Purpose
The code of conduct outlines obligations of the Organization for Transformative Works staff and volunteers. The Code of Conduct assists with building a positive workplace culture based on our core values of collaboration, openness, respect, and empowerment
The Code of Conduct applies to all board, staff, volunteers, and outside persons working in the OTW, and outlines guidelines for behavior within and between board, committees, subcommittees, workgroups, and volunteer pools.
Ethical conduct is not a passive process, but requires conscious choices and decisions, and the exercise of good judgement, consistent with the ethical values of the organization embodied in this code. The code is here to provide general guidelines, and cannot cover every potential situation. If you find yourself in a situation where proper conduct isn’t self-evident, please contact your Board liaison, chair, lead, or a member of the Volunteers & Recruiting Committee.
Responsibilities under the Code
The Organization for Transformative Works (OTW) expects all board, chairs, leads, staff, volunteers, and outside persons working in the OTW (collectively referred to as ‘personnel’) to adhere to the standards set out by the Code of Conduct.
All personnel working in the OTW must be given a copy of the Code of Conduct to read and sign on commencement of their work. Signing the Code indicates the signee agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct and the core values and principles it promotes. Chairs and leads must ensure that the personnel they supervise are aware of and understand their responsibilities under the Code.
The Board of Directors, chairs and leads have a responsibility to investigate alleged breaches of the Code promptly, and in a fair and reasonable manner. They need to assess the seriousness of any alleged breaches and depending on severity, offenders may be subject to conflict resolution, corrective action, or dismissal.
Organization for Transformative Works Core Values
Collaboration
We are an organization that believes in its people and is people centered.
- Our leaders are role models for our core values and they are accountable to each other and to the larger Organization to maintain and promote those values.
- We willingly work in teams to develop products, projects, and strategies that empower fandom.
- Our teams are strong because we acknowledge the diversity of skills and approaches each member brings to the organization.
- We encourage and recognize the efforts of each volunteer/staff member in the organization.
Openness
We want fandom, the larger general public, and each serving volunteer/staff member to have confidence in the OTW.
- We foster greater confidence and cooperation through open communication and transparency about our processes.
- Our performance is open to public scrutiny through user and personnel surveys.
- We welcome and use feedback as a tool to do better.
- We encourage members of the OTW, whether serving or not, to voice their ideas as well as their concerns by making it clear that speaking up is worthwhile and valued.
- We attempt to communicate clearly and with integrity.
Respect
We believe in consideration for all personnel and their ideas.
- We never lose sight of everyone’s right to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.
- We listen to OTW members, the fandom community, and each other.
- We welcome new ideas and ways of doing things to improve our projects and our performance within individual committees, workgroups and volunteer pools.
- Each of us is responsible for the culture of the OTW.
- We have zero tolerance for bullying and no-one, no matter how senior, is exempt.
Empowerment
We want each person serving in the OTW to be able to view their work as a source of pride and personal development. To this end
- We encourage and support local decision making and innovation.
- We accept that with local decision making comes responsibility and accountability.
- We make best use of resources and experience to meet community expectations.
- While we seek direction from our leaders, we believe that everyone is empowered to make a difference in our organization.
- As individuals, we can improve OTW culture and performance by addressing issues that hold us back.
The Code of Conduct
Work Environment
- The OTW values custom and culture. Treat everyone with courtesy and respect and be sensitive to differences in backgrounds and approaches.
- Treat everyone within the organization in a way that promotes collaboration and a harmonious work environment.
- Strive to create an environment wherein each person serving in the OTW is empowered to create and develop their ideas.
- When appropriate, attempt to resolve differences, grievances or complaints with other members directly first, then through your committee chair or Volunteers & Recruiting in accordance with OTW policies, while recognizing that other members have their own perspectives and rights.
- The following behavior will not be tolerated, regardless of whether it is directed at fellow personnel, or a participant, donor, software user or anybody else:
- Verbal, physical, or visual harassment. Harassment is repeated, unwelcome and unsolicited behavior that is offensive, humiliating, intimidating or threatening. Harassment can include anything from aggressive behaviors to subtle intimidation, from overt ridicule and threats to sabotaging someone’s work or spreading rumors with the intent to cause harm.
- Actual or threatened violence.
- Discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, caste, national origin, age, ability, gender identity, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, status within fannish contexts or role within the OTW itself.
Organization Records and Communications
Personnel should use OTW committee-approved tools in connection with all matters involving to their volunteer and/or committee work with and on the OTW. This helps personnel keep their OTW communications organized, accessible, and secure. Please refrain from contacting personnel in connection with volunteer and/or committee work on or through non-OTW tools or outside of official channels unless invited to do so, or with committee agreement that it is appropriate. Similarly, please use only committee-approved tools when communicating with users regarding official OTW matters involving your volunteer and/or committee work. Please do not conduct official OTW business with users outside of the official tools, unless there is committee agreement that it is appropriate. OTW volunteers can always share OTW communications that are from official, public Organization channels.
Confidentiality
In the course of performing their duties, OTW personnel may share and/or encounter confidential, proprietary and/or private information about or provided by OTW personnel and applicants, as well as personally identifying information about users of the OTW and projects it manages and/or hosts. OTW personnel will also be asked to share an email address that they actively check and use (which could be one created by a volunteer for use solely in connection with their OTW volunteer work) with the Volunteer & Recruiting Committee and any committee they volunteer with, and may be asked to share other personally identifying information including AO3 and Fanlore usernames, if they have them. OTW personnel other than Board candidates, directors, and non-director officers will not be required to share their legal names. All OTW personnel are expected to uphold the standards of confidentiality required of them by their chosen committee and/or as a Board member, officer or director, and are barred from sharing non-public personally identifying information except in a committee setting through authorized OTW channels or tools. Each volunteer agrees that they shall not use or attempt to use any such information in any manner that will or may injure or cause loss or may be calculated to injure or cause loss, whether directly or indirectly, to the OTW. Confidential Information shall be used by a volunteer only in conjunction with their work for and with the OTW and shall not be disclosed to any third party at any time. OTW personnel need to avoid connecting any fannish persona, name used within the OTW, and/or legal name without that person’s explicit permission. Outing another fan may result in immediate dismissal from the OTW; see the TOS for more information about “outing”.
Public statements about the OTW
Feel free to discuss your work in the OTW as you would any other job or hobby. Be respectful of confidential information and the ease with which miscommunication and misunderstandings can occur, especially on the internet.
- Never share information about personnel, financial, or legal matters that have not been officially revealed by the OTW.
- Be transparent when discussing the OTW; make it clear that you are OTW personnel, but speaking for yourself, not on behalf of the OTW. Official statements regarding OTW performance and policy will usually go through Communications and/or Legal committees.
- Please avoid talking about others’ projects unless they are already officially announced and under public discussion.
- If responding to a post about the OTW in someone else’s space (a blog, tumblr, twitter, etc. not your own), please be sensitive to the audience of that space, and try to avoid accidental trolling.
- If you’re participating in OTW under your legal name and don’t want it linked to your fannish identity, please exercise caution in the ways you choose to share that information.