Evaluating the prevalence and quality of conference codes of conduct

Abstract

Efforts to increase inclusion in science face multiple barriers, including cultural and social behaviors in settings such as academic conferences. Conferences are beneficial, but the culture can promote inequities and power differentials that harm historically underrepresented groups. Science suffers when conference culture propagates exclusion and discrimination that leads to attrition of scientists. Codes of conduct represent a tool to shift conference culture to better support diverse scientists and clearly detail unacceptable behaviors. We examined the prevalence and content of codes of conduct at biology conferences in the United States and Canada. We highlight how codes of conduct address issues of sexual misconduct and identity-based discrimination. Surprisingly, only 24% of the 195 surveyed conferences had codes. Of the conferences with codes, 43% did not mention sexual misconduct and 17% did not mention identity-based discrimination. Further, 26% of these conferences failed to include a way to report violations of the code and 35% lacked consequences for misconduct. We found that larger and national conferences are more likely to have codes than smaller (P = 0.04) and international or regional (P = 0.03) conferences. Conferences that lack codes risk creating and perpetuating negative environments that make underrepresented groups feel unwelcome, or worse, actively cause harm. We recommend that conferences have codes that are easily accessible, explicitly address identity-based discrimination and sexual misconduct, provide channels for anonymous impartial reporting, and contain clear consequences. These efforts will improve inclusivity and reduce the loss of scientists who have been historically marginalized.

Evaluating features of scientific conferences: A call for improvements

“…Only 24% of 195 biology conferences held in North America and 41% of 270 conferences in multiple fields globally included in a recent study had code of conduct (8). Larger and national conferences were more likely to have codes than international or smaller onesemphasizing the need for increased efforts in order to improve inclusivity and diversity and reduce the loss of (historically) marginalized scientists (109). Scientific societies, funding agencies and conference organizers should publish a code of conduct upfront for all participants to sign during conference registration and abstract submission processes and strictly enforce the policy.…”

Improving sex and gender identity equity and inclusion at conservation and ecology conferences

“…Data were collated for the past three events that had been held by each conference targeting an international audience: the biannual International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB), International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC), European Ecological Federation (EEF) Conference and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) World Conference on Ecological Restoration, the annual conferences of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), Ecological Society of Australia (ESAus), British Ecological Society (BES) and Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), the conference of the International Association for Ecology (INTECOL), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC) held once every four years (see Supplementary Methods for review methods). I focused on the initiatives instigated by academic societies to support equity and diversity in sex, gender identity and sexual orientation 7,23,30,43,44,47,48,[53][54][55][56][57] , and associated diversity types and lifestyle choices-marital status, family or carer responsibilities, pregnancy and breastfeeding and physical appearance ( Fig. 1, Table 1).…”

“…For example, even in female-rich disciplines there are more men in leadership roles 41 , more male speakers at conferences [42][43][44] , and men speak more often than women 45,46 . Codes of conduct are regulatory fixes that outline expected ethical behaviour to ensure safe, inclusive and equitable conference environments, and discourage discrimination and harassment [47][48][49] . Professional and academic societies around the world have voluntarily begun to implement codes of conduct and additional initiatives to support diversity, equity and inclusion 48 (Extended Data Fig.…”

Insights from the Inclusive Environments and Metrics in Biology Education and Research Network: Our Experience Organizing Inclusive Biology Education Research Events

“…Codes of conduct and organizational policies are one way that the non-content structures of conferences may be addressed (16,17). However, most conferences, at least in the biological fields, do not have these institutionalized (18). While statements on diversity, equity, and inclusion are a good start, without institutionalized policies and clear consequences, they alone cannot bring significant change.…”