This session will focus on identifying and managing Conflicts of Interests.
Conflicts of interest in a charity setting arise when a trustee, staff member, or volunteer’s personal interests—financial, familial, or professional—could improperly influence their decisions on behalf of the organisation. Because charities rely on public trust and are expected to act solely in the best interests of their beneficiaries, even the perception of divided loyalties can undermine credibility. This session will look at how effective governance requires identifying potential conflicts early, documenting them, and managing them transparently and how clear policies, regular declarations of interests, and a culture of openness help ensure that the charity’s work remains impartial, ethical, and aligned with its mission.
This session will be delivered by Sarah Burrows, Partner and Head of Charities & Social Enterprise, Edwards Solicitors.
Sarah has 25+ years’ experience in company/corporate law and leads the Charities and Social Enterprises Department. She has been a lecturer and tutor in charity, commercial and company law at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, Queens University, Belfast and is the Northern Ireland editor of Jordan’s Charities Administration Service. She has significant experience advising schools and other educational establishments in respect of education legislation, schemes of management and good corporate governance in general. She has recently advised a number of organisations in respect of conflicts of interest.
Sarah has been a governance trainer for the Boardroom Apprentice Programme since its inception and is a recipient of the Queens Award for Voluntary Service through NI Hospice.
