Geological Society Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events
1. Preamble
The Geological Society of London is a professional and learned society which, through its members, has a duty in the public interest to provide a safe, productive and welcoming environment for all participants and attendees of our meetings, workshops, and events regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, language, citizenship, disability, physical appearance, or career level.
This Code of Conduct applies to all participants in Society-related activities, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, representatives to outside bodies, and applies in all GSL activities, including ancillary meetings, events and social gatherings.
It also applies to members of the Society attending externally organised events, wherever the venue.
2. Behaviour
The Society values participation by all attendees at its events and wants to ensure that their experience is as constructive and professionally stimulating as possible.
While the debate of scientific ideas is encouraged, participants are expected to behave in a respectful and professional manner – harassment and, or, sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes are not appropriate and will not be tolerated.
Harassment includes sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and intrusive photography or recording of an individual without consent. It also includes discrimination or offensive comments related to age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion, language, citizenship, disability, physical appearance, or career level.
The Geological Society expects and requires all participants to abide by and uphold the principles of this Code of Conduct and transgressions or violations will not be tolerated.
3. Breach of The Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events
The Society considers it unprofessional, unethical and totally unacceptable to engage in or condone any kind of discrimination or harassment, or to disregard complaints of harassment from colleagues or staff.
If an incident of proscribed conduct occurs either within or outside the Society’s premises during an event, then the aggrieved person or witness to the proscribed conduct is encouraged to report it promptly to a member of staff or the event’s principal organiser.
Once the Society is notified, staff or a senior organiser of the meeting will discuss the details first with the individual making the complaint, then any witnesses who have been identified, and then the alleged offender, before determining an appropriate course of action. Confidentiality will be maintained to the extent that it does not compromise the rights of others. The Society will cooperate fully with any criminal or civil investigation arising from incidents that occur during Society events.
Guidance on the Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events
The Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events shall apply to all participants and organisers of Geological Society of London meetings and other events, wherever they are held. Harassment and disrespectful behaviour by a participant at an event towards another person or group of persons will not be tolerated and will be dealt with summarily.
Any violation of this Code will also constitute a breach of the Society’s overarching Code of Conduct, the immediate effect of which will result in removal from the event and the premises.
If the alleged offender is a Fellow and evidence becomes available to the Society that the Fellow is in breach of the Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events, the evidence will be examined in accordance with the procedures defined by Regulation R/FP/6: Investigation of Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures. Council may remove a Fellow from the Society if it deems that a serious breach of the Code of Conduct for Meetings and other Events has taken place.
Offending participants who are not members of the Society will be removed from the meeting or event. If a subsequent investigation supports further action, the offending participant may also be banned from all Society-related events for a period of 12 months from the date of the violation of this Code or, in extreme cases, permanent exclusion.
It shall be at the discretion of the facilitator of the event, or any nominated Officer of the Society present, to decide whether any non-Fellow removed requires further investigation or intervention.
Members of staff are required to meet the standards of behaviour outlined in the employee handbook; any violations will be dealt with according to the Society’s employees’ disciplinary procedures.
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