Expected Behaviour
- Adhere fully to all Congress health and safety policies and procedures.
- Treat everyone with kindness, respect and consideration.
- Communicate thoughtfully with others and be considerate of the multitude of cultures, views and opinions that may be different from your own, in all situations including but not limited to, while presenting, in one-on-one conversations, at exhibitor tables, and in group discussions.
- Be considerate and respectful in your critique of ideas.
- Be mindful of your surroundings and your fellow participants.
- Respect the rules and policies of all venues associated with the Congress.
- Be professional in your demeanor and appropriate in your attire.
- Be accountable.
- Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory or harassing and/or other unacceptable behaviour, as outlined below.
Unacceptable Behaviour
All participants must not engage in any inappropriate behaviour, and in particular not in intimidation, harassment, or abusive or discriminatory actions such as:
- Offensive verbal or written remarks, including those related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion;
- Violence or threats of violence;
- Violent or sexual images in public spaces (including presentation slides);
- Deliberate intimidation;
- Stalking or following (online and in-person);
- Unwanted or unauthorized photography or recording;
- Sustained disruption of talks or other events;
- Unwelcome physical contact or other forms of assault;
- Unwelcome sexual attention;
- Sexist, racist, or other exclusionary jokes;
- Use of social or mainstream media to target individuals in a way that could harm their privacy and/or reputation;
- Deliberate misgendering such as deliberately not using a person’s preferred pronouns.
Non-Urgent Reporting
If you notice non-urgent inappropriate behaviour that violates this Code of Conduct during IMPAC5 or have any other concerns, please report it by emailing IMPAC5
Immediate or Urgent Matters
If the incident is of an immediate safety or security concern, please call on-site security which can be reached 24 hours a day by calling the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC) Guest Services from any house phone by dialing 7299 (or 7500 for emergencies). Calls can be made from an outside line or a cell phone by dialing 604-647-7299 (or 604-647- 7500 for emergencies). Contact information for reporting an incident will also be provided on your Congress badge (for in-person attendees).
Confidentiality
All reports will be handled in confidence except as otherwise required by law, and subject to due process and natural justice. Organizers will respond as promptly as we can.
Consequences
Participants asked to stop any behavior deemed inappropriate are expected to comply immediately. Explanations of “just joking” are not acceptable; behavior can be harassing without an intent to offend.
If a participant engages in harassing or other unacceptable behavior, including a failure to adhere to the DEI Statement or to abide by the above Code of Conduct, the IMPAC5 organizers will take any action or actions they deem appropriate to keep the Congress a safe and welcoming environment for all participants. Actions that may be taken include: warning the offender, expulsion from the Congress with no refunds, reporting the incident to the offender’s local institution or funding agencies, and reporting the incident to local law enforcement agencies.
Public Health Statement: British Columbia’s Provincial Health Restrictions and Orders
British Columbia’s provincial health restrictions and orders are in place to help keep visitors and residents safe. Some restrictions are made by the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) under the Public Health Act and others are made under the Emergency Program Act (EPA). Public health orders can be enforced by police or other compliance and enforcement officials. Any applicable public health directives will be posted on the IMPAC5 website prior to the Congress and all IMPAC5 organizers and participants are required to follow these measures while in British Columbia to help ensure a safe Congress for all.
