# Financial Transactions and Internal Controls

**Source**: https://conduct.mit.edu/financial-transactions-and-internal-controls/
**Parent**: https://conduct.mit.edu/

**Procurement**\
The Institute’s officers, faculty, staff, and others acting on its behalf have the obligation to avoid ethical, legal, financial, or other conflicts of interest and to ensure that their activities and interests do not conflict with their obligations to the Institute or its welfare. Such a conflict may arise if an individual uses his or her position at the Institute to influence MIT’s relationship with an outside organization in ways that would lead directly to the individual’s personal financial gain.

MIT Policies and Procedures Section 4.4: [Conflict of Interest](https://policies.mit.edu/policies-procedures/40-faculty-rights-and-responsibilities/44-conflict-interest)

Further, personnel involved in the acquisition function are in a position to provide or withhold substantial business from suppliers who serve the Institute. They constantly operate under pressure from conflicting sources and must have a highly developed sense of professional ethics to resist these pressures in order to serve the Institute in an honorable way. All personnel who are involved in the acquisition function at MIT must abide by the National Association of Educational Buyers’ code of ethics (referred to in the policy).

MIT Vice President for Finance Procurement Policies Section 2.0: [Ethics in Purchasing](https://vpf.mit.edu/200-ethics-purchasing)

**Gifts and Gratuities**\
Subject to limited exceptions, Institute policy prohibits Institute employees and their immediate family members from accepting personal gifts or gratuities from vendors.

MIT Policies and Procedures Section 7.9: [Procurement Policy on Gifts and Gratuities](https://policies.mit.edu/policies-procedures/70-general-employment-policies/79-procurement-policy-gifts-and-gratuities)

**Travel at Institute Expense**\
The basic policy guiding travel expense reimbursement is that the individual traveler should neither gain nor lose personal funds as a result of travel assignments and that these assignments be planned so that their cost will not exceed budgetary limitations.

MIT Policies and Procedures Section 7.8: [Travel at Institute Expense](https://policies.mit.edu/policies-procedures/70-general-employment-policies/78-travel-institute-expense)

**Financial Irregularities**\
If a financial irregularity is suspected or discovered, the [Institute Auditor](http://audit.mit.edu/contact) should be notified.  Financial irregularities may include misuse of Institute credit cards (e.g. Procurement Card, Travel Card), improper expense reimbursements, or other forms of theft.  The Audit Division has expertise in evaluating and investigating these matters and is available to assist DLCs in such cases.