Question: When a candidate mentions in presentation CV that she or he has no conflict of interests with ICANN, does it mean specifically Financial interests? How does a non profitable organization like ICANN identify or evaluate conflicts of interests? Thank you, Doris V.Hamel, Canada dveillet@cgocable.ca

Nominee Replies

Harris Miller - posted on 2000-10-02 06:40:44 When I say that I have no conflicts of interest, I mean I have no financial interests in ICANN, or any of its contractors. A hypothetical conflict of interest for a non-profit would be a situation in which the member of the board of the non-profit had a financial interest in a major potential contractor the non-profit, and, therefore, could benefit financially from a decision by the non-profit to hire that contractor. Donald Langenberg - posted on 2000-10-01 20:45:36 No, it doesn't necessarily mean financial interests. All boards I'm familiar with (and I've served on or worked for several dozen) pay careful attention to conflicts of interest, usually via explicit board (or government-level) policies. Though public concern about conflicts of interest generally does focus on financial matters, other types of conflict can an do occur. Barbara Simons - posted on 2000-10-01 15:26:29 I assume this means no financial interest. I suspect that ICANN does not investigate all of the Board members to determine potential conflicts of interest. This is an area in which the community can be helpful. If someone knows of a potential conflict of interest of an individual involved with ICANN, it would be useful to make that information known first to the individual, who may not have thought of it, and then to the Board. Lyman Chapin - posted on 2000-09-29 11:28:19 A conflict of interest for the director of an organization (whether for-profit or non-profit) generally means a financial interest - that is, a financial stake in the outcome of the organization's decisions or actions. This seems to me to be an appropriate standard for ICANN. Emerson Tiller, J.D., Ph.D. - posted on 2000-09-26 07:30:26 ICANN should identify or evaluate conflicts in terms of financial interests, whether it be in proceeds from a contract with ICANN or significan stock interests in a company doing business with ICANN. Non-contractual decisions by ICANN that bear directly on the financial interests of a director/staff member should also be disclosed at the time that the non-contract decision is made. Lawrence Lessig - posted on 2000-09-26 02:55:58 I would think it would mean that he or she has no financial interests that are affected by the decisions ICANN makes.