IAGD Code of Conduct

Purpose

The purpose of the International Association for Geoscience Diversity (IAGD) Code of Conduct is to create a safe and inclusive environment in which everyone can participate in activities, meetings, field trips and all other IAGD events, which is vital to our mission of inclusion and diversity. IAGD members agree that we are responsible for upholding, supporting and, whenever possible, advancing the values of the IAGD. Members of the IAGD agree to:

• Act in accordance with the IAGD’s mission and goals and uphold the ideals of access and inclusion in educational, professional, and community settings.
• Treat everyone with dignity and respect by refraining from behaviors not in keeping with the values of the IAGD as listed in the following section.
• Not practice or condone harassment, as outlined in the description of unacceptable behaviors listed in the following section.

Behaviors not in keeping with (or contrary to) IAGD values and principles

1. Bullying and harassment in any form, including sexual harassment, denigrating jokes, stereotyping, or a recurring pattern of microaggressions;
2. Physical abuse or intimidation, including disregard for another’s safety;
3. Verbal or written or emotional abuse, intimidation, or threats – whether in-person, online or remotely. This includes but is not limited to: harmful or negative comments related to ability, race, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, religion, age, marital status, parental status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, socioeconomic background, educational background, military service or veteran status, or specific community that they represent.
4. Photographing, recording, or video-taping of other IAGD members against their express wishes. Creating/sharing media involving other IAGD members in ways that may cause embarrassment or discomfort for the subject should not be created or shared even with an image release. Exploitative and/or demeaning images or recordings are expressly prohibited. Any image shared online should be taken down if requested by the subject.
5. Intentional, inappropriate physical behaviors including but not limited to: stalking, unwelcome physical contact, and aggressive or intimidating displays and/or body language;
6. Any other behaviors that may reasonably be assumed to have the effect of creating, contributing to, or maintaining an environment that is hostile toward or damaging to a person or group.

Violations

The IAGD works to ensure a safe environment for everyone in the geoscience community and takes reports of IAGD members violating our Code of Conduct seriously. Potential violations will be addressed by the IAGD Executive Committee and handled with discretion.

The IAGD will also consider measures against IAGD members who are sanctioned by a partner organization for violations in that organization’s Code of Conduct. This list of partners is reviewed annually and includes professional societies and organizations within the geosciences that maintain clearly articulated Codes of Conduct that align with the core values of the IAGD. These organizations currently include:

• The Geological Society of America (GSA)
• American Geosciences Institute (AGI)
• Geological Society of London
• American Geophysical Union (AGU)

We recognize that some actions are unintentional, and some actions may arise due to neuro-atypical disabilities, and others still from an absence of proper understanding. We will consider the intent of the person, including the impact their disability may have had on their actions when reviewing and responding to a report of misconduct.

Filing a Complaint

Anyone who wishes to report a potential violation of the IAGD Code of Conduct may submit allegations through this link: https://forms.gle/tM41sxF548gVtT2s8. There is no statute of limitation for considering violations to the Code of Conduct, but timely reporting greatly improves our ability to effectively investigate and address complaints. If there may be a potential conflict of interest with a member of the Ethics committee (see below), please contact the Director of Operations at operations [at] theIAGD.org before submitting the form.

Review of Complaints

Allegation Reports will be assigned to three-person Ethics Committee comprised of two Executive Councilors and the Director of Membership. The Ethics Committee will begin the investigation no later than two weeks after receiving a complaint and will keep ongoing investigations confidential; meaning that no person outside of the Ethic Committee will be informed or consulted unless necessary for the gathering of evidence about the complaint. The Ethics Committee will report a summary of their findings to the Executive Director and a recommendation of further action to the Executive Committee, who will determine actions up to and including revocation of membership.

Appeals

Any party named in an allegation (either accuser or accused) can file an appeal within 60 days of the final report and notification of findings. The appeal must be sent to the IAGD Director or Director of Operations and include justification for the appeal and new evidence or a narrative that explains why previous evidence should be reconsidered. The Ethics Committee will review appeals and make a recommendation to the Executive Committee to determine whether to maintain or revise the original decision. All actions and decisions will be fully documented and communicated with the parties involved in the original reporting of the allegation.

Archives

The Ethics Committee will record all allegations, investigative processes, decisions, and appeals in a secure database. Access to this database will be limited to the IAGD Executive Committee. Reports related to Code of Conduct violations will be maintained indefinitely to help address the issue of repeat offenders.

Download a copy of the Code of Conduct: Code of Conduct pdf

Current members of the Ethics Committee (updated Summer 2020): Brett Gilley, Jennifer Piatek, Gabriela Serrato Marks. Contact us at ethics@theiagd.org.