Professional Ethics, Equal Opportunity, and Anti-Harassment Policies

A PDF version of the information below are available here: [Policies]

Professional Ethics Policy

ISBA promotes professional integrity and accountability among its members.

This includes ethical scientific conduct and statistical practice. Although ethics and the law are closely related, they are not the same. Ethical obligations may—and often do—exceed legal duties. Members are referred to the American Statistical Association’s Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice.

Compliance with ASA’s Ethical Guidelines for Statistical Practice is expected and required of all ISBA members. In resolving any ethical problem not explicitly covered by these resources, members should consider the spirit and intent of applicable provisions, general ethical principles, members’ and the profession’s needs and interests, social and moral expectations, contractual obligations, and any applicable laws.

A violation of this policy is considered a violation of the ISBA Code of Conduct. For more information regarding reporting, investigations, and consequences for violation of this policy, please refer to the ISBA Code of Conduct Procedures, available on the ISBA website.

Equal Opportunity Policy

ISBA values the contributions of all members.

In furtherance of this value, it is the policy of ISBA to ensure and provide equal opportunities within ISBA for members in good standing, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual preference, age, disability, national origin, language, or any other distinction that is unrelated to a member’s professional skills, experience, capabilities, and ISBA membership status.

As part of our commitment to equal opportunity, ISBA will not tolerate any behavior that violates this policy. ISBA decisions will be made in a manner designed to further this policy and ISBA’s value of equal opportunity. Likewise, members are expected to treat members and other participants in ISBA Activities with respect and dignity, to comply with ISBA’s Anti-Harassment Policy, and to provide opportunities consistent with this policy.

Anti-Harassment Policy

Harassment is a form of unfair discrimination and professional misconduct that has no place in ISBA.

Harassment is any conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual’s participation in ISBA activities or creates an intimidating or hostile environment. In all its activities, ISBA strives to achieve a respectful and collegial environment that is free of harassment. Members of ISBA are expected to refrain from all forms of harassment and, to the best of their ability, work to prevent it within ISBA and the profession.

Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:

Belittling or threatening behavior directed at an individual or a group of people, including, but not limited to: epithets, slurs or negative stereotyping; offensive remarks; threatening, intimidating or hostile acts; offensive verbal or written comments; disrespectful, dishonest or bullying comments on social media; sustained disruption of talks or other events, or harassing questions designed to humiliate or embarrass a presenter; or degrading jokes.
Display or circulation of written or graphic material that disparages or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group;
Offensive remarks about a person’s gender, gender identity, or sexual preference.
Demands or requests for sexual acts or favors.
Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual.
Display of sexually suggestive objects or pictures or sexually explicit jokes made in bad faith.
Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions, sexual flirtations, or other unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, such as sexually related touching; graphic gestures or comments about sex or about another person’s dress, body, or sexual activities; or, conditioning any opportunity upon tolerance of or submission to sexual advances or requests for sexual favors, or agreement not to report a violation of this policy.
Other conduct which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s participation in any ISBA activities or which creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

Sexual harassment. Sexual harassment involves a harasser who engages in unwelcome sexually related behavior, or makes unwelcome sexual advances towards another person, including but not limited to the examples set forth above. Often the harasser aims to use their position of status, power or influence to obtain submission to, tolerance of, or failure to report unwelcome sexual advances, communications, or behavior of a sexual nature. However, it is important to acknowledge that sexual harassment is also perpetrated by younger people and also occurs among peers. Although sexual harassment is most commonly perpetrated by a man against a woman, it can also be experienced by a man and among persons of the same gender.

The role of power. It is important to recognize the role of power in harassment. There is an inherent power imbalance between senior and junior members of the profession. Senior people should not use age, rank, power or reputation to adversely influence the behavior of junior people, or adversely affect their career advancement or status. It is acknowledged that people with lower rank or a subordinate position may be reluctant to express their objections or discomfort regarding unwelcome behavior. Therefore, it is incumbent on more senior members of ISBA to practice good professional conduct with junior members of the profession, and to be aware of how their actions – and the actions of their more senior colleagues – may impact on or be interpreted by their juniors.

Unintentional harassment. Members should be aware of discomfort or offence that unintentional words or actions may cause. A teasing comment or offhand remark that may be inoffensive to some may be perceived as harassment by others. Individuals should act to ensure that their words and actions communicate respect for others, and seek to change behavior that could be perceived as harassment or if it is brought to their attention. Individuals are also encouraged to let others know when their behavior is causing discomfort.

Harassment can have long-lasting negative effects. At ISBA activities, all members and participants are expected to promote an environment free of harassment and encouraged to call out harassment if when they see it or hear about it.

A violation of this policy is considered a violation of the ISBA Code of Conduct. For more information regarding addressing and reporting harassment, please refer to the ISBA Code of Conduct Procedures, available on the ISBA website.

May 27 2018