Code of conduct
Halfstep is a place to learn from each other, argue about details and leave with better work. These rules keep it that way for everyone: attendees, speakers, sponsors, staff and volunteers.
Template note: Replace contacts before publishing.
01
Expected behavior
Be the colleague you would want in the room.
Treat everyone with respect, in person and online, including chat and social media posts that use the event name.
Give feedback on the work, not on the person. Critique is welcome; contempt is not.
Make space. Let people finish, share the microphone and bring newcomers into the conversation.
Ask before you photograph or record someone, and honor a no-photos sticker on a badge.
Follow the instructions of the Pier Hall staff and the conduct team.
02
Unacceptable behavior
Some things end your time at Halfstep, with no refund.
Harassment or intimidation of any kind, including offensive comments about gender, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, body size, race, religion or age.
Unwelcome sexual attention or physical contact, stalking, or following someone after they have asked you to stop.
Sexual or violent images in talks, slides, demos or stickers.
Sharing someone’s private conversation or personal details without their consent.
Repeated disruption of a talk or workshop, or pressuring attendees after they said no thanks. Sponsors and their staff follow the same rules.
03
How to report
Tell us in whichever way is easiest. You do not need proof, and you can report something that happened to you or something you saw.
Write to the conduct team. Only its members read these messages, and nobody else sees your name unless you ask us to share it. During the event we reply within the hour; before and after it, within two working days.
04
On-site contacts
A conduct team is at Pier Hall from 08:30 to 19:00 on 18 and 19 March.
Conduct team: look for the purple lanyards marked CONDUCT, or ask at the registration desk in the Foyer. The on-site number is printed on the back of every badge.
Pier Hall front office: ground floor, quay-side entrance, for questions about the building or safety.
Emergencies: call 112 first, then tell the registration desk.
05
What happens next
The conduct team listens to everyone involved, writes down what happened and decides what to do. Depending on the situation we may:
ask someone to stop and apologize,
give a warning or move someone to another seat,
remove a person from the event without a refund, and ban them from future editions,
involve the venue’s security or the police.
Anyone asked to stop is expected to do so at once. Reports stay confidential and are shared only with the people who need them to act. If you are unhappy with how a report was handled, write to hello@example.com and a person who was not involved will review it.