University policy statement and guiding principles

The University is committed to the prevention of bribery and will not tolerate bribery or other improper conduct, both inside the United Kingdom and abroad, by employees or other individuals or organisations who perform services for or on behalf of the University.

The University is committed to the highest standards of openness, probity and accountability. It seeks to conduct its affairs in a responsible manner taking into account the requirements of the funding bodies and the standards in public life set by the Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Purpose and scope

To support the achievement of these aims, the University has agreed the following University policies and procedures:

• A Code of Conduct which applies to all employees and workers
• A statement for third parties (including consultants, subsidiary companies, contractors and partner organisations) who perform services for or on behalf of the University
• Fraud Policy
• Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure
• Code of professional conduct: Relations between staff and students and relations between staff
• Financial Regulations relating to Procurement, the Procurement Manual and the Code of Purchasing Practice (section C2.2 of Financial Handbook)
• Ethics Policy

The purpose of this guidance is to set out the responsibilities of Faculty Deans, Directors of Professional Services and other senior managers to apply the University’s standards of conduct and business.

Guiding principles

The guiding principles to be followed at all times by employees must be:

• their conduct should not create suspicion of any conflict between their official duty and their private interest
• their actions must not be influenced by a benefit (eg a gift or hospitality) offered or received to show favour or disfavour to any person or organisation, and nor should they give the impression (to any member of the public, or to any organisation with whom they deal, or to their colleagues) that they have been (or may have been) influenced by a benefit offered or received to show favour or disfavour to any person or organisation
• their actions must not induce or reward someone to perform a role or function improperly