CODE OF CONDUCT

The Lorne Infection and Immunity Conference is a considered a workplace for all registrants and professional, respectful and constructive discussion of scientific ideas and inclusive behaviour is expected of all participants. The Organising Committee is committed to making the Lorne Infection and Immunity conference an inclusive and enjoyable experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, nationality or religion. Harassment in any form will not be tolerated, whether in person or online (via email, social media or other means).

Below we outline the code of conduct that all participants are expected to follow:

- Behave professionally. Harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary comments or jokes are not appropriate. Harassment includes sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, sexual attention or innuendo, deliberate intimidation, stalking, and photography or recording of an individual without consent. It also includes offensive comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race or religion or other status protected under applicable law, and the use of language or images that demean or degrade persons of particular gender, racial, ethnic, religious or national identity.
- All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate.
- Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down other attendees. Be respectful during scientific discussions including during question time.
- This code of conduct applies to all face-to-face and online interactions before, during and following the conference.

Participants asked to stop behaviour that does not follow our code of conduct are expected to comply immediately. Any conference attendee who is reported to be engaging in behaviour not consistent with the code of conduct will receive a verbal warning from either a member of the Lorne Organising or VIIN Executive Committees. In the event that the behaviour continues, the attendee will be asked to leave the conference without a refund. Witnesses to any behaviour violating the code of conduct are asked to speak up to a Committee Member or ASN Events, as described below, if doing so will not cause further harm to victim of the harassment or put themselves at risk.

Any participant who wishes to report a violation of this policy is asked to speak, in confidence, to staff from ASN Events present at the conference, or a member of the Organising Committee. All ASN Events staff and committee members are required to communicate violations of this policy to Conference Co-Convenors immediately. If you are uncomfortable approaching staff or committee members directly, please email lianna-danielle.r@asnevents.net.au.

Any person who has violated this Code of Conduct at the Lorne Infection and Immunity Conference or who has allegations of harassment proven against them from another workplace may not be permitted to register for future Lorne I&I conferences.

This Code is based on the London Code of Conduct and we thank all of our colleagues at the Lorne Conference for Protein Structure and Function for sharing their policies with us, which we have reused and modified to suit our conference with their permission.