Arctic Research Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct does not intend to be a complete guide for research in and with Indigenous communities, but the topic being crucial to current and future Arctic research, we point to key guidelines and training that exist (see Appendix 1). We urge researchers at all career stages to develop the appropriate knowledge and skill sets required to work in respect of Indigenous lands and peoples.

Providing and communicating an effective reporting process is crucial. 

It is each institution’s responsibility to communicate expected behaviour in the field or at stations, as well as code of conduct rules and guidelines. Institutions should also track and monitor incidents and make changes to rules and guidelines when needed. Where an organization already has a reporting and resolution process in place (e.g., federally regulated institutions who are subject to the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations under the Canada Labour Code), that reporting and resolution process will be used to report and resolve incidents of alleged violations of this Code. 

Code of Conduct Committee

For organizations that don’t have an established reporting and resolution process, we strongly encourage them to set up a Code of Conduct committee who is mandated to ensure that immediate safety concerns are addressed. 

The following are recommendations for the terms of reference for a Code of Conduct committee:

1. Committee members will recuse themselves if there are strong conflicts of interest that would bias their decisions. A meeting amongst committee members will be arranged as soon as it is practical where neither the alleged harasser or target is present.
2. Multiple reporting avenues should be available, including an anonymous one to safely report misconduct. Every organization should provide a list of individuals who can be confidentially contacted when an incident is observed or experienced. This list should include individuals who can maintain communications throughout the field season and includes individuals in the field, at the home institution, and at the relevant research station. This list includes people of multiple genders and levels of seniority.
3. When an incident is reported, the Code of Conduct committee will assess the situation (talk with involved parties and bystanders) and take necessary steps to protect the victim(s) and the community in general from future harm. The response depends on the severity of the incident and may include:
   1. Administering a warning to the perpetrator of harm.
      1. Upon repeated unacceptable behaviors, a second warning may be administered.
      2. If unacceptable behaviors persist after a second warning, the perpetrator will be removed from the team/station.
   2. Immediate termination of the fieldwork and removal from the team/station.
   3. Remove responsibilities, privilege, or access.
   4. Temporary ban from team spaces.
   5. Permanent ban from team spaces.
   6. Recommendations for firing, demotion, or elimination of funding privileges.
4. Debriefings should be conducted with involved parties and others if needed, to ensure a common understanding of what happened and what decisions have been made by the Code of Conduct committee.
5. The Code of Conduct committee should assess whether the incident has caused psychological/mental health issues for involved parties and provide professional help if relevant.

Where occurrences involve staff from more than one organization, a coordinated and collaborative approach using both organizations reporting and resolution mechanisms should be employed.

Bullying – Abusive conduct involving threatening, humiliating, or intimidating behavior directed at one or more people by one or more perpetrators that interferes with ability to work and is intended to cause physical or psychological harm.

Coercion – The use of threats or one’s positionality or power to persuade someone to do something.

Consent – “the voluntary agreement to engage in a contact or sexual activity and to continue to engage in the contact or activity. Consent means that all persons involved demonstrate, through words or actions, that they freely and mutually agree to participate in a contact or activity.” (This is an example definition from the University of Victoria; for more information, see, for instance, the ‘What is consent’ page of UVic)

Harassment – Defined as any unwelcome verbal or physical conduct based on race, color, religion, sex (includes sexual harassment and discrimination based on pregnancy), disability, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, and protected genetic information that is so objectively offensive as to alter the conditions of the individual’s employment. Harassment unreasonably interferes with an employee’s performance and can create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. 

• Harassment is a type of discrimination that consists of acts that are unwanted, unwelcome, demeaning, abusive, threatening, or offensive. Harassment commonly takes the form of a single intense and severe act, or of multiple persistent or pervasive acts. Examples of behaviour that constitute harassment include, but are not limited to: any form of degrading comments, verbal or otherwise, related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, ethnicity or national origin; the inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images; threats; unwanted touching or other hostile acts; the circulation of written or graphic material that denigrates an individual or a group; as well as minimizing or intentionally taking actions to reduce the credibility of a harassment victim.

Retaliation – Adverse employment, academic or other actions against anyone reporting a violation of this code.

Sexual Harassment – Includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when the conduct is made as a condition of employment and when the conduct creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.