All members, whether existing or new, (collectively, “Members”) of The Video Consortium, Inc. (“The Video Consortium” or “VC” or “we” or “us”) as well as all other users and participants (collectively with Members, “Users”) who access, use, and participate in VC’s programming, events, activities, offerings, and services including but not limited to VC’s videoconsortium.org website, platforms, programs, messaging services, community forums, third party offerings (collectively, the “Services”) must comply with the rules and guidelines detailed within this document (“Code of Conduct”), the contents of which apply to both real-life and virtual interactions. As a User, you agree that you have read, understood, and will comply with this Code of Conduct when interacting with others in the VC community and/or participating in any of the Services. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at community@videoconsortium.org.

If you believe someone is violating the Code of Conduct, we ask that you report it by emailing community@videoconsortium.org. For more details, please see our Reporting Guide in section 8 of this Code of Conduct.

Our global community has been built on respect, truth, equity, thoughtfulness, empathy, and the advancement of the art and practice of nonfiction video storytelling. The Video Consortium takes those who disregard these values seriously, and anyone who violates such values may be expelled, sometimes immediately and as explained in detail below, from the community.

About + Mission

The Video Consortium is a global nonprofit media organization that connects the world’s nonfiction filmmakers and video journalists to tell bold stories that catalyze positive change. As the premier professional nonfiction video network by and for filmmakers, our global and regional programs democratize the media landscape, foster compassionate storytelling, support creative growth, and inspire audiences worldwide. We envision a compassionate and inclusive media ecosystem in which reporting teams reflect communities, creative careers are sustainable, and creators are holistically equipped to tell today’s most pressing stories.

All Users should also read and adhere to VC’s Community Values, available here.

Applicability and Scope

The Video Consortium’s growing global community is our greatest asset — one that we closely guard. To maintain a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere throughout our programming and activities, all Users must adhere to VC’s ground rules: the do’s and don’ts laid out in this Code of Conduct. This isn’t an exhaustive list of things that you can’t do; rather, take it in the spirit in which it’s intended — a guide that will help us enrich each other, ourselves, and the valuable community in which we participate.

This Code of Conduct applies in its entirety to all Users, and in all spaces owned, managed or provided (including as a third party offering) by VC for your use. Users must comply with this Code of Conduct when making use of such third party offerings, in addition to any terms of use stipulated by the providers of such third party offerings . VC does not monitor, manage or moderate any interactions between Users.

PLEASE READ THIS CODE OF CONDUCT CAREFULLY, AS THIS CONSTITUTES A LEGAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND THE VIDEO CONSORTIUM AS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THE VIDEO CONSORTIUM’S TERMS OF USE. By accessing or using the Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood, and agree to be bound by, this Code of Conduct. If you do not agree to this Code of Conduct, then you must immediately cease accessing and using the Services.

Toward a Welcoming and Safe Environment

It is VC’s utmost priority to maintain and create an environment in which individuals from diverse backgrounds can collaborate and interact in a positive and affirming way. Examples of behavior that contributes to creating this sort of environment include:

• Being friendly and patient
• Using welcoming and inclusive language
• Being respectful of differing viewpoints and experiences
• Trying to understand why, if, and when we disagree
• Showing empathy towards other community members

Anti-Harassment

This is a professional community, and we work in a field in which tough questions and hard-earned answers are the norm. When heated arguments arise, they will not be censored. However, we must continue to participate in tough debates and discussions as professionals who are eager to engage as much as they are to listen.

This community will not tolerate harassment of any kind. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Profane, defamatory, offensive, or abusive language
• Unkind, intolerant, belligerent or hurtful language
• Intentionally malicious acts or threats
• Unwelcome sexual attention
• “Trolling” or posting deliberately disruptive statements meant to hijack comment threads or throw discussions off-track
• Attacks on specific groups or any comments meant to harass, threaten, promote violence, or abuse an individual
• Hateful or discriminatory comments regarding race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or political beliefs or any other characteristics or attributes protected by applicable law
• Links or comments containing sexually explicit content material (work within reason allowed)
• Promotion of illegal activity
• Spam, link baiting or files containing viruses that could damage the operation of other people’s computers or mobile devices
• Acknowledgement of intent to stalk an individual or collect private information without disclosure
• Violations of copyright or intellectual property rights, including, without limitation, claiming another’s work as your own work
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior
• Expressing political and ideological beliefs in the context of hiring practices
• Repeated harassment of others. If someone asks you to stop, stop
• Spreading false or negative information about an individual, organization, and/or VC
• Any other content or behavior determined by VC at its sole discretion to be inappropriate, offensive, divisive, inflammatory, in poor taste, or otherwise contrary to the purposes of VC

VC has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, malice, racism, classism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism, and any other form of prejudice, including based on national origin, age, affiliation or not, real or supposed, to an ethnic group, nation, specific race or religion. Concurrently, we recognize, as individuals and as a nonprofit, that we’re constantly growing and learning. Any User who violates this Code of Conduct will be asked to address and repair any harm caused and/or, as appropriate, expelled from any kind of involvement with VC.

The Video Consortium may remove any User (without any prior notice and at VC’s absolute and sole discretion) from VC’s community and/or any of the Services if any such User violates this Code of Conduct.

Inappropriate Behavior

Membership to VC is a privilege that can be revoked at any time if a Member behaves inappropriately. Inappropriate behavior is defined as any behavior that is not in alignment with the principles and values of VC, which includes but is not limited to the prohibited conduct described in this Code of Conduct. As representatives of the organization, Members’ conduct is not limited to a VC context — be it in online forums or in-person gatherings — but also includes any activity on personal social media profiles and behavior in professional work settings.

The Video Consortium prohibits the unlawful use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs or controlled substances. Users must not violate the local laws of consumption of alcohol and drugs. Online forums or in-person gatherings should not be used to illicit, manufacture, produce, cultivate, or distribute drugs, or any other illegal activities related to drugs and alcohol.

Bribery/AML

The Video Consortium expects Users to follow all laws and regulatory requirements regarding anti-bribery and anti-corruption, including bribes, kickbacks, facilitation payments and extortion. The Video Consortium also expects Users to follow all laws regarding anti-money laundering and terrorist funding. Users may not engage, directly or indirectly, in any form of money laundering, including accepting, concealing, converting and/or transferring any funds obtained from criminal activities.

Job Postings, Solicitation using VC Forums

Forums on VC’s website are provided as part of the Services and Members may use VC’s forums to post information about job openings and other career opportunities. Should you choose to make use of VC’s forums in this manner, you are entirely responsible for ensuring that your posts comply with all applicable laws. For example, if you use VC’s forums to post employment or contracting opportunities, you are solely responsible for ensuring that you abide by all local, state and federal laws with regard to hiring and employment (including for example, ensuring that your posts include required disclosures such as salary information and/or making payments in accordance with applicable law). VC is under no obligation to review, vet or confirm any Member post on a VC forum, and will not be obligated to mediate or participate in any communications or interactions between individual Members on a VC forum. All individuals who choose to use a VC forum, or interact with third parties on or through a VC forum do so at their own risk.

YOU UNDERSTAND, ACKNOWLEDGE, AND AGREE THAT MEMBERS ARE NOT ACTUAL AGENTS, APPARENT AGENTS, OSTENSIBLE AGENTS, OR EMPLOYEES OF VC IN ANY WAY AND THAT ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN AS-IS AND AS AVAILABLE BASIS WITH NO GUARANTEE OF COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY, USEFULNESS OR TIMELINESS.

The Video Consortium will not be liable for any postings by Members that violate any applicable laws. VC does not review, vet or confirm the accuracy or completeness of any posting or other information submitted by any Member and is not responsible for any Members’ posting. We do, however, reserve the right to delete any postings on our forums, without any prior notice and at VC’s absolute and sole discretion.

The Video Consortium is devoted to creating meaningful relationships among its Users. Companies (and representatives of such companies) or individuals may not send general solicitations for goods or services, including any mass or bulk “spam” solicitations (such as messages under a same template or mass marketing messages), to other Users. Companies (and representatives of such companies) or individuals may not retain, monetize or otherwise store any other User’s email address without such User’s prior written permissions. Violations of the foregoing may result in expulsion, termination of membership (if the violator is a Member) and any other remedies available to VC.

Reporting Guide

If you believe someone is violating the Code of Conduct we ask that you report it to VC by emailing community@videoconsortium.org. All reports will be kept confidential. In some cases we may determine that a public statement will need to be made. If that's the case, the identities of all potentially aggrieved parties and reporters will remain confidential unless those individuals instruct us otherwise.

If you are unsure whether the incident is a violation, or whether the space where it happened is covered by this Code of Conduct, we encourage you to still report it.

In your report, please include:

• Your contact info (so we can get in touch with you if we need to follow up)
• Names of any individuals involved. If there were other witnesses besides you, please try to include them as well
• When and where the incident occurred. Please be as specific as possible
• Your account of what occurred. If there is an available record (e.g. Facebook forum or Slack channel) please include a link or a screenshot
• Any extra context you believe existed for the incident
• If you believe this incident is ongoing
• Any other information you believe we should have

What happens after you file a report?

You will receive an email from the VC’s Community Manager acknowledging receipt, and they will attempt to follow up within 72 hours with applicable responses, provided that a complete account of the events has been provided. Once we've determined our final action, we'll contact the original reporter to let them know what action we'll be taking. We'll take into account feedback from the reporter on the appropriateness of our response, but we don't guarantee we'll act on it. We will be unable to follow up if the incident was reported anonymously.

Finally, VC will make a report on the situation to VC’s Board of Directors. This group may or may not choose to issue a public report of the incident.

Reconsideration

Any of the parties directly involved or affected can request reconsideration of the VC’s decision. To make such a request, email community@videoconsortium.org at with your request and motivation and VC will review the case in subsequent meetings.

Last updated October 23rd, 2023.