St Joseph's School
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This policy is about managing actual, potential, and perceived financial conflicts of interest and is most relevant for board members and any employees with delegated authority for financial decision-making. The board may recognise other conflicts as part of a conflicts of interest register. For information about non-financial conflicts, see Conflicts of Interest.
At St Joseph's School, we manage 
conflicts of interest to ensure we operate in a financially responsible way. We are committed to fairness, transparency, and accountability in our actions and financial decision-making. Members of the board and staff members have a responsibility to disclose conflicts of interest, and we manage any risks associated with conflicts of interest at the school.
Identifying and disclosing a conflict of interest
As part of induction and ongoing training, we provide information to board members and staff members about their roles and responsibilities. Anyone involved in financial decision-making is informed about recognising, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest.
Members of the board or staff members with a conflict of interest or potential conflict of interest must disclose it in a timely manner. We provide opportunities for disclosing conflicts of interest, and encourage openness when deciding whether a conflict should be disclosed.
Managing a conflict of interest
We manage actual or perceived conflicts of interest in a transparent and fair manner. If an interest could create an incentive for a board member or staff member to act in a way that may not be in the best interest of the school, we take actions to avoid or mitigate the effects of the conflict of interest.
We manage conflicts of interest by:
We consider how our management of a conflict of interest may be perceived, and how the school would justify its actions if these were challenged.
If required, we seek professional advice on how to manage matters of concern (e.g. NZSBA, Ministry of Education school finance advisor).
Contracts requiring approval from the Secretary for Education
If a board member has a financial interest in any contract with the board (including sub-contracts) worth more than $25,000 (incl GST) a year, the board must seek prior approval from the Secretary for Education for that contract. Unless the prior approval of the Secretary for Education has been received, a board member may be disqualified from being on the board.
Interests register
The board maintains an interests register that details any personal, professional, or business interests that could result in a financial conflict of interest. The register includes all board members and school staff members who have delegations regarding financial expenditure.
We review the register at the start of the school year and update the register when a new board member or staff member joins, after board elections, and whenever a listed person's circumstances change. The register is a standing board meeting agenda item.
(see Financial Information for Schools Handbook) 
