IWPA is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and staff. All participants including attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, staff, sponsors, guests, and service providers are expected to abide by this IWPA Code of Conduct, and this code applies to all IWPA meeting-related events including virtual meetings and those sponsored by organizations other than IWPA but held in conjunction with IWPA events, either in public or private facilities. In addition, IWPA members must abide by all antitrust laws.  This Code of Conduct governs conduct of participants and will be enforced by IWPA. As such, this Code does not give rise to a legal cause of action, create a presumption, or serve as evidence that a legal duty has been breached, or form the basis for governmental enforcement proceedings.

Participants must

• Respect everyone associated with the event, including venue personnel, and their diversity of voices, opinions, and backgrounds.  Respect all attendees regardless of ethnicity, race, nationality, gender, age, religion, beliefs, education, experience, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, socio-economic status, veteran status, or marital/family status. Be collaborative and encourage others to speak and offer their viewpoints. It’s okay to debate ideas with civil discourse.
  
• Abide by all local, state, and federal laws and the rules and policies of the venue or meeting platform. Enough said. You should be doing this regardless of whether you’re attending an event.
  
• Be honest in conducting one’s business. Present one’s true identity when registering and attending meetings. Communications and business should be done in a truthful, non-deceptive manner.
  
• Adhere to this code of conduct in social media posts about the meeting or with communications to fellow participants before, during, and after the meeting.
  
• Maintain confidentiality and privacy when appropriate. Respect the confidentiality and privacy of others. Obtain explicit consent before sharing personal information or publishing any content, including photographs or recordings, that may identify or infringe upon the privacy of attendees.

Participants are strictly prohibited from:

• Harassing, sexual or on the basis of any protected factor, bullying, discriminating, or intimidating anyone associated with the event. This behavior is unacceptable before, during, and after the event, including online virtual platforms, and on social media.
  
• Stalking, threatening, or abusing—verbally, physically, or in written form—a fellow participant or venue personnel. This includes online and onsite—before, during, and after the meeting. We want our participants to feel safe and comfortable about coming to future events.
  
• Disrupting sessions or meetings, heckling speakers, or not allowing others to speak. Be respectful of others who are trying to learn, teach, or contribute in some capacity. Refrain from engaging in demeaning, derogatory, or offensive speech or behavior that targets individuals or groups based on their characteristics. Maintain a professional and respectful tone during discussions, presentations, and social interactions.
  
• Sharing badges. See “Be honest in conducting one’s business”. Sharing badges is dishonest and hurts your association and your industry.
• Retaliating against anyone who has reported a breach of the code of conduct.  Whistleblowers are protected by federal law.  Please follow the appeal process if you feel you or a friend was unjustly reported for breaking the Code of Conduct.
  
  

Non-Compliance Consequences

IWPA will promptly investigate all reported violations and upon completion of the investigation exercise its best judgement on the penalties that are imposed. Failure to comply with IWPA’s Code of Conduct for meetings could result in, but not limited to, an immediate, non-refundable expulsion from the event, suspensions or bans from attending or participating in future events, and, depending on the severity of the infraction, potential criminal charges.

Reporting Violations

If you experience or witness a violation of IWPA’s Code of Conduct for Meetings, please report the violation as soon as possible to IWPA’s Executive Director, or IWPA’s current Board President. If you feel immediate danger, please call 911 first. Unless required by law enforcement, IWPA will make every effort to maintain your confidentiality. IWPA will promptly investigate the reported violation and report back to the person filing the claim of its findings and plans to address the infraction.

Appeals Process

If you feel you were unjustly identified and imposed penalties for violating the Code of Conduct and have new information that was not available during the investigation, you may appeal the penalty in writing to IWPA’s Executive Director at ashley@iwpawood.org. IWPA will review the information and exercise its best judgement in deciding whether to refund any registration fees, eliminate any bans or suspensions on future events, or whatever may be applicable and appropriate based on the original penalties imposed.