Code of Conduct

Code of conduct for Canadian Glycomics Symposium and Annual General Meeting

All attendees, speakers, sponsors and volunteers at our conference are required to agree with the following code of conduct. Organizer (GlycoNet) will enforce this code throughout the event. We expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everyone.

Purpose and Background

The Canadian Glycomics Network, “GlycoNet” is committed to providing a safe and productive conference environment that promotes the exchange of scientific ideas, networking, the equal treatment for all participants, and is free of harassment and discrimination. All attendees are expected to treat others with respect and consideration, follow venue rules, and notify staff of any dangerous situations or of anyone in distress. Speakers are expected to uphold standards of scientific integrity and professional ethics. The policies herein apply to all attendees (including researchers, partners and trainees), speakers, exhibitors, Management, staff, Board and Committee members, service providers, volunteers and others (hereafter referred to as “participants”) at any GlycoNet hosted event.

Harassment and Safety

GlycoNet is dedicated to providing a safe, hospitable and productive environment for all participants, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. GlycoNet prohibits intimidating, threating, or harassing conduct of any sort.

Harassment incudes offensive gestures or verbal comments related to ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender, or sexual orientation in public spaces, as well as deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact and unwelcome attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behaviour are expected to comply immediately.

If a participant engages in harassing behaviour, GlycoNet may take any action deemed appropriate, ranging from a warning to the expulsion from the event and prohibition from attending future events. GlycoNet staff will work with the venue security and/or local law enforcement, and otherwise assist those experience harassment, to enable participants to feel safe for the duration of the event. Participant attendance is valued, and GlycoNet is committed to making each individual’s experience as productive and professionally stimulating as possible.

Expected Behaviour

Participants are expected to:

Unacceptable Behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour includes:

Examples of unacceptable behaviour include, but are not limited to: verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, religion, nationality, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces/presentations, and threatening or stalking any participant.

Reporting

If a participant feels they are the subject of harassment or unacceptable behaviour, or have witnessed such behaviour, they should immediately notify a GlycoNet staff member on site (identifiable by name badges) or by emailing info@glyconet.ca. All complaints will be treated seriously and responded to promptly.

All reports are kept confidential to the fullest extent possible. GlycoNet will use its best efforts to investigate complaints fairly, discreetly and completely and will make every reasonable effort to conduct a rapid inquiry. The results of the inquiry will typically be shared with both the individual reporting the issue and the individual(s) who have been accused of violating the Policy. Participants requesting anonymity will be respected, although GlycoNet reserves the right to notify appropriate law enforcement, should the allegations be serious enough to warrant such notice. The ability to investigate and/or address anonymous reports may be limited or otherwise affected by the need to balance concerns over privacy and fairness to all concerned.

Anyone experiencing or witnessing behaviour that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety is advised to contact 911 and locate a venue phone and ask for security.

Consequences

If unacceptable behaviour is reported, the following consequences may occur: