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Are there any ethical guidelines
Yes, the Small and Minority Business Advisory Council institutes the following ethical guidelines:
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- Members must not engage in conduct that calls into serious doubt their good character;
- While participating in official OSD activities, members must act ethically and avoid situations that create a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest;
- While participating in official OSD activities, members must not act in a manner that is contrary to the best interest of the OSD;
- Members may obtain confidential information about the OSD or its customers and resource partners because of their membership on the Council. Members must not disclose such information without permission;
- Members must not participate in, or make use of advisory council activities that directly affect their business or financial interests, unless the activities are available to the general public;
- Members must not use their status as an advisory council member to get benefits that are not available to the general public;
- Members may not receive OSD assistance, without the prior written approval of the Director, or his/her designee, to ensure no conflict of interest or appearance of a conflict of interest exists; and
- With limited exceptions, members may not represent small businesses, state or local development companies, small business investment companies, or others regarding an application for OSD assistance. Exceptions to this policy include: a) an officer, director, or employee of a financial institution that participates in an OSD loan mobilization program, b) an attorney, accountant, appraiser, engineer, or similar professional, if the person does not regularly provide service to, or derive a large part of their income from providing a service to the OSD, or c) an educator whose institution of higher education participates in OSD’s business development programs.