EFP Code of Conduct Policy

In order to create a safe and healthy environment on our conference, we have created a Code of Conduct Policy, which can be found below, or as pdf here

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We obviously hope there will be no issues pertaining to this code of conduct, but for the unfortunate event when there are issues nonetheless, we have appointed two confidants to whom you can address your issues, concerns, or complaints. Obviously, they will treat this with the utmost care and confidentiality.

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Confidants:

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European Federation for Primatology’s Commitment to a Safe and Non-threatening Conference Environment
 

The EFP is dedicated to providing a harassment-free environment. Harassment includes speech and/or actions that are considered to be personally offensive or not welcome. We prohibit any form of harassment, sexual or otherwise, toward any of the participants at our conferences regardless of age, ethnicity, race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, marital status, appearance, nationality, language, or any other reason [1]. This policy applies to all participants and guests, as well as any exhibitors, sponsors, and/or supporters that attend, participate in, or exhibit at the bi-annual meeting of the EFP.
 

The EFP is an all-inclusive federation focused on encouraging all areas of non-human primatological scientific research, facilitating cooperation among scientists of all nationalities engaged in primate research, and promoting the conservation of all primate species. We support and encourage research on primates from undergraduate and graduate students, research scientists and professionals, and university faculty from European institutions, as well as from other countries around the world. As such, we encourage respectful exchanges of ideas, acknowledging that English may not be the first language of participants and that there may be cultural differences in communication styles. We do not condone elitism in words or actions by faculty toward students, by senior to junior professionals, or peers, or among individuals with different levels of expertise.
 

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Acceptable Behavior Policy at the Bi-Annual Meetings and on Social Media
 

The European Federation for Primatology is founded on open and respectful exchange of ideas, words and actions during the biannual meeting and on EFP social media sites. The Federation will not tolerate inappropriate behavior which includes, but is not limited to:

• inappropriate acts or offensive comments that demean another by means of reference to the individual’s ethnicity, gender, character, research interests, race, body size and adornments, clothing style, gender identity, religion, age, English-language proficiency, or disability;
• wanton destruction or vandalism of personal, hotel, or convention center property.
Individuals who are currently sanctioned for assault or harassment by an adjudicating institution (e.g., a university where they work or worked) will be excluded from attending the EFP conference and any other EFP - sponsored events.


What is Harassment?
 

Harassment is defined as systematic or continued, unwelcomed words or actions that include taunts, threats, advances, and demands and may occur in situations where a power differential exists. It applies to our bi-annual conferences and all online spaces in which EFP conference attendees conduct professional business, and also includes EFP-sponsored social events at conferences.
 

Harassment includes verbal threats, violation of personal space, unwelcomed touching, offensive language that is directed at some aspect of another’s physical or emotional presence, stalking and sexual harassment.
 

Sexual harassment includes unwelcomed sexual advances, demands for sexual favors, or comments made based upon one’s gender. Although European laws might not prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, we do not tolerate this at our conferences. Moreover harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive environment [2].
 

 

Best Practices: Sexual conduct

Participants at an EFP conference are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with applicable civil and criminal laws prohibiting harassment, rape, and sexual assault. Participants at an EFP conference should also be aware of conditions that may lead to vulnerable or threatening situations. Especially, but not exclusively, members holding positions of power should refrain from engaging in sexual relationships with those holding less powerful positions. If you have the ability to exact damage to a colleague’s career or they perceive that you could, it is best not to engage sexually. Be aware of power differentials and have special consideration of colleagues at vulnerable career stages including, but not limited to, postdoctoral researchers, research assistants, graduate and undergraduate students, field project participants, and laboratory interns.
 

 

Reporting Harassment

Harassment and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our professional meeting for everyone. Regardless of the source of harassment or whether it occurs in-person or online, if someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, or if you are a bystander to such actions, please report it quickly. The “bystander intervention approach” encourages individuals to assess the situation and the perceived level of urgency or danger to the victim, and intervene/say something. You should feel that it is your responsibility to do something and feel confident about intervening [3].
 

 

Quick mechanisms to report a harassment complaint:

- support the victim
- speak with one of our confidants

- alert the organizers of the conference (efp-gfp2022arnhem@uu.nl)
 

Attempts will be made to resolve the situation by speaking with the individuals involved. Confidants and/or EFP representatives will discuss the details first with the individual filing the complaint, then with the alleged offender, and seek counsel if the appropriate course of action is not clear [4]. During their fact-finding effort, EFP representatives will seek to maintain confidentiality as it pertains to both the identity of the individuals and characteristics of the incident. While we recognize that behavior that is acceptable to one person may not be acceptable to another, and that misunderstandings do occur, we will not hesitate to act if asked to address an unsafe, abusive or threatening situation.
 

 

Punishment for harassment

Failing to adhere to this policy will result in immediate exclusion from the conference, online event, social events and workshops. If deemed appropriate we will assist any victim of harassment in pressing charges.
 

 

Acknowledgments
We thank the APS, and their ad hoc Code of Conduct committee, for allowing us to draw inspiration form their code of conduct policy. We also thank the presidents of the national primate societies in Europa who submitted thoughtful comments on a draft of this policy.

 

 

References:
[1] “Forms of harassment” modified from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) Statement on Sexual and Other Harassment (http://physanth.org/about/position-statements/sexual-and-other-harassment/)

[2] https://eige.europa.eu/gender-based-violence/regulatory-and-legal-framework/legal-definitions-in-the- eu#:~:text=Whoever%20forces%20another%20person%20by,months%20up%20to%20five%20years.

[3] Tabachnick, J., 2009. Engaging bystanders in sexual violence prevention. Enola, PA: National Sexual Violence Research Center. (http://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/Publications_NSVRC_Booklets_Engaging-Bystanders-in- Sexual-Violence-Prevention.pdf); also see Section VIII of the AAPA Statement on Sexual and Other Harassment.
[4] AAAS Annual Meeting Code of Conduct (http://meetings.aaas.org/program/code-of-conduct/).