How can you avoid conflicts of interest between conference speakers and sponsors?

2 Balance your program

One way to avoid conflicts of interest is to ensure that your conference program is balanced and diverse, reflecting a range of perspectives, opinions, and evidence on your topic. You should avoid having speakers or sponsors who dominate or monopolize the agenda, who promote or endorse specific products or services, or who have undisclosed or conflicting interests. You should also provide opportunities for questions, feedback, and dialogue among speakers, sponsors, and attendees, and encourage critical thinking and evaluation of the information presented.

3 Educate your speakers and sponsors

Another way to avoid conflicts of interest is to educate your speakers and sponsors about the ethical and professional standards and expectations of your conference. You should provide them with guidance and resources on how to prepare and deliver their presentations or exhibits, how to disclose and manage their interests, and how to avoid or address any issues that may arise. You should also remind them of the benefits of adhering to your policies, such as enhancing their credibility, reputation, and trustworthiness, and contributing to the quality and value of your conference.

4 Review your content

A third way to avoid conflicts of interest is to review the content of your speakers and sponsors before your conference. You should check that their presentations or exhibits are accurate, relevant, objective, and evidence-based, and that they do not contain any biased, misleading, or promotional information. You should also verify that they have disclosed and managed their interests appropriately, and that they have not violated any of your policies. If you find any problems or concerns, you should ask them to revise or remove their content, or cancel their participation if necessary.

5 Seek feedback

A fourth way to avoid conflicts of interest is to seek feedback from your speakers, sponsors, attendees, and other stakeholders after your conference. You should ask them to evaluate the quality, integrity, and value of your conference, and to report any issues or concerns that they may have encountered or observed. You should also analyze the feedback and use it to improve your policies, processes, and practices for future conferences.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?