Code of Conduct: Harassment & Safety Policy
Adopted 22 April 2016
ASABE is dedicated to providing a safe, hospitable, and productive environment for everyone attending our events, regardless of ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender, age, or sexual orientation. All participants, attendees, ASABE staff, and vendors shall be treated with respect and consideration, valuing a diversity of views and opinions, in a considerate, respectful, and collaborative manner. It is important to remember that a community where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is neither healthy nor productive. Accordingly, ASABE prohibits intimidating, threatening, or harassing conduct during our meetings and conferences.
This policy applies to speakers, staff, volunteers, guests, students, contractors, exhibitors, and attendees participating in the sessions, tours, social events, and other activities of ASABE. Participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the meeting or conference, without warning or refund, at the discretion of ASABE leadership.
Harassment of ASABE participants will not be tolerated in any form. Harassment includes offensive gestures or verbal comments related to ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender, age, or sexual orientation in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, circulation of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion, and unwelcome attention. Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately and without retaliation.
If a participant or exhibitor engages in harassing behavior, ASABE leadership may take any action they deem appropriate, ranging from a simple warning to the offender to expulsion from this and future meetings and conferences. If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please do not hesitate to contact ASABE staff who can work with appropriate ASABE leadership to resolve the situation. Harassment and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our event for everyone. Confidentiality will be honored to the highest extent permitted without compromising the rights of others.
ASABE staff will be happy to help participants contact convention center/hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, and otherwise assist those experiencing harassment, to enable them to feel safe for the duration of the meeting or conference. Anyone experiencing or witnessing behavior that constitutes an immediate or serious threat to public safety at our meetings and conferences in the convention center is advised to locate a house phone and ask for security. We value your attendance, and want to make your experience as productive and professionally stimulating as possible.