W3C's Code of Conduct defines expected and unacceptable behaviors and promotes high standards of professional practice. The goals of this Code are to:
This document is the W3C Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (CEPC) and has been retitled Code of Conduct to reflect its scope and content. If there is a reference to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (CEPC) in a W3C document or space, it is referring to this document.
This is an editors' draft; a Work in Progress which will be submitted to W3C as a proposed update to the currently operational version of the Code of Conduct.
The Code of Conduct is maintained by the Positive Work Environment Community Group, under delegation from the Advisory Board. In order to keep the Code up to date with the needs and scope of W3C, PWE will routinely review and update the Code as needed, as per the relevant section of the Process.
If you have any concerns or issues with the Code of Conduct, they can be logged at any time in the PWE GitHub repository.
W3C is a growing and global community where participants choose to work together. W3C is committed to maintaining a positive working environment, where each participant feels appreciated and respected and where everyone adheres to the same high level of standards of personal behavior. In that process we experience differences in language, location, nationality, and experience. In such a diverse environment, misunderstandings and disagreements happen, which in most cases can be resolved informally.
W3C's Code of Conduct is useful to define accepted and acceptable behaviors and to promote high standards of professional practice. The goal of this Code of conduct is to ensure that W3C is an environment where everyone who participates is treated equitably and with respect, including being able to participate without fear of harassment. It also provides a benchmark for self evaluation and acts as a vehicle for better identity of the organization.The Code is complemented by a set of Procedures and applies to any member of the W3C community – staff, members, invited experts, and participants in W3C meetings, W3C teleconferences, W3C mailing lists, Code repositories, W3C conferences or W3C functions, etc. Note that this Code complements rather than replaces legal rights and obligations pertaining to any particular situation.
Education and training materials are available from the Positive Work Environment public homepage.
W3C is committed to maintaining a positive work environment for all, including and especially those from historically marginalized communities. This commitment calls for a workplace where participants at all levels behave according to the rules of the following Code. A foundational concept of this Code is that we all share responsibility for our work environment.
Treat each other with respect, professionalism, fairness, and sensitivity to our many differences and strengths, including in situations of high pressure and urgency.
Unacceptable behaviors run counter to the Code of Conduct. This list of unacceptable behaviors does not cover every case. Each person you interact with is unique, and behavior must be assessed on an individual level. Ensuring that your behavior does not have a negative impact is your responsibility. W3C strictly prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and bullying of any kind and on any basis.
Unacceptable behaviors include, but are not limited to:
This Code prioritizes the safety of individuals, particularly those in marginalized communities, over the comfort of others. For example, the following behaviors are presumed to be acceptable even if they make some participants uncomfortable:
Note that claims of perceived "reverse"-isms including "reverse racism," "reverse sexism," and "cisphobia" are not acceptable.
If you are concerned about your immediate safety, contact local emergency services. For a face-to-face event you may need to contact venue staff for assistance contacting emergency services.
In most instances if you have an issue with someone’s behavior along the lines of this Code then please raise it; there are a few potential people you could raise it to depending on your situation and your safety.
In most cases, issues are best resolved at the source. Accordingly, raising the issue with the group chair or team contact of the relevant group is usually the best first place to raise an issue. Group chairs and team contacts also have more of the context which helps them address the issue.
You are welcome to raise issues directly with the Ombudspeople as a group or individually. All complaints will be taken seriously and will receive a response.
If you are responsible for a community within W3C such as in the role of a chair of a working group and you witness harassment or any other behavior which goes against this Code you are encouraged to address the issue directly. If you need assistance, you might get assistance from an Ombudsperson or senior W3C management.
Chairs, Team Contacts, and Event Organizers should take such immediate action as they deem necessary in order to stop unacceptable behavior. This action may take many forms, but examples may include:
Note that the action must be directly related to stopping harm, and must be proportionate. People affected may request an Ombudsperson consider whether such actions are unacceptable under the terms of this Code.
You can read more in the PWETF Procedures document.
As we engage in diverse communities we may accidentally cause offense, whether through using unknowingly offensive terminology or through missing social cues.
If you realize (or are told) that you have offended someone then take the appropriate steps:
For example:
Alice: “Yeah I used X and it was really crazy!” Eve: “Hey, could you not use that word? What about ‘ridiculous’ instead?” Alice: “oh sorry, sure.” Alice edits message to say “Yeah I used X and it was really confusing!”
This will allow conversation to quickly continue without any need of further action or escalating the situation.
If you don't understand what you did wrong, assume that the hurt party has good cause and accept it. We cannot know everyone's background and should do our best to avoid harm. You are welcome to discuss it with a W3C ombudsperson later.
Within W3C, this is behavior which abides by this Code of Conduct.
A tendency of individuals or groups to use persistent aggressive or unreasonable behavior (e.g., verbal or written abuse, offensive conduct or any interference which undermines or impedes work) against a co-worker or any professional relations.
A person whose gender identity matches the one they were assigned at birth.
The belief or assumption that cis people's gender identities, expressions, and embodiments are more natural and legitimate than those of trans people. The term is related to transphobia.
Consent occurs when one person voluntarily agrees to the proposal or desires of another. It is a term of common speech, with specific definitions as used in such fields as the law, medicine, research, and sexual relationships. Wikipedia
is using someone's name after they have changed it. Often a person's name is not their "legal" name, whatever that may mean.
If someone asks you to use a name for them you should use it. This includes:
Acting in a way that reduces another person's dignity, sense of self-worth, or respect within the community.
The prejudicial treatment of an individual based on criteria such as: physical appearance, race, ethnic origin, genetic differences, national or social origin, name, religion, gender, sexual orientation, family or health situation, pregnancy, disability, age, education, wealth, domicile, morals, employment, or union activity.
Diversity is variation across a wide range of identities, lived experiences, abilities, and perspectives.
This can include, but is not limited to: socio-economic status, sexual orientation, religion, race, racial identity, physical appearance, neurotype, nationality, mental health, language, indigeneity, immigration status, gender, gender identity and gender expression, ethnicity, disability (both visible and invisible), caste, body, or age.
Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can correlate with assigned sex at birth or can differ from it. Wikipedia
Gender expression is a person's behavior, mannerisms, interests, and appearance that are associated with gender in a particular cultural context. Wikipedia
The practice or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.
Treating another person with scorn or disrespect.
Any conduct, verbal or physical, that has the intent or effect of interfering with an individual, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Communities which are often overlooked, ignored or denigrated to the detriment of the members of that community. People may often be part of multiple communities such as being queer and disabled.
A person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.
Microaggression refers to commonplace verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative prejudicial slights and insults toward any group, especially culturally marginalized groups. Adapted from Wikipedia
Misgendering is addressing someone using gendered words to imply or state they are a different gender than the one they have asked to be used.
Examples include refusing to use their correct pronouns such as he/him, she/her, they/them or others.
A type of brain, in terms of how a person interprets and responds to social cues.
One who assists individuals and groups in the resolution of conflicts or concerns. They are a designated neutral who is appointed or employed by W3C to facilitate the informal resolution of concerns of participants within W3C.
Includes the following persons:
Language or behavior that may appear kind or helpful but conveys a feeling of superiority or condescension. Adapted from the Oxford Languages Dictionary.
Prejudice refers to a set of discriminatory or derogatory attitudes based on assumptions deriving from perceptions about such things as race, culture, religion, skin color, age, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or gender expression.
Racism is where racial prejudices work to enhance existing power imbalances within communities to further marginalize groups based upon race.
Prejudice or discrimination based on sex or perceived sex. Usually against women or non-binary people.
Sexism is where these prejudices work to enhance existing power imbalances within communities to further marginalize groups.
Includes requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, where:
Sexual Orientation relates to the gender(s) a person may be attracted to in relation to their own gender.
Socio-economic status is the combined effects relating to someone’s wealth, social position/class and property ownership.
Transphobia encompasses a range of negative attitudes, feelings, or actions toward transgender or transsexual people, or toward transsexuality. Transphobia can include fear, aversion, hatred, violence, anger, or discomfort felt or expressed toward people who do not conform to society's gender expectation.
Includes visual displays of degrading sexual images, sexually suggestive conduct, offensive remarks of a sexual nature, requests for sexual favors, unwelcome physical contact, and sexual assault.
Large portions of the text for this policy were taken from the following resources:
We'd like to acknowledge the efforts of the editors of the 2020 revision of the CEPC, Ada Rose Cannon, An Qi Li, and Tzviya Siegman, whose work got us to the revision we use today. Editing a code of conduct is a challenging task, and their insight and leadership is evident in the quality of the document we continue to work on today.
The following people contributed to the development of this Code: