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Gifts & Hospitality-Saturday Brain Storming Thought (79) 19/09/2020 By Vr Avinash Kulkarni

Saturday Brain Storming Thought (79) 19/09/2020

Gifts & Hospitality

It means anything of value that you give or accept, either directly or in kind

Any gift or hospitality you accept from someone that you would be able to give them as a proper and appropriate business expense

The recording of gifts and hospitality offered or received is an important aspect of Sacro’s procedures for preventing bribery and corruption within its business

Gifts

Business gifts are goods, services or any item of value provided to, or received from, colleagues or third parties

They are often given as mark of appreciation, to build business relationships or promote the givers company

Hospitality

It includes food, drink, accommodation, flights or other means of transports, or entertaining (including receptions, tickets to entertainment, social or sporting events) given to or offered by colleagues to initiate or develop business relationships with other colleagues or third parties

Gifts & Hospitality Principles

1) Giving or receiving gifts and hospitality is not prohibiting as long as they are reasonable and justified

2) All gifts or hospitality should be proportionate and appropriate

3) Gifts & Hospitality should not be unnecessarily lavish

4) Colleagues are expected to be open and transparent about giving or receiving gifts & hospitality

5) You should realistically estimate the cost or alternatively ask the giver of the gift if possible

6) don’t offer if customers or suppliers or reluctant to accept gift or hospitality

7) gifts & hospitality should not be in expectations of future business advantages

8) all gifts should be authorized and recorded in accordance with the authorization levels

9) gifts & hospitality, under no circumstances, be intended to influence the other party’s behavior or to offer preferential treatment

10) medium or large gifts i.e. say above Rs 1000 should be recorded in gifts & hospitality register

11) cash or cash equivalents (such as gift certificates or vouchers) of any value should not be accepted

12) Gifts & hospitality should not form part of a regular pattern of giving from the same person

Ethical gifts

Accepting gifts may be justifiable when they promote the principles of beneficence (doing good, particularly for client) and non-maleficence (avoiding harm, particularly to the client)

Never appropriate gifts

Following gifts should never be given or accepted

Gifts of cash, gold or other precious metals, gems or stones are not acceptable

Gifts prohibited under applicable laws are that given in the nature of a bribe, payoff, kickback or facilitation payment

Gifts creates conflict of interest

Gifts cause a conflict of interests when they threaten to corrupt an employees judgement on business matters related to the interests of the person or organization providing the gift

Majority times gifts are given with that intention only

Substantial gifts

It means a gift, donation, or other consideration sufficient to influence a person to act in a specific manner

Unwanted gifts

Number of ways you can dispense of your unwanted gifts may be

Re – Gifting
Charity shops
Donate to a refuge
Donate cloths and blankets to homeless
Take books to library, school or charity
Recycle, recycle, recycle

Gift giving in business ethics

A gift to a loyal customer after years of business deals is a better tactic

So it is a charitable contribution in the name of the client or employee

Timing can clarify the distinction between gift and bribe

Value is also a factor, but even expensive gifts can positively influence the recipient

Remember that gift giving is strictly voluntary

Gifts and hospitality policy

You should not offer any gifts or hospitality to business contacts in your name or at your own expense

Any gift or offer of hospitality must be given in public, and sent to the business address, rather than the private address of the recipient

Guidelines on gifts & hospitality

1) scope of application

2) defining a gift or invitation

3) acceptance and refusal conditions

4) defining what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable

5) reducing the active and passive risk of corruption

6) protecting the company and it’s employees from the risk of criminal prosecution

7) providing a clear indication to employees, business partners and other external parties of the companies values regarding the prevention of corruption

Timing plays an important role in gifts & hospitality

Following time periods can be problematic for gifts and hospitality

1) during ongoing tender

2) before signing contract

3) before voting

4) before granting permits or authorizations
5) before issuing licenses

6) before changing laws or regulations

Gift Register is to be submitted to the audit committee annually for review and monitored by the executive committee

Compiled by:-

Vr Avinash Kulkarni

Chartered Engineer
Govt Regd Valuer
IBBI Regd Valuer

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