Code of Conduct During Events
Your registration for or attendance at any ArcticNet event or online event indicates your agreement to abide by this policy and its terms.
The ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence and our partners are honoured to invite the global Arctic community to join us at the ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM). The ASM brings together a diverse and international community. As we discuss science from different perspectives, cultures and knowledge bases, we wish to foster an inclusive open environment for all participants. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome to participate, speak up, ask questions, and engage in conversation. This requires a harassment free and inclusive environment that recognizes the inherent worth of every participant. The expectation is for participants to be intentional and thoughtful in their interactions to ensure the event is a culturally safe environment for all. We invite all those who participate to help us create safe and positive experiences for everyone. Cultural safety is not the same as cultural awareness. It ensures that someone’s culture is not discussed in ways that are harmful or is described through the lens and experience of another culture.
Strategies that enhance the ability to be culturally safe include:
- Reflect on one’s own culture, attitudes and beliefs about ‘others’.
- Clear, value free, open and respectful communication.
- Develop trust.
- Recognise and avoid stereotypical barriers.
- Be prepared to engage with others in a two-way dialogue where knowledge is shared.
- Be considerate on how discuss and frame sensitive topics to avoid causing harm.
- Be inclusive of cultural perspectives and contributions.
- Be respectful and aware of diverse experiences and histories as current relationships and collaborations
are shaped by colonial histories. - Do not prioritize or value some knowledge over others.
- Have equitable discussions, allowing time for historically underrepresented voices and opinions
- Ask participants and specifically Indigenous and Traditional Knowledge Holders, for explicit permission to use stories, ideas, and information shared during this meeting or future collaborations.
- Do not appropriate knowledge shared during this meeting or in future collaborations.
- Be accountable: when we fail to meet these guidelines, work together to identify problems and adjust our approach accordingly.
Strategies that improve communication in online and in-person environments:
- Embrace joy and humour
- Be welcoming to others
- Make an effort to build new connections by taking note of who is participating
- Use inclusive and appropriate language
- Embrace different communication styles and dialogues about science
- Be open to suggestions and feedback
- Encourage everyone to have an opportunity to speak and share their thoughts and opinions, ensuring everyone gets the chance to participate, especially folks from underrepresented groups
- Ask and correctly use everybody’s preferred pronouns
- For online events
- Understand that not everyone has access to a quiet workspace
- Be understanding of the current online environment is also family space for many participants
- External interruptions, muting and unmuting, unstable Internet are all realities that need to be addressed with patience and good humour
Individuals who participate (or plan to participate) in ArcticNet events should conduct themselves at all times in a manner that comports with both the letter and spirit of this policy prohibiting harassment and abusive behavior, whether before, during, or after the event. This includes statements made in sessions, social media postings, on-line publications, text messages, chat rooms, posting screenshots without permission and all other forms of electronic communication.
Unacceptable Behaviour
ArcticNet specifically prohibits posting conference materials, screenshots of chat room discussions or comments, questions, recordings of the conference outside of our virtual space without consent. Online events need to be safe spaces for discussions.
- Violence and threats of violence.
- Incitement of violence towards any individual.
- Derogatory comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or socio-economic status.
- Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behaviour in spaces where they’re not appropriate.
- Posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information.
- Use of social or mainstream media to target individuals in a way that could harm their privacy and/or reputation.
- Deliberate misgendering such as not using a person’s preferred pronouns.
- Inappropriate photography or recording.
- Physical contact or simulated physical contact (e.g. textual messages depicting physical contact) without affirmative consent.
- Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes, sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate and unwelcome sexual advances.
- Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following (online or in person).
- Sustained disruption of community events, including talks and presentations.
- Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviour.
Guidelines for Speakers
Speakers are responsible for the content of their presentations. ArcticNet requests that speakers be cognizant of potentially offensive actions, language, or imagery, and that they consider whether it is necessary to convey their message. ArcticNet asks that speakers warn the audience at the beginning of the talk if this type of content is included.
Reporting
Anonymous Reporting
For the 2023 ArcticNet Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM2023) we have partnered with HearU to offer a safe space for all participants to anonymously report instances of harassment, discrimination, bullying, microaggression, or any other form of unfair treatment that may have been experienced or witnessed during the event.
It’s important to note that when you report an incident anonymously, HearU does not collect any information that would allow anyone to identify or contact you. In addition, reporting anonymously does not trigger an investigation or the start of a formal complaint process. Rather, it allows us to gather data on incidents occurring during the ASM2023 to identify trends and work towards creating a more inclusive experience in the future.
We will not act on complaints regarding:
- ‘Reverse’ -isms, including ‘reverse racism,’ ‘reverse sexism,’ and ‘cisphobia’ (because these things don’t exist).
- Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” or “I’m not discussing this with you.”
- Refusal to explain or debate social justice concepts.
- Communicating in a ‘tone’ you don’t find congenial.
- Complaints against those criticizing racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions.
Consequences
We expect all participants to follow these rules. Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately. Event organizers may take action to address anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender, excluding them from the conference with no refund and refusing their participation at future ArcticNet events or projects depending on the severity of the violation.
This is a Living Document
ArcticNet intends for these policies to meet the needs of our participants to have positive experiences at our events and in our online spaces, and we welcome comments and suggestions from the community. Please contact ArcticNet staff if you would like to provide feedback. Or fill in this anonymous feedback form.
This Code of Conduct was based on the work of many organizations including Inclusive Kind, Arctic Science Summit Week 2020 Code of Conduct, JSConf EU, CSSConf / JSConf AU, The Geek Feminism wiki, WeAllJS, and Conference Code of Conduct and https://blog.tito.io/posts/code-of-conduct-for-virtual-events/.