Attending Informa Connect events
Our event code of conduct
Having a great event experience
We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. Whether you are attending, speaking, exhibiting, sponsoring or working with or for us, our focus is on creating an environment and experience that everyone can participate in and benefit from.
Safety, respect and consideration are integral to this. While issues are rare, we want to be clear about the standards and expectations in place at our events, wherever they are held, because actions can impact others, and everyone has a role to play in getting it right.
This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behavior, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Anyone not following these rules or behaving in an unacceptable way will be asked – and expected – to stop doing so immediately and may be removed from the event.
The event you attend may have additional requirements: please consult your specific event code of conduct or event team for this information, to access details of how to contact your event team, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced.
Comfort & safety at live events
- Never act in a way that puts your own or other participants’ health, safety or security at risk.
- Review local and national health guidance before attending and follow any requirements.
- If you have a fever or other symptoms that may put others at risk of becoming ill, we encourage you not to attend. Contact the event team to discuss other ways to take part.
- Follow all health, safety and security processes including emergency procedures and access protocols such as any age limits. Do not assist others to circumvent these.
- Do not alter or obscure any safety signage, obstruct any exits, or misuse or move any equipment provided for everyone’s safety and protection.
- Help us by reporting any unsafe behavior, security risks or hazards immediately to shea.hochenberger@informa.com
A respectful environment
We have zero tolerance towards any verbal or physical threats, violence, abuse or harassment towards any participant including Informa colleagues at any live, on-demand or official auxiliary events or on our digital platforms and community sites. For the avoidance of doubt, this includes:
- Discrimination or harassment on the basis of any protected category. This criteria includes but isn’t limited to race, sex, age, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disability and marital status. Harassment is unwanted conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
- Sexual harassment, including but not limited to inappropriate physical contact, such as unwelcome touching, hugging, massaging or kissing, sexual comments, suggestive looks, staring or leering, propositions and sexual advances, sexual gestures, intrusive questions or comments of a sexual nature, sexual posts or social media content, spreading sexual rumors, sending sexually explicit emails or messages.
- Offensive language and gestures, whether it is verbal harassment or abuse, sexually explicit language or gestures, profanity, obscenity or racial, religious or ethnic slurs.
- Any inappropriate or offensive materials such as sexually graphic images and any content that is intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning, including the inappropriate use of nudity or sexual images in public spaces.
- Stalking, or behavior that causes apprehension to others including following, photography, and recording.
- Threats, intimidating and threatening behavior, whether verbal, physical or written, including menacing gestures.
- Physical harassment, threats and acts of violence, including pushing, shoving and the use of any physical force.
- Possession or display of any weapon or other item used to threaten or intimidate.
- Deliberately damaging the venue or other people’s property.
- Assembling for the purpose of disturbing the peace or committing an offence.
Participation & engagement
We want everyone to be able to participate and fully engage in our events in comfort. Disrupting all or part of any live or on-demand event, whether physically or verbally, in a sustained or deliberate way, goes against this.
- Do not deliberately prevent others from attending or participating in any portion of the event.
- Do not heckle or catcall, or interrupt others in a sustained or disruptive way, whether verbally, with music or other noise or behavior.
- Never act in a way that endangers others or prevent them from acting safely.
Acting sustainably
Sustainability features are an important part of delivering a great all-round experience. At live events, please:
- Review and follow any local guidance on sustainable travel and using reusable drinking or food containers.
- Make use of any recycling and sustainable waste disposal points provided.
Responsible consumption
- Anyone found to be under the influence of any substance, whether legal or otherwise, and acting in a way that negatively impacts others will be removed from the event.
- If you are handling or demonstrating machinery or equipment that might impact the health or safety of others, you must not consume any substance, legal or otherwise, that might impair your behavior or judgment or impact the correct and safe performance of that activity.
- Follow the rules of the venue and event organizer around consuming alcohol, smoking, vaping and using tobacco products. Only consume these products where and when permitted.
Event attire
- Dress appropriately for a live event and in cases where you will be visible to others at an on-demand event.
- Avoid clothing that could offend other participants or the local culture, including images, patterns or slogans.
Respect & consideration online
All of the above standards and expectations also apply to our digital platforms and community sites. Content, posts and comments shared and created must not contain:
- Accusatory, negative or destructive comments about other participants or the event.
- Knowingly false or misleading comments or claims about products or companies.
- Content found to be in breach may be deleted or removed without warning.
Reporting any concerns
EMERGENCIES:
If you experience or witness any breaches of this Event Code of Conduct, or have any other concerns, contact us so we can investigate promptly and take any action required.
Contact: Shea Hochenberger shea.hochenberger@informa.com
You may also contact Informa’s confidential whistleblowing line, Speak Up. Visit https://informagroup.navexone.eu
Applying this code
All participants must uphold the principles outlined in this Code of Conduct, whether at Informa Connect’s live or on-demand events, official auxiliary events, community sites, social media channels and digital platforms. Participants include attendees, sponsors, media, speakers, exhibitors, contractors, moderators, volunteers, Informa colleagues, and others, both live and virtual.
Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in unacceptable behavior or otherwise breaches this Event Code of Conduct, the event organizers, their representatives and/or security may take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including:
- Expulsion from the event without warning or refund.
- Disqualification from participating in future, including being barred from attending, speaking, exhibiting or sponsorship, and from engagement across Informa’s community events sites, social media channels and digital platforms.
- Reporting any unlawful behavior to the appropriate local or national authorities.
All determinations of appropriate or inappropriate behavior are at the sole discretion of Informa and its event team; the decision(s) of the Informa representatives will be final. This Event Code of Conduct may be revised at any time by Informa and is non-negotiable.
This Code of Conduct is without prejudice to Informa’s rights, all of which it expressly reserves.