Gifts and benefits register template
A gifts and benefits register is the entity's record of gifts, benefits, and hospitality offered to or received by its directors, officers, and staff. Even modest gifts can create a sense of obligation or the appearance of one, so recording them supports transparency and helps the board manage actual and perceived conflicts of interest. The register works hand in hand with a gifts and benefits policy that sets thresholds and rules for what may be accepted.
What the register is for
The purpose is to make gift-giving and receiving visible so it can be governed. A register lets the board see what is being offered, by whom, and to whom, and whether items were accepted or declined. It supports consistent application of the gifts policy, helps identify any pattern that might suggest an attempt to influence a decision, and provides a record the board can point to if a relationship is later questioned. It also reinforces the expectation that staff and officers disclose what they receive.
What to include
A practical gifts and benefits register records the following for each item:
- Date the gift, benefit, or hospitality was offered or received. - Name and role of the person who received or was offered it. - Description of the gift, benefit, or hospitality. - Estimated value. - Name of the person or organisation that offered it, and any relationship to the entity (for example a supplier or applicant). - Whether it was accepted, declined, or surrendered to the entity. - Reason for the decision, where relevant. - Any approval given and by whom. - Notes on how the item was handled, such as shared with a team or donated.
How to use it
Pair the register with a clear gifts and benefits policy that sets a value threshold above which items must be declined or surrendered, and rules for hospitality. Ask directors, officers, and staff to record offers promptly, including those they decline, because declined offers can be just as revealing as accepted ones. Review the register periodically at board or committee level to confirm the policy is being followed and to watch for patterns, such as repeated gifts from a single supplier around a procurement decision. Keep entries even for items of low value so the record is complete.
Common mistakes
Common problems include only recording accepted gifts and ignoring those declined, omitting hospitality such as meals and event tickets, and leaving the value blank. Boards sometimes set a policy but never review the register against it, so breaches go unnoticed. Another mistake is treating the register as confidential to the point that no one with oversight responsibility ever looks at it. Finally, failing to capture the relationship between the giver and the entity removes the context that makes a gift meaningful from a conflict perspective.
How Quorum helps
Cohiva Quorum keeps your gifts and benefits register in one place and links it to your conflict-of-interest records, so the board can review offers, acceptances, and declines together. It supports periodic review and helps surface patterns that warrant attention. Quorum helps you comply and supports your obligations; the entity and its officers remain responsible for compliance.
Part of the Cohiva platform
Cohiva Quorum is part of the Cohiva platform at https://www.cohiva.com. When a related declaration or acknowledgement needs a signature, you can send it through Cohiva Sign for e-signatures so the signed document flows back into the minute book alongside the register.