Code of Conduct

The ECFS Conference is a professional scientific conference that provides a respectful,harassment-free and inclusive environment for all participants, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, appearance, ethnicity, race, national origin, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, citizenship, age or religion.

All delegates, including speakers, exhibitors, poster presenters, staff and other participants are expected to behave with integrity and respect towards other delegates involved with the conference and/or any related event or activity.

All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers and suppliers at our events are required to agree with the following Code of Conduct. We will enforce this code throughout the event and expect cooperation from all participants to help ensure a safe environment for everybody.

Conference participants who ignore these rules may be sanctioned or excluded from the conference.

Expected Behaviour
• As a speaker/moderator/participant/industry representative, we expect you to be considerate and respectful of all participants.
• Unless otherwise specified, badges indicating the name of the badge holder, should always be visibly worn inside the conference venue. All events (including educational sessions and exhibition hall activities) are exclusively reserved for registered participants. Non-registered individuals will not be permitted in any of the event areas. This rule excludes infants and small children of registered delegates (or similar) who may access the conference premises under the sole responsibility and constant supervision of a regis-tered parent and/or designated caretaker. Unregistered adults are welcomed into the registration area.
• Mobile phones, tablets, computers and other electronic devices must be set to silent mode throughout all scientific sessions of the Forum.
• Smoking is prohibited inside the entire conference centre. Smoking outside is permitted according to the specific guidelines of the venue.
• Where alcoholic beverages are available in the context of the ECFS Conference, par-ticipants are expected to drink responsibly. Individuals who are visibly under the influ-ence of alcohol or other legal or illegal substances will be escorted from the venue and will not be allowed re-entry.
• Delegates should express cultural sensitivity and respect toward all conference participants, including, but not limited to, clothing and appearance.
• Recording, filming, or other capturing of presentations at the ECFS Conference, including scientific posters, is not acceptable without the express clear consent of the presenter.
• Distributing flyers or any other material in the venue is not allowed without prior consent of the ECFS.

Unacceptable Behaviour and harassment
The ECFS Conference is a neutral space dedicated to research and exchange on cysticfibrosis. Unacceptable behaviour and harassment from any conference attendee or sup-plier will not be accepted.
For the purpose of these guidelines, harassment consists of improper or unwelcome conduct that might reasonably be perceived as causing offence or humiliation to another partici-pant or exhibitor. Harassment may involve any conduct of a verbal, non-verbal or physical nature, including written and electronic communication. Harassment in any form is not tolerated.

Examples of unacceptable behaviour and harassment include, but are not limited to:
• Shouting, intimidating, bullying, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech or written communication.
• Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or otherwise discriminatory comments and language -whether verbal or written.
• Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or lack thereof.
• Any form of bullying or abuse of power through coercion, manipulation, etc.
• Deliberate disruption of poster presentations, talks, sessions, rented spaces or side events.
• Inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, deliberate intimidation, stalking or following.
• The production or non-consensual sharing of photography or unwanted recording in any format, electronic or otherwise
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviours

Reporting in case of a breach of the Code of Conduct, the concerned individuals or witnesses are encouraged to report it in the following ways:
• For immediate action onsite, contact any ECFS staff member at the CF Community booth or a K.I.T. Group staff member at the registration counter.
• For reporting, please contact ecfs@kit-group.org
• In addition to reporting to conference organisers, individuals may report aggressions to the Police. The Portuguese police can be reached by dialling the European general emergency number 112. Ask ECFS staff or security personnel if you need assistance. Any details that help identify the perpetrator and describe the incident will assist in addressing the situation. Once a report has been submitted, ECFS will pursue action while maintaining the anonymity of the concerned individual. If any enforcement action requires the breach of this anonymity, it will only be applied after informed consent is obtained from the concerned individual.

Consequences of Unacceptable Behaviour
Upon receiving a report of unacceptable behaviour, the ECFS’ priority will be the well-being of their participants. The onsite security and medical team may be involved. Sanctions will be imposed in the form of a warning or not being allowed access to the rest of the conference. If more egregious behaviour is noted following a warning, the ECFS may, in its reasonable discretion, temporarily ban or permanently expel a participant from the event. When appropriate, a police report may be filed. The ECFS cannot investigate reports of harassment or other misconduct onsite but will refer victims to the appropriate authorities and inform the relevant department(s) of the offender’s host institution about any registered reports. No retaliation will be accepted for complaints about inappropriate behaviour.

Security
Bags, containers or suitcases may not be left unattended at any time in or around the venue. The CCL offers designated cloakrooms for such effects. The ECFS furthermore advises participants to use hotel safety deposit boxes for all valuables. The ECFS takes no responsibility for lost and stolen items in or around the conference venue.

Social media
The ECFS encourages open and respectful discussions on social media and blogging platforms. Nonetheless, participants are requested not to post images or videos online without obtaining appropriate permission. Participants are requested to respect any request from an author not to disseminate the contents of their presentation/poster. Participants who do not respect these provisions will themselves be fully liable for any claims made in this regard.