Avoiding potential situations.

What do you mean when you say you are in a position to influence the business in a material, significant way?

I'm no lawyer, but I'd be more concerned about a conflict of interest if your presence could be viewed as an attempt by the event host to sway a decision you need to make that could materially affect their business. For example, if I needed to choose a vendor for portfolio management software and was planning to attend the local PMI Professional Development Conference where one of the vendors was hosting a social event and they were paying for food and/or drinks and possibly gifts, it might be best if I avoided the social event.

However, if the host of the event was a company whose business I was trying to get (I want them to select my company instead of my competition), I don't see a conflict of interest. Networking is one of the foundations of business relationships.

Does one of these scenarios match your situation?

Sending a delegate interesting. The situation is not one I am faced with, but often today, we read news stories where this situation causes politicians and others to "make headlines" based a similar situation where they made a bad decision. I was curious what actions others may take, if it came up.

Sending a delegate interesting. The situation is not one I am faced with, but often today, we read news stories where this situation causes politicians and others to "make headlines" based a similar situation where they made a bad decision. I was curious what actions others may take, if it came up.