🎯 Purpose & Scope
At That Is A Q, maintaining client trust is foundational to our operations. This policy establishes clear guidelines for identifying, disclosing, and managing actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise among our team members, partners, and leadership.
This policy applies to all employees, contractors, board members, and affiliated service providers. It governs professional relationships, financial interests, intellectual property rights, and competitive engagements that could compromise our impartiality or fiduciary responsibilities.
⚖️ What Constitutes a Conflict?
A conflict of interest exists when personal, financial, or professional interests could reasonably be expected to interfere with, or appear to interfere with, our ability to act in the best interests of a client or the company.
- Client Overlap: Simultaneous engagement with direct competitors working on materially similar products or markets without explicit informed consent.
- Financial Interests: Undisclosed equity, partnerships, or financial incentives in vendors, platforms, or technologies we recommend or integrate.
- Personal Relationships: Familial or close personal ties between our staff and key decision-makers at client organizations that could influence procurement or project direction.
- Intellectual Property: Prior ownership or licensing rights to frameworks, codebases, or design systems that could limit licensing options or create dependency risks for clients.
- Outside Work: Independent consulting, freelance projects, or advisory roles that compete with or divert resources from client commitments.
🔄 Our 4-Step Resolution Process
When a potential conflict is identified, we follow a structured, documented workflow to ensure transparency and minimal disruption to project delivery.
Identification
Team members or compliance officers flag potential conflicts through our internal reporting portal or during project intake reviews.
Assessment
The Governance Committee evaluates scope, materiality, and risk level within 5 business days of submission.
Disclosure
Relevant stakeholders receive a formal written disclosure outlining the nature of the conflict and proposed mitigation steps.
Resolution
We implement agreed-upon safeguards: recusal, firewalling, third-party oversight, or structured project reallocation.
📋 Disclosure & Reporting Guidelines
Transparency is non-negotiable. All personnel must proactively disclose potential conflicts before contract signing or at the earliest moment of awareness.
| Scenario | Required Action | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| New client onboarding | Full conflict screening via compliance checklist | Before SOW signature |
| Mid-engagement discovery | Immediate written disclosure to Account Lead & Governance Committee | Within 48 hours |
| Third-party vendor selection | Declare any financial or advisory ties; recuse from approval if material | Before vendor shortlisting |
| Staff external engagements | Submit annual & ad-hoc outside activity declarations | Q1 review + ongoing |
🛡️ Management & Safeguards
Not all conflicts require termination of engagement. Where appropriate, we implement structural safeguards to preserve independence and protect client interests:
- Information Firewalls: Strict data segmentation and access controls between competing client workstreams.
- Independent Oversight: Third-party compliance audits for high-sensitivity or multi-client overlapping engagements.
- Written Waivers: Client-signed acknowledgment forms when material conflicts are deemed manageable and transparently disclosed.
- Resource Allocation Guarantees: Dedicated teams and isolated development environments to prevent cross-contamination of IP or strategy.
Report a Conflict or Request Guidance
If you are a client, partner, or team member with concerns about a potential conflict, please reach out confidentially. All reports are reviewed within 3 business days.
📧 compliance@thatisaq.com