Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct was created to clearly define what we mean by a harassment-free experience, so that everyone in our community is clear about our intent and have access to procedures for addressing issues, should they arise:

All delegates/attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, partners and volunteers (hereafter referred to as “participants”) at the Agile Testing Days USA (ATD USA) must abide by the following Code of Conduct. Organizers will enforce this code throughout the event.

The Agile Testing Days USA are an event where all of our participants should feel comfortable attending. Because we value diversity, inclusivity and community, we strive to include also the underrepresented groups in tech. We specifically include all people who identify as women or men, transgender, enby (non-binary) or gender non-conforming. Above all, our mission is to provide a safe space for all to learn and grow professionally.

We value the safety and security of all our participants and therefore do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination, e.g. offensive verbal comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion, technology choices, sexual images in public spaces, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks and other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention.

Any communication and material issued at the conference from sponsors, exhibiting partners, at vendor booths or from similar parties are subject to this Code of Conduct, too. In particular, exhibitors should not use sexualized images, activities, or other material. Booth staff (including volunteers) should not wear sexualized clothing/uniforms/costumes, or otherwise create a sexualized environment. If you are unsure if the outfit is appropriate, please contact us beforehand (contact information below).

No Weapons at Event

Bringing weapons of any kind onto the event site is strictly prohibited.This includes firearms, knives, batons, and all other possible tools for self-defense. A violation to this rule will result in the immediate exclusion of that person from the event. Ticket costs or any other expenses resulting from the registration to this event, like travel expenses, will not be refunded. 

Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled permanently, at the discretion of the event organizers, which in most cases are members of the ATD USA conference leadership team.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to follow the warning immediately and refrain from any further misconduct.

If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the ATDs USA conference organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including a warning of the offender or his/her expulsion from the conference with no refund.

If you are a victim of verbal abuse, harassment, or comments that perpetuate a system of inequality, such as sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism, or notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, be assured that you will have our back. Get in touch with us immediately.

During the event, our conference staff can be found at the conference registration desk. We will assist anyone who experiences harassment or discomfort to feel save for the duration of the conference, e.g. contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or assist otherwise.

We expect cooperation from all participants to ensure a safe environment for everybody. This code extends to talks, workshops, tutorials and any conference-related sessions and social events.

Agile Testing Days USA’s Code of Conduct is a work in progress. We are committed to review our Code of Conduct annually to ensure that it addresses the needs of our community. The team welcomes feedback and would be grateful and responsive to suggestions for improvement.

We would like to thank several community policies and guidelines which have influenced our own CoC: Ohio LinuxFest Anti-Harassment policy, Con Anti-Harassment Project, Geek Feminism Wiki (created by the Ada Initiative), confcodeofconduct.com , JSconf, Rust, Diversity in Python, Write/Speak/Code, and Women Who Code (WWCode). This code of conduct is licensed under the Creative Commons Zero license .

We believe in diversity and inclusivity!  Diversity is integral to the Agile Testing Days USA simply because as international organizers we are committed to a diverse and international conference crowd - audience and speakers alike. For us, diversity is way more than race, gender or ethnicity. Our definition of diversity includes all people, backgrounds and beliefs. We think the differences that we each bring with us contribute to the richness of Agile Testing Days USA. We are supporting diversity and inclusivity.

We believe in values! An essential part of Agile Testing Days USA is creating and maintaining a climate of respect and openness where a wide range of opinions, perspectives and ideas can be respectfully explored and discussed among individuals. We believe that these core values are vital for sparking innovation and creativity, advancing knowledge and progress, and creating an open and sustainable community. Values are more important than anything else. It is important for us to act as a consequence of them and to stay true to our principles of tolerance and inclusion.

We believe in you! Over the last years, Agile Testing Days USA has created a diverse community of speakers and attendees from different backgrounds and cultures where every member is respected and valued. We care about our friends, speakers, attendees and sponsors and, therefore, are not willing to subject them to any sort of hostility or harassment. In this spirit, we strive to support the community we are part of. Notwithstanding what might happen in the near future, be assured that we stand by our community and will always openly welcome individuals, regardless of race, color, gender or belief. We are standing up for you, our values and diversity.