BioPAL Code of Conduct#
This project adheres to a Code of Conduct that all contributors are expected to follow. We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, regardless of background or experience level.
Key Principles#
Be respectful and considerate
Welcome newcomers and help them learn
Focus on constructive feedback
Respect different viewpoints and experiences
Frequently Asked Questions#
Why have you adopted a Code of Conduct?#
We think the BioPAL community is awesome. If you’re familiar with the BioPAL community, you’ll probably notice that the Code basically matches what we already do. Think of this as documentation: we’re taking implicit expectations about behavior and making them explicit.
Maintaining a Code of Conduct forces us to consider and articulate what kind of community we want to be, and serves as a constant reminder to put our best foot forward. But most importantly, it serves as a signpost to people looking to join our community that we feel these values are important.
We know that the BioPAL community is open, friendly, and welcoming. We want to make sure everyone else knows it too.
What does it mean to “adopt” a Code of Conduct?#
For the most part, we do not think it means large changes. We think that the text does a really good job describing the way the BioPAL community already conducts itself. We expect that most people will simply continue to behave as they have in the past.
However, we do expect that people will abide by the spirit and words of the Code of Conduct when in “official” BioPAL spaces. In practice, BioPAL spaces include mailing lists, various communication channels, and events.
What happens if someone violates the Code of Conduct?#
We are all stewards of our community, and are encouraged to participate in ways that defend the values highlighted in this document and help others understand when their actions go against these values (by engaging them and directing them to this document if necessary). If that doesn’t work, or if you need more help, you can contact biopal@esa.int. For more details please see our Reporting Guidelines section below.
Reporting Guide#
If you believe someone is violating the code of conduct we ask that you report it to BioPAL by emailing biopal@esa.int. All reports will be kept confidential. In some cases we may determine that a public statement will need to be made. If that’s the case, the identities of all involved will remain confidential unless those individuals instruct us otherwise.
If you believe anyone is in physical danger, please notify appropriate law enforcement first. If you are unsure what law enforcement agency is appropriate, please include this in your report and we will attempt to notify them.
If you choose to email, please include the following information:
Your contact info (not required)
Names (real, nicknames, or pseudonyms) of any individuals involved. If there were other witnesses besides you, try to include them as well (not required)
When and where the incident occurred. Please be as specific as possible.
Your account of what occurred. If there is a publicly available record (e.g. a Slack chat or GitHub issue) please include a link
Any extra context you believe exists for the incident
If you believe this incident is ongoing
Any other information you believe we should have
Note: with anonymous reports, there are inherent limits in our ability to do follow-up or collect additional information. Hence we suggest that if you would like to remain anonymous, you at least create a throw-away email address without your real name.
What happens after you file a report?#
You will receive an email from the BioPAL Code of Conduct Committee acknowledging receipt immediately. We promise to acknowledge receipt within 48 hours (and will aim for much quicker than that).
The committee will immediately communicate to review the incident and determine:
What happened
Whether this event constitutes a Code of Conduct violation
Who the individual(s) involved were
Whether this is an ongoing situation, or if there is a threat to anyone’s physical safety
If this is determined to be an ongoing incident or a threat to physical safety, the committee’s immediate priority will be to protect everyone involved. This means we may delay an “official” response until we believe that the situation has ended and that everyone is physically safe.
The Code of Conduct committee will then follow the standard procedure to arrive at and communicate a resolution.
Appealing the Code of Conduct Committee’s Response#
To appeal a decision of the Code of Conduct Committee, contact the BioPAL Steering Council at biopal@esa.int with your appeal and they will review the case.
The Steering Council will gather all relevant information from the Committee and provide a resolution within two weeks. If more time is required, it should inform the appellant within that time frame.
Enforcement#
This is the enforcement manual followed by BioPAL’s Code of Conduct Committee. It’s used when we respond to an incident to make sure we are consistent and fair.
The Code of Conduct Committee#
All responses to reports of conduct violations will be managed by a Code of Conduct Committee (“the committee”). The BioPAL Steering Council is responsible for vetting and appointing the Code of Conduct Committee. During periods where a separate Code of Conduct Committee is not appointed or is not available to handle a code of conduct report promptly, the BioPAL Steering Council will serve as the interim Code of Conduct Committee.
If a Code of Conduct report involves a member of the Steering Council or Code of Conduct Committee, that member will not participate in the investigation or any decisions related to that report.
Enforcement guidelines and principles#
Enforcing the Code of Conduct impacts our community today and for the future. It’s an action that we do not take lightly. When reviewing enforcement measures, the Code of Conduct Committee will keep the following values and guidelines in mind:
Act in a personal manner rather than impersonal. The Committee can engage the parties to understand the situation, while respecting the privacy and any necessary confidentiality of reporters. However, sometimes it is necessary to communicate with one or more individuals directly: the Committee’s goal is to improve the health of our community rather than only produce a formal decision.
Emphasize empathy for individuals rather than judging behavior, avoiding binary labels of “good” and “bad/evil”. Overt, clear-cut aggression and harassment exists and will be addressed unambiguously. But many scenarios that can prove challenging to resolve are those where normal disagreements devolve into inappropriate behavior from multiple parties. Understanding the full context and finding a path that re-engages all is hard, but ultimately the most productive for our community.
Help increase engagement in good discussion practice: try to identify where discussion may have broken down and provide actionable information, pointers and resources that can help enact positive change on these points.
Be mindful of the needs of new members: provide them with explicit support and consideration, with the aim of increasing participation from underrepresented groups in particular.
Individuals come from different cultural backgrounds and native languages. While lack of intent to harm is not an excuse, try to identify any honest misunderstandings caused by a non-native speaker and help them understand the issue and how to change. Complex discussion in a foreign language can be very intimidating, and we want to grow our diversity also across nationalities and cultures.
Our actions will reflect compassion for all individuals. We will seek to understand, to educate, and, as necessary, take action.
Mediation: voluntary, informal mediation is a tool at our disposal. In contexts such as when two or more parties have all escalated to the point of inappropriate behavior, it may be useful to facilitate a mediation process. This is only an example: the Committee can consider mediation in any case, mindful that the process is meant to be strictly voluntary and no party can be pressured to participate.
How the committee will respond to reports#
When a report is sent to the committee they will immediately reply to the reporter to confirm receipt. This reply must be sent within 48 hours, and the group should strive to respond much quicker than that.
The committee will then review the incident and determine, to the best of their ability:
What happened.
Whether this event constitutes a Code of Conduct violation.
Who are the responsible party(ies).
Whether this is an ongoing situation, and there is a threat to anyone’s physical safety.
The Code of Conduct Committee should aim to have a resolution agreed upon within one week. In the event that a resolution can’t be determined in that time, the committee will respond to the reporter(s) with an update and projected timeline for resolution.
Incident Response and Committee Actions#
If the act is ongoing, or involves a threat to anyone’s safety (e.g. threats of violence), any committee member may act immediately (before reaching consensus) to address the situation. In ongoing situations, any member may decide to employ any of the tools available to the committee, including bans and blocks.
If the incident involves physical danger, any member of the committee may – and should – act unilaterally to protect the safety of those involved. This can include contacting law enforcement (or other local personnel) and speaking on behalf of the BioPAL Steering Council.
Resolutions#
The committee must agree on a resolution by consensus. If the group cannot reach consensus and deadlocks for over two weeks, the group will turn the matter over to the Steering Council for resolution.
Possible responses may include:
Taking no further action (if we determine no violations have occurred, or if the matter has been resolved publicly)
Coordinating voluntary mediation: if all involved parties agree, the Committee may facilitate a mediation process
Remind publicly, and point out that some behavior/actions/language have been judged inappropriate
A private reprimand from the committee to the individual(s) involved
A public reprimand
A request for a public or private apology
A “mutually agreed upon hiatus” where the committee asks the individual to temporarily refrain from community participation
A permanent or temporary ban from some or all BioPAL spaces
Once a resolution is agreed upon, but before it is enacted, the committee will contact the original reporter and any other affected parties and explain the proposed resolution.
Conflicts of Interest#
In the event of any conflict of interest, a committee member must immediately notify the other members, and recuse themselves if necessary.
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Last Updated: 2025