You own stock in a vendor; what must you do before participating in related decisions?

• A. Disclose or recuse
• B. Take part normally
• C. Sell stock
• D. Ask HR for guidance

Answer: (A)

Having a financial stake in a vendor creates a real or perceived conflict of interest when decisions about that vendor are being made. To protect fairness and integrity, you must disclose your ownership to the appropriate supervisor or compliance authority and, if needed, recuse yourself from related discussions or votes. Disclosure makes the conflict visible so others can assess it, and recusal ensures you don’t influence the outcome. While some policies may require additional steps like divestment, the basic and essential actions are disclosure and recusal. Taking part normally could bias decisions, and simply asking HR for guidance doesn’t resolve the conflict by itself.