ATS Code of Conduct for Live and Virtual Conferences and Events

ATS is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, or other protected characteristics at its conferences and events, whether held in-person or in virtual format.

We expect all participants and attendees (whether participating in-person or remotely), media, speakers, volunteers, organizers, and exhibitors to help us ensure a safe and positive experience for everyone. This code of conduct outlines our expectations for participant behavior, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. ATS promotes equal opportunities and treatment for all participants. All participants are expected to treat others with respect and consideration, follow venue or virtual forum rules, and to alert staff to any violations of this Code of Conduct, dangerous situations, or any participant in distress. This Code of Conduct applies to participants at any ATS-sponsored event, including virtual and live events.

• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
• Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory or harassing behavior and speech.
• Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. Alert ATS staff if you notice a dangerous or harassing situation or someone in distress.

Unacceptable behaviors include:

• Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory, or demeaning speech or actions by any participants at or in relation to the live or virtual event and related event activities. All who participate in the ATS events deserve respectful treatment, regardless of the capacity in which they are attending or participating. Discussion of opposing or different viewpoints is appropriate but is expected to be conducted in respectful tone and manner that avoids personal attacks.
• Harassment behavior such as: using offensive verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, national origin, gender identity, or disability; inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in ATS-sponsored spaces or presentation slides; deliberate intimidation, virtual or in-person stalking or unwelcome following; harassing photography or recording; yelling at or threatening speakers; sustained disruption of talks or other events; unwelcome physical or verbal contact or sexual attention.
• Verbal or physical abuse, intimidation, threats, efforts to annoy others, harassment or stalking, which in any way creates a disturbance that is disruptive or dangerous or creates reasonable apprehension in a person.
• Disrupting live or virtual meetings or sharing without authorization from the presenters or commenters any virtual or live meeting content (such as by posting on social media) without the consent of the creators of the content. Sharing content for the purposes of reporting a policy or legal violation to ATS or other authorities is not prohibited by this policy.

As at any conference or other professional event, participants often combine professional activities with social interaction with other participants, staff, and other attendees. While ATS encourages such networking and strengthening of connections between participants, ATS reserves the right to remove or block any participant whose social attentions become unwelcome to another (whether in-person or online) and who persists in such attentions after their unwelcome nature has been communicated. ATS also reserves the right to remove or block any participant or attendee who appears inebriated and who engages in conduct that interferes with the ability of other attendees to participate in and enjoy the live or virtual event.

Conduct in violation of this Code should be brought promptly to the attention of the ATS Chief Executive Officer or Executive Vice President, Human Resources. Click here to Report a violation of this policy.

Unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated at live or virtual meetings or related events, whether by participants, media, speakers, volunteers, organizers, sponsors or exhibitors.

We expect all event participants (staff, sponsors, volunteers, and speakers) to abide by this code of conduct at all live and virtual meeting events. ATS, in its discretion, may bar those who violate this Code from continued participation in or attendance at some or all ATS events (live or virtual), without refund of any fees paid. ATS may also in appropriate circumstance bar violators of this Code from participation or attendance at future ATS-sponsored events and may also notify the individual’s employer of ATS’s finding of a violation. ATS will also report on the outcome of any investigation to individuals who have reported a violation of this Code of Conduct for Live and Virtual Conferences and Events.

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Event participants must also cooperate with any ATS investigation into reports of a violation of this Code of Conduct by providing information requested by ATS that is relevant to ATS’s investigation.