Which scenario best illustrates a conflict of interest?

• A. An employee volunteering on weekends.
• B. An employee taking a coffee break.
• C. An employee who is a board member of a supplier bidding for Piedmont contracts.
• D. An employee attending a conference not related to current role.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is recognizing a situation where personal interests could influence professional judgment. A worker who sits on the board of a supplier bidding for Piedmont contracts creates a potential clash between loyalty to their own board and duties to Piedmont. That outside role could give rise to biased decisions, access to non-public information, or pressure to favor the supplier, even unintentionally. Because procurement decisions should be fair and objective, this setup is a textbook conflict of interest: a personal relationship or affiliation that could compromise impartiality. The proper response is to disclose the dual role and step away from any decisions involving that supplier to preserve integrity and trust.

The other scenarios don’t involve a relationship or role that could unduly sway contract decisions. Volunteering on weekends is unrelated to professional duties, a coffee break is a routine personal activity, and attending a conference outside of one’s current role doesn’t create competing interests with suppliers.