Rules and Procedures on Events

Effective Date: April 1, 2016
Responsibility: Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer

STATEMENT OF POLICY

Event: Any formal gathering of CBC/Radio-Canada employees (in which external guest may also participate). Events include: planning meetings, departmental management meetings, staff retreats, staff functions, receptions, and meals on or off CBC/Radio-Canada premises.

Excludes events where the primary purpose is to generate revenue and develop business for CBC/Radio-Canada (which falls under the (see Directive on Duty Entertainment). Event costs include hospitality, space rental, travel, and any other costs directly linked to the event.

Under certain circumstances there is a benefit to CBC/Radio-Canada when individuals from outside the Corporation are entertained at CBC/Radio-Canada expense, and when the Corporation provides travel and/or hospitality to CBC/Radio-Canada staff.

The benefits from these types of expenditures are expected to contribute to improving the overall status of the Corporation in the community or enhancing relationships. As representatives of the Corporation, all employees participating in events and hospitality are expected to perform their duties in a manner that serves to preserve or enhance CBC/Radio-Canada’s reputation (see 2.2.21 Code of Conduct).

OTHER DEFINITIONS

External guest: A non CBC/Radio-Canada employee who is invited to an event. Excludes consultants, trainers or speakers who are facilitating a CBC/Radio-Canada only event.

Hospitality: Cost of food, and beverages, provided at events.

Refreshments: Includes beverages or light snacks or both, that do not constitute a normal meal but are served between meals.

Reception: An extended period between when attendees arrive and when the meal is served, with the purpose of sustaining attendees during the wait. A reception may also be a stand-alone event.

Multiple-to-one Credit Card: A corporate, not individual, credit card used for business-related activities such as conferences, catering, large group hotel bookings and multiple vehicle rentals.

Programming Event: Event directly related to the production and promotion of television, radio and digital programs; and events related to host broadcasting (e.g., Fall Launch; CBC/Radio-Canada Open House; programming planning meetings or meetings to share best practices for programming; business meetings directly associated with the production of television, radio, and digital programs and/or host broadcasting; or hospitality provided for internal productions, such as craft tables).

RULES AND PROCEDURES

  1. CBC/Radio Canada funds events if the benefits of the expenditures:
    • Promote CBC/Radio-Canada;
    • Recognize employee accomplishments/service;
    • Provide for missed meals while working long work hours under extenuating circumstances; or
    • Enhance relationships.
  2. When planning an event, the organizer must always consider minimizing the costs of the event, including the appropriate number of attendees and the location. All expenditures must follow good business practices.
  3. Events must be pre-approved as follows, using the Travel, Conferences, and Events Pre-Approval form:

Description of Event

Total Event Cost1

Level of Written Pre-Authorization Required

Programming Events

-

Pre-approval not required.

Expenditures must be approved by a manager (with delegation of financial authority)

All other Events (with or without an external guest present)

Examples:

  • Business meeting with a business partner or stakeholder
  • Planning meetings, departmental management meetings and staff retreats.
  • Providing meals during employee hardship (such as working long hours due to deadlines)
  • Departmental events held annually to recognize employees’ contributions to CBC/Radio-Canada
  • Long service receptions, and/or retirement parties.
  • Training events where hospitality is provided

< $500

Written pre-approval not required.

Expenditures must be approved by a manager (with delegation of financial authority) who did not participate in the event.

$500 - $4,999

Manager (with delegation of financial authority)

Expenditures must be approved by a manager with delegation of financial authority who did not participate in the event.

$5,000 - $24,999

Component Executive Director/General Manager or Vice-President (if no Executive Director/General Manager)

$25,000 - $49,999 or the limit per person will be exceeded

Component Vice-President or immediate delegate

>$50,000

President and CEO

1. Event costs include hospitality, accommodations, travel, transportation, professional services and any other relevant costs.

  1. With the exception of recognition events and receptions, the Corporation provides hospitality at events in which only CBC/Radio-Canada employees participate, when staff dispersal to obtain food or beverages is not effective or efficient, as per the following table:

    Length of Event

    Eligible Hospitality

    Less than 1.5 hours

    None

    1.5 to 3 hours

    Refreshments (Beverages only2)

    Over 3 hours, extending through a normal meal period (but not an all-day event)

    Meal

    All-day event (over 6 hours), extending through normal meal period(s)

    Meal and refreshments

    2 Beverages include: brewed coffee, tea, water, juice, etc.

  2. The Corporation does not pay for or reimburse the cost of alcohol during events involving only CBC/Radio-Canada employees.
  3. The Corporation may provide modest hospitality at events where the purpose is to recognize employees’ contributions to CBC/Radio-Canada. In all cases departments are expected to limit celebrations to one event per year.
  4. The Corporation may provide refreshments at events to recognize retirement and long service (25 and 35 years).
  5. The following hospitality limits must always be applied:

Hospitality

Limit for Hospitality at Events involving only Employees

Limit for Hospitality at Events with External Guests

Refreshments

0.5X Breakfast per diem3per person (inclusive of taxes and tips)

0.75X Breakfast per diem3 per person (inclusive of taxes and tips)

Meals 2X relevant meal per diem (Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner)3 per person (inclusive of taxes and tips) 3X relevant meal per diem (Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner)3 per person (inclusive of taxes and tips)

Receptions

2X Breakfast per diem3 per person (inclusive of taxes and tips)

3X Breakfast per diem3 per person (inclusive of taxes and tips)

Exceptions

Require pre-approval from the Component Vice-President using the Employee Expense Reimbursement Exception form

Require pre-approval from the Component Vice-President using the Employee Expense Reimbursement Exception form

3. See Rules and Procedures on Business Travel for per diem rates

  1. Employees submitting expense claims for events must ensure that all expense claims include:
    1. Date of event;
    2. Purpose of event;
    3. Names and employer/departments of all participants;
    4. Supporting documentation for the claim, including original vendor receipts;
    5. Proper coding;
    6. Approved Travel, Conferences, and Events Pre-Approval form
    7. Approved Blanket Travel Authority form (or BTA number), where applicable;and
    8. Approved Employee Expense Reimbursement Exception form (where applicable).
  2. Managers approving claims must ensure that these Rules and Procedures have been followed.
  3. Where events are paid by invoice or multiple-to-one credit card, all relevant approved form(s), must be attached in the online approval portal or submitted with the multiple-to-one credit card statement.

RELATED SUBSIDIARY POLICY INSTRUMENTS

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INQUIRIES

All questions pertaining to the interpretation or application of these Rules and Procedures should be referred to the Office of the Controller or politique.finance.policy@cbc.ca.

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