Which of the following best describes appropriate action when a conflict of interest exists and you cannot participate in a decision?

• A. Continue and participate in the decision to demonstrate commitment.
• B. Reveal only to the supervisor and make a personal decision privately.
• C. Document the recusal and rationale, inform relevant stakeholders, and seek guidance or rotation if independence may be compromised.
• D. Forward the decision to a competitor to resolve.

Answer: (C)

When a conflict of interest exists and you cannot participate, the right move is to document the recusal with the rationale, inform the relevant stakeholders, and seek guidance or arrange a rotation to preserve independence. This approach creates a clear, auditable record of why you stepped back, keeps others informed about the conflict, and helps ensure the decision remains objective. Continuing to participate would undermine the integrity of the process, showing bias. Merely revealing the conflict to a supervisor or making a private decision lacks necessary transparency and accountability. Passing the decision to a competitor is inappropriate and could violate ethical or legal duties.