Pause before you accept
A quick decision companion for employees offered a gift or invitation.
Start here: check the approved Gifts and Hospitality policy that applies to your location, role, and business context before accepting. Pause and seek the policy’s designated guidance if the offer is connected to a work decision, unusually timed, involves a public official or regulated activity, or you cannot tell which rule applies.
This worked example uses Northstar Works, a fictional organization. This guide is an example, not a policy: it sets no monetary limits, grants no approval, and does not establish an entitlement.
Compare the situation, then check the local rule
Illustrative examples only. The applicable approved policy determines what is permitted and what must be recorded.
| Situation | Practical next step | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| A supplier offers a branded notebook at an open industry event; no related business decision is pending. | Check the applicable local policy; disclose or record the offer if that policy requires it. | Do not assume that a modest-looking item is automatically permitted. |
| A supplier invites you to dinner while a renewal involving that supplier is being evaluated. | Pause. Check the relevant policy and ask its designated approver before responding. | The pending decision and timing make this different from an ordinary event. |
| An invitation involves a public official or a regulated activity. | Pause and consult the applicable specialist route before responding. | Do not rely on this general guide to determine the rule. |
Worked example: an invitation during a renewal
Northstar Works is fictional; this example shows how to coordinate a decision, not what the decision must be.
Riley is supporting an active supplier renewal when the invitation arrives. Because the offer is connected in time to a pending business decision, Riley does not accept or decline based on this guide alone. Riley checks the policy for the relevant jurisdiction and role, asks the approval role named in that policy before responding, and records the offer and decision in the approved system as required by the local rule. No approval or submission is presumed.
If the situation is not straightforward
Use the locally approved policy and its named route for the decision.
The invitation needs an answer soon. What should I do?
Pause rather than treating the deadline as approval. Tell the sender you need to check the applicable internal guidance, then use the policy’s designated approval or specialist route before responding.
Could declining affect an important business relationship?
Do not let that concern determine the policy outcome. Ask the manager or specialist route identified by your organization for guidance on how to respond appropriately.
I already accepted or received the offer. What now?
Consult the applicable policy owner or designated route promptly. Follow the local instructions for recording the offer and decision; do not assume that acceptance removes a recording or escalation requirement.
Use this sequence
Check first, follow the applicable route, then record as required.
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1
Identify the context
Note the relevant jurisdiction, your role, who made the offer, and whether a business decision or regulated activity is involved.
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2
Find the applicable approved policy
Use your organization’s Policies & Compliance Hub to locate the Gifts and Hospitality policy that applies to your situation. Check the policy’s scope and effective guidance rather than relying on this example.
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3
Follow the policy’s approval route
If the policy requires review or the answer is unclear, contact the approval role or specialist route it names before accepting or responding.
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4
Record the offer and decision
Use the organization’s approved recording system and follow the applicable policy for required details and timing. This guide does not submit a record or connect to a system.
Owner and help route
In this fictional example, Legal and Compliance owns the guidance. When the answer is unclear, use the contact or specialist route named in the applicable approved local policy. That policy is the authoritative source for scope, approval, exceptions, and recording requirements.
If the reference is missing or appears out of date, identify the policy title and the point that needs clarification to Legal and Compliance. Ask for the applicable guidance before acting on the offer.