United Nations System
Standing Committee on Nutrition

 

Report of the Sub-Committee on Nutrition at its Twenty-Fifth Session

ANNEX 1

Potential Conflict of Interest Policy [CIP]

Purpose
 The purpose of this policy is to avoid conflicts of interest interfering with the work of the SCN by providing for a straightforward disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest.

The intent of the policy is to make the SCN aware of potential conflicts of interest so that  SCN can take account of them if they arise during the work of the SCN.  It is not the intent of this policy to discourage participation in the activities of the SCN.

Scope

All SCN participants other than those individuals from SCN Member Agencies are required to disclose to the SCN any potential conflicts of interest that may be relevant to the mission of the SCN.

Types of dual interests that should be reported

The following relationships should be disclosed to the SCN:

  1. Main institutional affiliation (from who one receives salary or regular payments).  All persons should complete this item.
  2. Consultancies, grants in support of research, support to attend conferences and meetings, or to cover travel or publication costs from any profit-making company or non-profit organization whose products or services are directly related to matters of nutrition before the SCN or its Working Groups.
  3. Membership on the board of directors or the direct holding of stock of any such profit-making company or non-profit organization.
  4. Gifts, donations and other benefits from any such profit making company or such non-profit organization.

The test to guide decisions about what to disclose is to ask whether a particular interest outside the SCN could influence, or could be perceived as influencing, an individual to act other than in a completely objective manner in participating in the work of the SCN. 

Reporting process

SCN participants other than those individuals from SCN Member Agencies should complete a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement and file it with the SCN Secretariat in Geneva before attending an SCN meeting or official SCN function.  A new statement should be filed yearly, if there are changes.  All completed Statements will be available at annual sessions in an open binder for review by SCN Agency members and observers.

If a relevant conflict of interest arises

In any matter coming before the SCN in which an SCN participant has a relevant conflict of interest, that participant shall make clear that interest in making any statement and shall be prepared to leave the room if requested to do so by the Chairman.