Association of Clinical Research Professionals
ACRP Confidentiality Agreement 10.2
I understand that, as an ACRP Volunteer, whether a Trustee, Committee Member, Task Force Member, or other volunteer, I may have access to certain confidential and proprietary information of ACRP and/or any ACRP partners. I understand that this information may include trade secret information, personal data or other confidential information related to ACRP strategy, ACRP members, or the clinical research industry, which is necessary to perform my volunteer functions as described in the Volunteer Letter of Agreement. This includes, but is not limited to, confidential and proprietary information relating to compensation, membership lists, vendor lists, financial information, marketing information and data, new materials, research, new and pending projects and proposals, scientific data, technological data, and telephone lists of ACRP and its affiliates. I understand and acknowledge that it is the responsibility of all ACRP volunteers to safeguard sensitive ACRP-related information they come in contact with during their tenure with ACRP.
I further understand and acknowledge that my continued service with ACRP is contingent on my protecting and maintaining the confidential and proprietary nature of such information. To that end, while I serve as an ACRP volunteer, I will protect and maintain the confidentiality and proprietary nature of the information as described above. This includes the nondisclosure of that information and of that related to my ACRP work on all electronic and social media, or disclosure of such information to my employer, unless otherwise authorized by ACRP. I will take the same care of ACRP information as I would with my own, or my employer’s confidential information, and in any instance, no less than a reasonable standard of care. I will protect all input information, provided by other members of my Committee/Panel or other group, which is declared or marked as “Confidential” or “Proprietary” including nondisclosure to my own employer.
I understand and agree that ACRP and its affiliates retain full legal ownership of all products and results of my volunteer projects, and that neither I, nor my company/employer can claim, construe, or present this work as my or their property, even after my ACRP tenure has ended or the relevant project is completed. This includes written and electronic documents, audio and video recordings, system code, concepts, ideas, or other intellectual property developed for ACRP and its affiliates, regardless of whether the intellectual property is actually used by ACRP and its affiliates.
I understand that my participation in this project may include disclosure of certain information, which may be proprietary. If I disclose any information which is proprietary, I understand that it is my responsibility to mark such information as “Proprietary” or “Confidential.”
I understand that my volunteer service may involve meetings during regular work hours. I represent that I am not bound by any agreements that conflict with this Confidentiality Agreement and/or I have obtained an “ACRP Volunteer Corporate Waiver” from my Employer or other organization for purposes of this ACRP volunteer service.
Association of Clinical Research Professionals
Board of Trustees Policy 2.6
Disclosure and Management of Conflicts of Interest
PURPOSE
The Conflict of Interest Policy supports the expectation that volunteers and employees of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and its affiliate organization—The Academy of Clinical Research Professionals (Academy)—must act at all times in the best interests of ACRP and not for personal or third‐party gain or financial enrichment. Such personal or third-party gain is deemed a conflict of interest.
SCOPE
This policy applies to all volunteers and employees of ACRP and the Academy.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST DIRECTIVE
As an ACRP or Academy Volunteer or Employee, ACRP expects you will act as its fiduciary in all you do on its behalf, especially as to conflicts of interest that may arise during your tenure. To help you understand this fiduciary duty and to avoid even the appearance of any conflict of interest in your tenure with ACRP, we offer the following statement.
First and foremost, please understand that your fiduciary duty includes a duty of loyalty to ACRP/Academy and a duty to act with care in carrying out your ACRP responsibilities. This means that you cannot use your position to benefit yourself to the detriment of ACRP/Academy. You must set aside your personal interests and, as a Volunteer or Employee, act/make decisions on the basis of what's best for ACRP, not what's best for you. ACRP trusts you to do this. In practice, this means you must recognize when your personal/ professional interest and ACRP's interest are in conflict, advise the designated ACRP/Academy official(s) of that conflict, and abstain from voting or acting on the matter that involves the conflict.
You must also not take advantage of an opportunity that belongs to ACRP/Academy by exploiting it for yourself. And most importantly, you must never compete with ACRP/Academy, i.e., you must not take business or customers away from ACRP or take/use its trade secrets or other confidential information for your own personal/professional benefit.
In summary, as a Volunteer and Employee, keep ACRP’s interests before your own, act and make decisions in good faith, i.e., fully informed, and with due consideration for the impact of the decision on ACRP/Academy. In doing so, you will likely avoid any difficulty with possible conflicts of interest.
DEFINITIONS
A Conflict of Interest is a transaction or relationship which presents or may present a conflict between a Board or staff member’s fiduciary obligation to ACRP/Academy and the Board or staff member’s personal, professional, business, or other interests.
Examples of Potential Conflicts of Interest (examples are not all inclusive):
1. You serve on either ACRP’s or the Academy’s Board of Trustees and also serve on the board of another organization that directly competes with ACRP in the areas of education, training, or certification.
2. You work or consult for a company engaged in the development of marketed educational/training materials or services that directly compete with ACRP.
3. You have a financial/personal interest in an organization with which ACRP/Academy does business and could, therefore, be perceived to be in a position to influence relevant business decisions.
4. ACRP is planning to engage a consultant and you lobby for your relative’s company to be awarded the contract.
5. You serve on an advisory board or planning committee for an organization that holds conferences/training sessions that directly compete with ACRP.
6. You submit an abstract, conduct a workshop, or run a training session at a conference that directly competes with a scheduled ACRP event.
7. You present an invited lecture, workshop, or training session at a conference that directly competes with a scheduled ACRP event. Please discuss the specifics with the Executive Director prior to committing.
Finally, the existence of a conflict of interest may not prevent someone from participating in the Association’s or its affiliates’ programs. However, full disclosure of the relationship will openly identify any potential conflicts of interest which will require management as necessary.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST MANAGEMENT PROCESS
All ACRP/Academy Trustees, Committee Members, and Staff identified by the Executive Director must complete the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at the start of each calendar year. If a potential conflict of interest should arise after the disclosure form has been submitted, the Executive Director must be promptly notified (within 5 business days) and the nature/specifics of the conflict of interest should be submitted in writing within ten (10) business days.
When a potential conflict of interest is discovered or disclosed the following steps will be taken:
1. The Executive Director will refer it to the Governance Committee if an ACRP conflict or the Academy Board Chair if an Academy conflict.
2. The Governance Committee/Academy Board Chair will collect and consider facts and information surrounding the conflict of interest as needed.
3. After the Governance Committee/Academy Board Chair has fully reviewed and discussed the facts and information about the conflict of interest, it will provide a report and/or a recommended management plan to the ACRP or Academy Board of Trustees as appropriate unless the conflict of interest is determined to be inconsequential.
4. The ACRP or Academy Board of Trustees as appropriate must approve any management plan for the conflict of interest.
5. If time does not allow for the above steps, the Executive Director will share the conflict of interest with the ACRP Board Chair and the Governance Committee Chair or the Academy Board Chair as appropriate to determine any immediate action that must be taken and report it to the appropriate Board of Trustees no later than their next meeting.