Hi Ethics and Compliance Committee,

I receive emails from vendors asking me to complete a feedback survey, and in exchange for my time, they will provide a gift card. Some dollar amounts are small (around $5) and some have been a little more substantial.

Is it ethical to complete a survey and accept a gift from a vendor your organization pays a subscription to?

Thank you,
Penny For Your Thoughts

Dear Penny,

In these situations, it’s reasonable to assume that all parties are operating in good faith. A request like this usually comes from a trusted vendor that your organization has chosen to have a relationship with. That said, you should consult your organization’s rules on accepting gifts, as well as if there are established type and amount limits.

An additional helpful step would be to contact your compliance or legal departments for advice on who is able to accept gifts from a vendor, even in exchange for a service rendered. It might also be judicious to communicate with your supervisor and let them know that the vendor has offered you this incentive.

This question was submitted anonymously to the Apra Ethics and Compliance Committee (ECC) inbox. If you’d like to ask a question, contact us at ethics@aprahome.org.