you happen to be involved in a meeting with the vendor and that carries over into a normal lunch period, you might consider accepting lunch. But the decision on any future business relationship should be based solely on the company’s ability to meet the University’s requirements for a given product or service and should not be influenced by any extraneous offerings.
Yes. But check with your supervisor for appropriate approvals in advance if you intend to seek reimbursement from WU.
No.
Yes, but don’t waste time reporting the acceptance of promotional trinkets such as pens or note pads.
Yes. It is $75, annually, for all suppliers combined.