On Jan 10, 2016 12:33, "Florence Devouard" anthere9@yahoo.com wrote:
Could you please make a serious declaration of interests as is being discussed at [1]. This will help set a ethical model for the rest of the WMF board to follow without needing a year to think about it. If you want to check some best practice examples of meaningful and frank declarations, take a look at WMUK's.[2]
I have no problem with that. You've provided links from WMUK, so until there is something similar for WMF, I don't think we can expect all Board members to make declarations (but I also think it would be a good
practice
to develop a similar model for WMF board, just observing that I don't
know
of one yet; I will ask).
I would like to point out to:
- https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest_policy
- https://wikimediafoundation.org/wiki/Pledge_of_personal_commitment
I am saddened to discover that pretty obviously... the board is no more
following a policy it approved many years ago.
At least as of last summer, board members all follow those policies: Taking a pledge of personal commitment on joining, and making a COI declaration each year.
These are not currently public; that is a difference from WMUK practice.
WMF board members in my experience do recuse themselves from any decision where they may be conflicted - more strictly than in other organizations I know.
And also saddened to discover that new board members are not oriented about their obligations.
There is an orientation session in person each year, as well as online. There is surely room for improvement, but it is part of the annual agenda.