Compliance FAQs
The Influence Board is a platform that helps executives fund the charitable causes they are passionate about by enabling them to offer their time in return for a meaningful donation to a worthy cause.
Because Influence Board platform was architected by a panel of Senior Officers from major companies, they took into consideration areas of compliance the platform would need to address. The following are their answers to common questions about compliance.
Is it a conflict of interest to have someone donate to charity for a conversation?
Your time can be offered as a mentor, to an entrepreneur, or as a coach to someone looking for employment.
Regarding sales solicitations, Influence Board is designed as a secondary option for requests that would otherwise be ignored. Executives should exclude any vendors currently engaged in active negotiations, competitive bidding (e.g., RFP processes), or with whom existing business relationships might create conflicts of interest.
What if I get a request through the platform which I want to take, but I don’t want to require a charitable donation?
When accepting meetings, executives may choose to waive the donation requirement at their sole discretion, ensuring compliance with internal policies or ethical guidelines.
Is it a problem if I take company time to have these conversations?
It generally isn’t problematic if the meetings align with your company’s guidelines regarding external engagements. Often, executives choose to take these meetings during their lunch hour. However, you should consult your organization’s policies or legal department if you are uncertain.
Do I claim the money raised on the platform as income? Is it taxable?
No, the donated funds are transferred directly from the vendor to your chosen charity through Influence Board, never becoming your personal income. Therefore, these funds are not taxable to you.
Can our company restrict where the donations go to certain corporate approved charities?
Absolutely. Your company can specify approved charities in advance, ensuring alignment with your corporate compliance guidelines. Influence Board will restrict donations accordingly.
Is there any expectation set that I will do business with the person securing the conversation?
Influence Board explicitly avoids setting any expectation or obligation for executives to enter into business agreements following these interactions. The purpose is purely to facilitate connections around meaningful conversations and charitable giving. However, we are trying to create an engagement method that helps you focus only on filtered, relevant meetings that might have been missed due to the volume of requests you receive. It is anticipated that by so doing there will be positive outcomes for all parties as often as possible.
