WABA’s first priority is to provide a fun, inclusive and safe environment for all participants.
We believe that part of building that space is acknowledging our diverse experiences; treating one another with respect and kindness; and adjusting our behavior if, despite our best intentions, we harm someone.
That’s what the five acknowledgements and agreements that make up our Code of Conduct ask of us. We hope that the Code provides context and vocabulary for you, WABA staff, volunteers, members, and other event participants to have conversations about how we treat each other.
Event Code of Conduct
As a member of the WABA community, I commit to the following whenever I am in a WABA space:
- I acknowledge that I exist in a society built on unequal, and unjust power structures.
I agree that I have a responsibility to interrogate my privileges and use my power to help make WABA spaces increasingly safe, inclusive, and supportive for everyone.
- I acknowledge that WABA has a zero-tolerance policy for racist behavior, sexual harassment, physical or verbal abuse, microaggressions, tokenism, and all other harmful actions. I agree that these actions have no place in a supportive, inclusive community, and to make it a priority to never harm another person in any of these ways.
- I acknowledge that my behavior—not my intentions—is what affects the people around me, and that it is possible for me to harass or otherwise harm others even when I don’t mean to. I agree to be respectful, kind, compassionate, and supportive to those around me in both word and in action—and, if someone lets me know that my behavior is harmful, to immediately adjust that behavior with the goal of preventing future harm.
- I acknowledge that the work of mitigating the harmful effects of unjust power structures is never done. I agree to take on the responsibility of speaking out against instances of racism, sexism, ableism, and other discrimation or manifestations of prejudice, whenever I have the power to do so.
- I acknowledge that if I cannot adjust a behavior that is harming other community members, it makes sense for WABA staff to ask me to leave the community space. I agree that if WABA staff asks me to leave a WABA space because of a Code of Conduct violation, I will do so.
If you experience a Code of Conduct violation at the hands of another participant, staff member or volunteer, or witness unjust behaviors by another individual, please notify a WABA staff member.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the Code of Conduct affect me if I attend a WABA event?
Everyone who attends a WABA event deserves to be treated with the same level of kindness and respect. The code of conduct explicitly lists behaviors that WABA does not condone at any time. If you experience any of these behaviors while attending an event, WABA staff are prepared to address the issue, mediate conflict and provide you with whatever support you need.
What is considered a “WABA space”?
A “WABA space” is an in-person or virtual space within the confines of a WABA event, meeting, training, ride or class. Participants, staff, and volunteers are expected to adhere to the code of conduct from the start of the event (set up, check in, logging in to Zoom) through the end of the event (break down, departure, logging off).
What happens if I experience any of these behaviors at a WABA event?
If you experience any of these harmful actions at the hands of an event participant, WABA staff member or volunteer we encourage you to report the violation. You can do this by notifying a WABA staff member or submitting a complaint using Ethicspoint (instructions below). You may provide your name if you wish or you can choose to report your complaint anonymously.
Terms and Concepts
The Events Code of Conduct has five sections, each containing an acknowledgement and an agreement.
The acknowledgement provides context, addressing the systems and structures that disproportionately harm marginalized people.
The agreements outline the expectations of behavior that all participants, staff and volunteers are held to when participating in a WABA space. This includes both in-person and virtual events.
There are some terms used in the Code of Conduct that you may be unfamiliar with. Let’s break down these terms and offer some examples!
Interrogating privilege is an important part of making a space that is welcoming to everyone. We ask participants to ask themselves: what privileges and power am I bringing with me to this event? What effects do the unequal and unjust power structures of our society have on me?
- Would you feel afraid of being racially profiled by the police if you were stopped because of a crash?
- Do you feel like you’ve ever lost opportunities because of your race or gender?
- Do you feel like the built environment works for your body, or is it hard for you to navigate?
- Do you feel uncomfortable being open about your or your partners’ or spouse’s gender when you meet new people?
If your answer to any or all of these is “no”—consider how your experience of this event would be different if the answer was “yes”.
Microaggressions are casual remarks, questions or actions that indirectly or unintentionally discriminate against members of a marginalized group.
Example Situation: A woman gets a flat tire while riding the Cider Ride, she steps to the side of the trail to take a look at the damage, a man pulls up and says “let me show you how it’s done”.
This woman may be an expert at fixing flat tires, or maybe she prefers to bring her bike to the shop. Though the man may have intended to help, his choice of words was demeaning.
Instead of saying, “let me show you how it’s done”, this man could have said “hey, would you like some help?” This gives the woman the chance to accept his help if she needs/wants it, or to decline if she would prefer not to. It shows respect for her choice and does not assume anything about her ability to change a tire.
Reporting a Violation
If you experience or witness a code of conduct violation at a WABA event, we hope you will report it so WABA can address it.
We hope you’ll feel comfortable talking with WABA staff on site if you experience or witness this kind of misconduct. But, we know that’s not always possible.
To ensure our community can anonymously report incidents of misconduct, WABA uses EthicsPoint, a confidential reporting tool for investigating and addressing reports of misconduct.
How to Report
Individuals can report violations in the following ways:
- Online — http://waba.ethicspoint.com/
- Mobile WebApp — http://www.wabamobile.ethicspoint.com
- By Phone — 844-924-2530. Call this number and speak with a Navex Global hotline representative to report a violation. The representative will create a case in EthicsPoint that will alert the designated WABA staff just as when someone files a report through the online system.
- Direct Report — Report to a WABA staff person, who can open a case directly in EthicsPoint based on the information you give them.
What information does EthicsPoint collect in a complaint report?
- The type of report you want to make— misconduct, harassment, violence or threat, to give a few examples.
- Where the incident occured.
- What happened.
- The names of people involved.
- Whether you, the reporter, were directly involved in the incident or are reporting as a witness.
- If you wish to disclose it, your name and contact information for follow-up.
The more details of what happened during an incident you can provide, the better— your account and the names of witnesses who can give their own accounts of an incident help WABA conduct a thorough investigation.
How are reports investigated?
Trained staff and board members from WABA’s Code of Conduct response task force will investigate reports.
WABA’s EthicsPoint Case Administrators will assign individual cases to staff and board members based on who made the report; their role within or relationship to WABA; and the program or event where the reported incident occurred.
Investigators collect facts, interview involved persons and witnesses, and make recommendations based on pre-established consequences for code violations, ranging from verbal or written warnings to, for the most serious violations, revocation of the offending party’s WABA membership.
Do reports stay anonymous?
The identity of a person who made a given report will remain anonymous to everyone but the investigator(s) and case administrator(s).
How do I follow up on a report after I’ve submitted it?
When you submit the report, you will be issued a Report Key. EthicsPoint will prompt you to use this Report Key along with the password of your choosing to return to EthicsPoint through the website or telephone hotline in 5-6 business days. By returning in 5-6 business days, you will have the opportunity to review any Follow-up Questions or submit more information about this incident.
WABA is committed to transparency and justice in this process. If you have more questions about how this process works, how WABA is anticipating and planning for any potential conflicts of interest, or anything else about the EthicsPoint system, please email operations@waba.org.