Skip to content

Convening Code of Conduct

Page updated: November 2023

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s convenings are intended to allow for productive, engaged, and thoughtful exchanges of ideas and respectful interactions among participants. Discrimination and harassment undermine those objectives. As such, the Foundation prohibits such behavior at or in conjunction with its convenings and expects participants and attendees to adhere to the following principles:

  • We support the people here and their mutual growth through respectful, thoughtful conversation and exchanges of ideas and points of view.
  • We honor the chance for others to engage, discuss, and collaborate freely and with purpose.
  • We make room for others by allowing ourselves to be flexible and open to bringing about innovative thinking.

All participants at Kauffman Foundation convenings are both covered by and expected to adhere to the spirit and letter of this policy, including but not limited to organizers, planners, vendors, facilitators, speakers, volunteers, and attendees.

People and Conduct Covered

Discrimination and harassment based upon an individual’s sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, citizenship, or any other legally protected status will not be tolerated – whether of or by organizers, planners, vendors, facilitators, speakers, volunteers, and attendees. Nor will the Foundation tolerate other forms of discrimination or harassment that, in its sole discretion, it deems disruptive of the convening or any participant’s good faith engagement in it.

Examples of prohibited behavior include but are not limited to the following:

  • demeaning, suggestive, and/or vulgar comments, threats, and jokes – whether spoken or in writing
  • photographs, images, and other displays
  • actual or threatened behaviors perceived as being or actually constituting stalking, unwelcome advances or attention, body policing, intimidation, gestures, recording or photographing a person(s) without permission, publicizing personal information, sustained disruption of talks or other activities, unwarranted exclusion from event activities, inappropriate physical contact, and suggestive behavior; and
  • episodes in which a person in authority vis a vis the convening uses or abuses that position to pursue physical interaction with any attendee or prospective attendee, including but not limited to by suggesting or promising more visible role(s), professional consideration, or other opportunities not generally available to any similarly situated attendee.

Reporting

If a crime has occurred, you should contact law enforcement.

Despite our aspirations, we know that circumstances arise contrary to our hopes and objectives for our convenings. For the Foundation to be able to correct for, mitigate (including by providing a safe escort), and/or prevent future discrimination or harassment, it must know about it. Therefore, if you believe that:

  1. you are being or have been discriminated against and/or harassed at a Kauffman Foundation convening,
  2. you have observed or reliably learned that someone else is being or has been discriminated against and/or harassed, or
  3. you have any other concerns; it is essential that you contact a Kauffman Foundation associate immediately or as soon as reasonably possible.

You may do so by contacting any associate at the event who is a Foundation leader or by contacting one of the following associates by filling out the form below.

The Foundation will make reasonable efforts to ensure that any person who in good faith reports a claim and/or cooperates with investigation of a claim under this policy will not be discriminated against or otherwise adversely affected because of such complaint and/or cooperation.

Confidentiality

Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation will undertake reasonable efforts to conduct its investigations under this policy in ways that protect the confidentiality of all involved as much as reasonably possible. However, and despite our efforts, absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. We cannot control for what others say or do – despite our efforts to encourage respectful privacy, and it may be necessary to inform those who have a legitimate business reason to know of allegations and identities of those involved.

We strive to do what we can to ensure that identities are protected so that we can obtain adequate information that will allow us to take those actions that are appropriate to implement this policy and the objectives of facilitating convenings that allow for productive, engaged, and thoughtful exchanges of ideas and respectful interactions among participants.