Code of Conduct
Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (“AnitaB.org”) reserves the right to adjust and update the Code of Conduct and any event-related policies from time to time with or without notice. Any changes will be made with the utmost care for the purpose of creating a fair and enjoyable event experience. Such changes will be effective immediately upon publication.
AnitaB.org believes our community should be truly open to everyone. As such, we are committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all attendees, sponsors, volunteers, speakers, organizers, venue staff, media, exhibitors, vendors and other guests (collectively, “Participants”) of AnitaB.org events, including, but not limited to Grace Hopper Celebration (“GHC”), membership, programs, community events, online platforms, social events, and workshops (collectively “Program(s)”). All Participants are required to conduct themselves in such a way to keep Programs free from discrimination and harassment for any reason including on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for Participant behavior at Programs as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. This Code of Conduct provides general guidelines and cannot cover every possible type of unacceptable behavior.
Expected Behavior
All Participants are expected to:
- Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative;
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior or speech;
- Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow Participants – your fellow Participants may have a different level of comfort with respect to language and personal space;
- Alert Program staff or call 911 if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential.
- Be mindful to behave in a professional, safe, and respectful manner.
Online Behavior
If you post to one of our social media channels or otherwise respond or comment on one of our posts, you agree to abide by this Code of Conduct. Please bear in mind that posts, comments, and responses posted on our channels are not always authored by AnitaB.org and can come from members of the public. The content of any posts or comments (including opinions and statements) shared on our channels do not necessarily reflect the views of AnitaB.org and are the responsibility of the individual person or entity representative posting them. AnitaB.org is a public organization and we will act within our rights to redirect or regulate online discussions to ensure compliance with this Code of Conduct and our mission.
Unacceptable Behavior
Unacceptable behavior is defined as harassment, intimidation, unsafe behavior, physical abuse, touching or contact of any kind, or discrimination in any form; verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, sponsor, Program staff member, service provider, or other conference guests. Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or national origin; inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or presentations; or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, sponsor, Program staff member, service provider or other conference guests.
Further unacceptable behavior includes disruption of presentations, unsafe behavior, during sessions or at other Program organized by AnitaB.org during the in-person or virtual meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any Program event or venue staff both in-person and virtual. All attendees must also follow any instructions provided at the Program via announcements including, but not limited to, a public address (“PA”) system, push notifications, text or email messages, etc. Program staff reserves the right to take any necessary or appropriate action, including immediate removal from the event, without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior. Program staff reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future events, whether virtually or in person. If you have questions about these guidelines, please contact AnitaB.org.
Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior
Unacceptable behavior by Participants will not be tolerated. If a Participant engages in unacceptable behavior, the Program staff may take any action they deem appropriate, at their sole discretion, up to and including immediate expulsion from the Program(s) without warning or refund. Participants asked to stop any unacceptable behavior are expected to comply immediately. Program staff retains the right to take any actions to ensure the event is a welcoming environment for all. Program staff reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future events, whether held in person or in a virtual environment, and removal from membership. Furthermore, if your registration at the Program was through an employer, sponsor, or university, Program Staff reserves the right to notify the sponsoring entity: of your ejection from the Program, the reason for the ejection, and any accompanying details deemed relevant and associated with the unacceptable behavior and expulsion.
What to Do If You Witness or Are Subject to Unacceptable Behavior
If you are subject to unacceptable behavior, notice that someone else is being subject to unacceptable behavior, or have concerns that this Code of Conduct is not being followed, notify a Program staff person or security as soon as possible or send an email to IncidentResponse@AnitaB.org. If the situation is urgent, dangerous, or life-threatening, immediately call 911. To the extent possible, all reports will remain confidential. Program staff will determine and carry out the appropriate course of action and will be available to support Participants experiencing unacceptable behavior feel safe for the duration of the Program.
When taking an in-person report, Program staff will ensure you are in a safe location and cannot be overheard. Program staff may involve other Program staff to ensure your report is managed properly. Once safe, Program staff may ask you to convey the specific circumstances. While this can potentially be upsetting, we’ll give you the patience and respect you deserve; and permit someone to help support you if you desire. You will not be asked to confront any individual and all our communications will be confidential to the extent possible and only be shared with those on a “need to know” basis.
Please remember that notifying Program staff or security does not constitute or replace notification to local law enforcement. This Code of Conduct does not replace rules posted by any Program facility, official conference hotels or any rules that are part of AnitaB.org’s contracts with its vendors, exhibitors and/or sponsors.
Scope
We expect all Participants to abide by this Code of Conduct at all Program venues and Program-related social events. Participants seek to learn, network, and have fun. Please do so responsibly and with respect for the right of others to do likewise. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain an inclusive, friendly, safe, and welcoming Program environment.
License and Attribution
This Code of Conduct is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license and is based on works at Open Source Bridge and http://www.gdconf.com/codeofconduct.html.
Updated: January 19, 2024