Gifts & hospitality

The whole LSE community, including all staff, students, and governors, are expected to act to the highest standards of ethical integrity in accordance with the ethical principles set out in the School’s Ethics Code.

Ethics Code Principle 2 - Integrity:

• Be honest and truthful
• Act in accordance with all relevant legislation and statutory requirements 
• Be transparent and consistent in our decision making
• Maintain our independence in engaging with outside parties

Staff may be offered gifts and hospitality in the course of their normal duties.  Offers of hospitality that appear to exceed the norm or convention within LSE and the higher education sector should be considered especially carefully before a decision is made to accept them or not. Staff should not accept gifts of money or monetary tokens and should be satisfied that all offers are appropriate and the value of the gift or hospitality is reasonable and proportionate. 

For further assitance in deciding whether to accept a gift or hospitality please see:

Gift and Hospitality Decision Guide (PDF).

Gift and Hospitality FAQs (PDF).

If acceptance creates an actual or perceived conflict of interest in respect of a decision the School must make, whether immediately or sometime after acceptance, the person should absent themselves from the decision- making process.

Any gifts or hospitality should be recorded on the online gift and hospitality register.

Further information can be found in the School's Gifts and Hospitality Policy and Procedure (PDF).

Each member of staff to whom an offer of gifts or hospitality is made is responsible for declaring the offer on the online gift and hospitality register, including offers that have been declined.  Please ensure the online register is completed fully on each occasion. 

Completion of the online register will ensure that correct approval is gained.  You can request a copy of your completed form for your records.  Reports will be provided to Divisions and Departments anually.

Gifts and Hospitality may only be provided by staff to support professional and business relationships and to promote the School where:

• The offer is made for a proper purpose associated with official School business;
• The offer is appropriate and its value is reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances;
• The offer is consistent with the ethical framework in which the School operates, as detailed in the Ethics Code;
• The offer accords with all applicable School policies and governmental legislation. Gifts and hospitality should not be offered to public officials as they may be construed as a facilitation payment which is illegal under fraud and bribery legislation;
• The offer is not made to influence or be perceived to influence an individual or organisation or to gain any advantage;
• The offer made does not constitute an actual or perceived conflict of interest.