These conflict-of-interest rules (the COI Rules) aim to ensure that any actual, perceived, or potential conflicts of interest (each a COI) are managed in a transparent manner to ensure the fairness and objectivity of the Frontiers Planet Prize award process.
A COI occurs when an Involved Party has professional, financial, or personal interests with a person or in an entity that might influence the judgment of this person in relation to a specific task or role.
An actual COI arises where an Involved Party’s interest is likely to affect the person’s judgment, rendering them unable to make an unbiased decision.
In the case where an Involved Party’s interest is likely to cause an independent observer to question whether that person can make an unbiased decision is said to be a perceived COI. A potential COI may, depending on the situation, develop into an actual COI.
For the purposes of these COI Rules, potential COIs are treated in the same manner as COIs and are required to be disclosed and acted on.
An Involved Party may have financial interests in an entity that may be affected financially or not from the outcome of a task or role. In addition, financial COIs may be linked to an immediate family member to whom financial benefits are tied. That person may gain or lose financially from the outcome of a task or role of the Involved Party.
Financial interests cover:
Professional COIs include relationships with persons or professional ties with entities, who themselves have interests in the outcome of the task or role. An Involved Party may have professional relationships linked to the task or role by being:
Personal COIs cover beliefs and convictions which may influence an Involved Party’s judgment related to a task or role.
In addition, an Involved Party may have COI by having personal relationships with another person or an entity that is linked to a task or role, for example, close friendships or family relations beyond immediate family members.
Any other financial, professional, or personal COI that are related to a task or role not covered above should also be considered. These include all COIs, both direct (affecting the Involved Party) and indirect (affecting an Involved Party’s immediate family member, or any other person close to the in Involved Party dividual).
Managing COIs starts with the disclosure of COIs.
Each Involved Party shall be required state that no COIs exist or to declare any potential, perceived, or actual COI with details according to the criteria listed below.
A COI statement will be requested of all Involved Parties before starting their task or role and will have to be updated for each award round.
COIs should be considered within the five years prior to the edition of the relevant Frontiers Planet Prize and should also be anticipated for the timeframe of the award process.
Any COI arising after the initial disclosure should be declared promptly, and in no case later than 21 days of the situation occurring.
Failing to disclose a COI shall be considered as a breach of these COI Rules.
The Frontiers Research Foundation will determine the effects of a disclosed COI.
In the event that the COI of a specific submission is an actual COI, the Jury Member is usually recused to vote for, comment or discuss the specific submission.
In the event that the COI is a potential or perceived COI, the Frontiers Research Foundation will decide, on the basis of the details provided to it, whether the Involved Person’s recusal is required.
In making its determination, the Frontiers Research Foundation shall hear the Involved Person and the Chairperson of the Jury of 100.
The Frontiers Research Foundation’s determinations are final, and not subject to appeal.
The absence or presence of COI may be disclosed publicly or kept confidential at the sole discretion of the Frontiers Research Foundation depending on the specific situation and taking into account all interests at stake.
These COI Rules shall be governed by Swiss substantive law, without reference to its conflict of laws provisions. All disputes shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the ordinary courts of Lausanne, Switzerland.