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Members of the À¦°óSMÉçÇø community are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with all À¦°óSMÉçÇø codes, regulations and policies at all times, including but not limited to:

• Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures
• Personnel Policies and Procedures for Non-Academic Staff
• Policy Against Sexual Violence
• Policy on Harassment and Discrimination Prohibited by Law
• Regulations Relating to the Employment of Academic Staff
• Other applicable policies and regulations

We are confident that participants will build a supportive and collaborative atmosphere at our events. The following points explicitly describe appropriate behaviour at our events. All participants agree to:

• Contribute to creating a welcoming, inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. Participants may vary in race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, civil status, age, religion, political conviction, ethnic or national origin, ability and more. Be respectful of different viewpoints and experiences and be considerate of how the words you choose may impact others. Be patient and respectful of the fact that English and/or French may be second (or third, fourth, etc.) languages for some participants.
• Adhere to personal boundaries. Ensure that consent for physical contact is explicit, conscious, and continuous—not implied. Be mindful of individuals who may need time alone, or who are not comfortable discussing particular topics. If you are unsure whether your behaviour towards another person is welcome, ask them. If someone tells you to stop, do so.
• Respect the privacy and safety of others. If you would like to take photos, videos or audio recordings of others (including speakers), obtain their consent first. If you would like to share others’ personal experiences or identifying information, obtain their consent first.
• Be considerate of others’ participation. Everyone should have an opportunity to be heard. Please keep comments, questions and discussion contributions succinct to allow maximum engagement by all participants. Do not interrupt or speak over others—wait to be recognized by the speaker/moderator if applicable.
• Speak up for community members. If you see something inappropriate happening, speak up. If you don't feel comfortable intervening but feel someone should, please feel free to ask a member of the HBHL staff or HBHL Trainee Committee for support.
• As an overriding general rule, please be intentional in your actions and humble in your mistakes. Please be generous when others admit to their own mistakes.

Examples of unacceptable behaviours at HBHL events include but are not limited to:

• Any action, behaviour, communication, or decision based on race, colour, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, civil status, age (except as provided by law), religion, political conviction, language, ethnic or national origin, social condition, a disability or the use of any means to palliate a disability, which results in the exclusion or preference of an individual or group.

• Insults or put-downs.
• Unwelcome sexual attention and/or physical contact.
• Sustained disruption of talks, events, or communications.
• Incitement of violence or self-harm, or displaying violent images.
• Causing someone to fear for their safety, such as through stalking, following, intimidation, or violent threats.
• Taking photos of or recording others (including speakers) without permission.
• Continuing interactions (including photography or recording) with someone after being asked to stop.
• Sharing of private communication, others’ personal experiences or others’ identifying information without consent.
• Any other communications or actions that have the effect of excluding any participants, disrupting the event, or making any attendees feel unsafe to participate fully in the event.

Consequences of Unacceptable Behaviour

Participants who are asked to stop any inappropriate behaviour by any other participant or organizer are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in behaviour that violates this Code of Conduct, any member of the HBHL staff may warn the offender, ask them to leave the event, restrict attendance at future HBHL events, or impose any other appropriate sanctions in the context of HBHL activities. In addition, members of the HBHL Trainee Committee may warn the offender or ask them to leave the event if the violation takes place at a Trainee Get-Together or Research Day. The HBHL Trainee Committee will report any violations of the Code of Conduct and actions taken at trainee events to the HBHL staff within two days of the event or report, and the HBHL staff may take additional action as needed. Consequences may be imposed at events, or by phone or email up to one week following an event.

Violations of À¦°óSMÉçÇø codes, regulations and policies can be handled through À¦°óSMÉçÇø disciplinary procedures. If you file a report that indicates a violation of any À¦°óSMÉçÇø code, regulation or policy that may warrant disciplinary action outside of HBHL events, a member of the HBHL team can provide information and support in taking the report to appropriate À¦°óSMÉçÇø channel(s). The individual who submitted the initial report holds the right to choose whether to pursue any further disciplinary procedures outside of HBHL events.

If you believe someone is violating the Code of Conduct and you wish to report it, please contact HBHL through one of the following methods:

• Report the violation in-person at the event to one or more of the following individuals: HBHL Managing Director and CEO, HBHL Program Officer, HBHL Trainee Committee President, HBHL Trainee Committee Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Officer.
• Fill out an online form.
  • If you would like a follow-up from the HBHL team, please provide your name and contact information, and you will be contacted by a member of HBHL staff or the HBHL Trainee Committee within three days. Please note that, if you choose not to provide your name, we will not be able to follow up with you directly. We will investigate the situation and try our best to prevent it from happening again.

In your report, please include as much of the following information as you are able and comfortable with:

• Names of any individuals involved, including if there were other witnesses,
• When and where the incident occurred,
• Your account of what occurred,
• Whether you believe this incident is ongoing, and
• Any additional context or other information you believe we should have.

If you are unsure whether the incident is a violation, or whether the space where it happened is covered by this Code of Conduct, we still encourage you to report it. Knowing about incidents that are not violations, or happen outside our spaces, can also help us improve the Code of Conduct or the processes surrounding it.

If your report concerns a current member of the HBHL staff or HBHL Trainee Committee you may not feel comfortable submitting your report using the online form, as all members may see the report. In that case, you can make a report directly by email to any of the individual HBHL staff or Trainee Committee members listed above.