I’ve been promoting Codes of Conduct in different institutions, because I learned they are important to show the institution’s values and make minorities feel more secure. In fact, just having a code of conduct can also help prevent misconduct. However, I realized we don’t have one for the lab. I hope we don’t need to use it, but better safe than sorry.

Code of conduct

The Bartomeus Lab is composed of people who are aware of the value of diversity. We understand that fostering diversity within our collective is the only way to generate an enriching, inclusive atmosphere that promotes novel ideas, ways of thinking, and projects toward a better understanding of community ecology and towards answering the current biodiversity crisis.

We want to be an active force in democratizing knowledge and fostering diversity in the academic world, because a diverse and tolerant academic space, mirroring current social realities, is a key pillar of the knowledge society. Ecologists need to be able to carry out the tasks associated with their job (lab or fieldwork, conference talks/networking, assistance to courses, etc) without any type of discrimination or abuse, independent of their gender identity, sexual orientation, functional diversity, origin, religious beliefs, etc.

In the academic world, certain abusive and discriminatory behaviors have been tolerated by erroneously assuming that these are personality traits that do not affect the professional merit or performance of researchers. However, abusive behaviors negatively affect the careers of those who suffer from them. We are conscious that, unfortunately, the academic world has a hierarchical structure, and this tends to hide and perpetuate power abuses that are, furthermore, disproportionately suffered by vulnerable groups and minorities.

We know that most people taking part in scientific activities are students and professionals in unstable positions, who are especially vulnerable to different types of abuse. Therefore, we have decided to establish several measures to protect this diverse and large collective. We will ensure that diversity is respected and upheld. We want to prioritize the well-being of everyone, especially the most vulnerable ones. We will not tolerate any form of abuse, discrimination, or degrading treatment. This includes:

• Offensive jokes and negative comments related to a person’s gender, sexual orientation, origin, functional diversity, religion, age, person’s lifestyle, dietary choices, health, or physical appearance, including the NON-use of people’s name and gender.
• Negative or discrediting comments related to a person’s professional career or work.
• Deliberate intimidatory behaviour including online harassment on any social media platform.
• Reiterated requests for intimate relationships after being rejected.
• Not properly giving credit to a person’s scientific contributions and hindering deserved career opportunities.

We want to guarantee, as much as possible, that all members can profit from their stage at the lab with complete freedom, regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, functional diversity, origin, religion, academic status, and career stability. Therefore, according to the severity of the situation, action will be taken against people who do not abide by this code of conduct.

If you feel uncomfortable in any situation, or you see potentially uncomfortable situations for other people, speak up directly (we cultivate a culture of open honest feedback) or report it if you don’t feel secure to speak up in public. For reporting abusive behaviors, or any other doubt related to this issue, please write to Virginia Dominguez or Ignasi Bartomeus. Only these persons will have access to the information, and it will never be shared in any form without the explicit consent of the denouncer. We understand that some situations might be not easy, especially when one is in an unstable position or is starting to work in a certain field. Therefore, our commitment is to help the denouncers and maintain their anonymity.

This code of conduct is inspired by others, such as the community of R developers and associations of Ecology.