Code of Conduct

 
Code of Conduct for ISIAQ Conferences and Meetings
 
ISIAQ Commitment
ISIAQ is committed to providing a safe and productive community that fosters open dialogue and the exchange of scientific ideas, promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants, and is free of harassment. All participants in ISIAQ conferences and meetings, including ISIAQ members and non-members, are expected to treat others with respect and consideration, follow venue rules, and alert staff or security of any dangerous situations or anyone in distress. Speakers are expected to uphold standards of scientific integrity and professional ethics. This includes notifying conference leadership in advance of the meeting about any possible conflicts of interest.
 
ISIAQ recognizes that there are areas of the indoor air sciences that are controversial. ISIAQ conferences are meant to serve as an effective forum to consider and debate scientifically relevant viewpoints in an orderly, respectful, and fair manner. The policies herein apply to all attendees, speakers, exhibitors, staff, contractors, volunteers, and guests at ISIAQ conferences and meetings.
 
ISIAQ prohibits any form of harassment, including written, verbal, sexual, or otherwise.
 
What is Harassment?
Harassment includes written communication, speech, or behavior that is demeaning, derogatory, prejudicial, or threatening, and may be based on ethnicity, gender, religion, age, body size, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other similar status or characteristic. Harassment also includes stalking, unnecessary and/or unwelcome touching, and other unwelcome attention.
 
Behavior that is acceptable to one person may not be acceptable to another, so use discretion to be sure that respect is communicated. Harassment intended in a joking manner still constitutes unacceptable behavior. Retaliation for reporting harassment is also a violation of this policy, as is reporting an incident in bad faith.
 
Reporting Harassment
ISIAQ is committed to supporting a productive and safe working environment for everyone at its conferences and meetings. If an individual experiences or witnesses harassment, it is recommended that they take one or more of the following actions: (1) clearly oppose the action at the incident to the offender in an attempt to correct behavior, (2) remove one’s self from the situation, and/or (3) report the incident to the ISIAQ Board of Directors via email to confidential@isiaq.org. If an individual feels unsafe or threatened, the individual should notify hotel/facility security or local authorities, if warranted. The individual should also fully document the details of the incident as soon as possible, as they may be asked to fill out a report to register a formal complaint by an onsite security official, local authority, and/or the ISIAQ Board of Directors. All complaints will be treated seriously and responded to promptly. Anonymous complaints can also be sent to the ISIAQ Board of Directors, for example by using an anonymous email service.
 
If a formal complaint of harassment is filed, an automatic response will be triggered in which the ISIAQ Board of Directors (or its designee(s)) will discuss the details (if not sent anonymously), then with the alleged offender, and then seek counsel if the appropriate course of action is unclear. If the complaint is filed anonymously, the ISIAQ Board of Directors (or its designee(s)) will notify the alleged offender that a report has been filed and discuss the complaint with the alleged offender.
 
In the event that a complaint concerns the conduct of a member of the ISIAQ Board of Directors or if a Board member has a conflict of interest in the matter, the Board member shall be recused from Board deliberations and voting on the matter.
 
The confidentiality of any reporting individuals will be maintained to the extent that it does not compromise the rights of others. As feasible and appropriate, ISIAQ will confer with the individual filing the complaint prior to taking any action.
 
ISIAQ reserves the right to remove an individual from its conferences and meetings without warning or refund, to prohibit attendance at future ISIAQ conferences and meetings, to exclude an individual from the society altogether, and to notify cognizant authorities and/or the individual’s employer based on the severity of their actions.
 
For any questions about this policy, please contact the ISIAQ Secretariat at info@isiaq.org.