COBIS Event Code of Conduct

The COBIS network is made up of a global community who collaborate by sharing ideas, information, and resources. It is of utmost importance to COBIS that each and every person who participates in a live COBIS forum, whether that be a webinar, conference, online CPD, a student competition or virtual networking (ConnectED), has a positive and rewarding experience. To that end, we invite all attendees and participants to help us realise a safe, respectful, and positive experience for everyone. 

COBIS has established this Code of Conduct to provide guidelines to participants and to ensure that all participants understand what behaviour is expected, and what behaviour will not be tolerated in the COBIS community.

COBIS is dedicated to providing a harassment-free and inclusive experience for everyone regardless of gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disabilities, neurodiversity, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, nationality, race, age, religion, or other protected category. Participants who exhibit any behaviour that contravenes this will be removed from the forum in question and may be suspended from all future COBIS events.
 
Our Standards

Expected behaviour includes but is not limited to:

•    Demonstrating empathy and kindness toward other people
•    Being respectful of differing opinions, viewpoints, and experiences
•    Giving and gracefully accepting constructive feedback
•    Accepting responsibility and apologising to those affected by our mistakes, and learning from the experience
•    Focusing on what is best not just for us as individuals, but for the overall community
•    Being considerate and respectful to all participants, attendees, hosts and COBIS staff
•    Refraining from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behaviour, materials, and speech
•    Speaking up if anything is observed at an event that conflicts with this Code of Conduct. 

If you are being harassed or feel uncomfortable, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the COBIS Executive Team immediately.

Unacceptable behaviour includes, but is not limited to:

•    The use of sexualised language or imagery, and sexual attention or advances of any kind
•    Trolling, insulting or derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
•    Public or private harassment
•    Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech, materials, or conduct by any participant 
•    Violence, threats of violence, or violent language directed against another person
•    Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language
•    Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability
•    Any boisterous, lewd, or offensive behaviour or language, including but not limited to using sexually explicit or offensive language, materials or conduct, or any language, behaviour, or content that contains profanity, obscene gestures, or racial, religious, or ethnic slurs
•    Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

Enforcement Responsibilities

COBIS is responsible for clarifying and enforcing our standards of acceptable behaviour and will take appropriate and fair corrective action in response to any behaviour that we deem inappropriate, threatening, offensive, or harmful.

COBIS has the right and responsibility to remove, edit, or reject comments, behaviours and other contributions that are not aligned to this Code of Conduct, and will communicate reasons for moderation decisions when appropriate.

Enforcement

Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behaviour may be reported to a member of the COBIS Executive Team as soon as possible.

All complaints will be reviewed and investigated promptly and fairly.

If you are subjected to unacceptable behaviour, notice that someone else is being subjected to unacceptable behaviour, or have any other concerns, please notify a member of the COBIS Executive Team as soon as possible. All reports will remain completely confidential.

Consequences of unacceptable behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behaviour is expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in unacceptable behaviour, COBIS may take any action it deems appropriate, including warning or expelling the offender from the forum/event. For more egregious behaviour, COBIS may, in its reasonable discretion, temporarily suspend or permanently suspend a registrant from further COBIS forums/events. 

This is a general Code of Conduct which covers all COBIS events and forums, however we may also implement event-specific Codes of Conduct which are applicable to particular student events and competitions. 

For any questions, please contact the COBIS Executive team. 

Updated April 2023.