PLASA is committed to providing a trade show environment in which all participants feel safe and are treated with respect. To create that environment, participants are expected to maintain appropriate standards of behaviour by refraining from conduct that may be (or perceived to be) harmful to themselves, other participants, PLASA staff and/or other third parties.
Types of conduct that PLASA considers inappropriate include, but is not limited to:
(1) harassment, which is defined for purposes of this policy to include offensive and unwelcome conduct based on ethnicity, religion, disability, physical appearance, gender, or sexual orientation; (2) offensive gestures and verbal comments; (3) deliberate intimidation; (4) stalking; (5) sustained disruption of talks or other events; (6) inappropriate physical contact; and (7) unwelcome attention. Participants requested to cease inappropriate behaviour are expected to comply immediately, and failure will serve as grounds for revoking access to the PLASA event.
Attendees, exhibitors, speakers, volunteers, guests, members, and contractors are encouraged, but not required, to inform the harasser that their conduct is unwelcome. Regardless of whether the harasser is directly confronted, attendees, exhibitors, speakers, volunteers, guests, members, contractors must promptly report the conduct to PLASA to investigate and address the conduct. If a participant is in immediate danger, venue security or local law enforcement should be informed promptly, prior to notifying PLASA.
When notified of individuals who are engaging or who have engaged in harassing behaviour, PLASA may take any action they deem appropriate, ranging from a simple warning to expulsion from the current and/or future PLASA meetings and events, or in the case of PLASA employees, taking appropriate disciplinary action. Decisions to ban individuals from future PLASA events or take disciplinary action against PLASA employees is in the sole discretion of PLASA.
