code of ethics

Responsibility to The VII Foundation

The VII Foundation is committed to the highest standards of teaching integrity and ethics. We recognize an obligation to comply with professional standards, legal and regulatory requirements, and our own policies and procedures.

In all activities, members of The VII Foundation community are expected to conduct themselves honestly and with the utmost integrity. Nowhere is this more important than in a teaching or learning environment.

When attending an educational activity, the participant assumes all responsibilities laid out in this document on behalf of themselves, colleagues they learn with and any guests they invite to participate in any activity with The VII Foundation or any foundation-related teaching environment.

Failure to comply with certain laws and regulations can result in significant adverse consequences for The VII Foundation. Accordingly, all members of The VII Foundation community are expected to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations that govern their activities.

Responsibility to fellow participants

The VII Foundation respects individual rights. It seeks to uphold these rights through respect, equal treatment and honest dealing. It expects equal treatment and tolerance for differing viewpoints regardless of an individual’s race, color, national and/or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression (including a transgender identity), genetics, and any other characteristic protected under applicable international and national laws.

Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated whether it is sexual, racial, or based on religious or political beliefs.

A participant’s obligation is to be part of a learning environment that treats everyone with dignity and respect. This includes establishing and maintaining appropriate verbal, physical, emotional and social boundaries.

A participant will never knowingly appropriate another person’s images, photographs, work, nor ideas in any context.

The VII Foundation trainer will establish and maintain a teaching environment that promotes the emotional, intellectual, physical, and sexual safety of all participants.

Contact and relationships

The VII Foundation trainers will consider the implication of accepting gifts from or giving gifts to individual participants; will never engage in physical contact with participants unless there is a clearly defined purpose that benefits the participant such as a medical or safety emergency; will avoid relationships with participants which might impair objectivity and increase the risk of harm to participant learning or well-being or decrease educator effectiveness; acknowledges that there are no circumstances that allow for educators to engage in romantic or sexual relationships with participants; and consider the ramifications of entering into an adult relationship of any kind with a former participant, including but not limited to, any potential harm to the former participant, public perception, and the possible impact on The VII Foundation. The VII Foundation trainer ensures that the adult relationship was not started while the former participant was enrolled in a VII Foundation education program.

Data Protection and Communication

The VII Foundation participants will

interact with other participants and trainers with transparency and in appropriate settings;

communicate with others in a clear, respectful, and culturally sensitive manner;

respect the privacy of participants

understand the need to hold in confidence certain forms of participant communication, documents, or information obtained in the course of attending a program.

The VII Foundation participants undertake to use social media responsibly; will consider the ramifications of using social media and direct communication via technology on his/her interactions with participants, colleagues, and the general public; and understand that electronic communication may put the participant at risk which must be avoided at all times.

Reporting violations

The VII Foundation participant acknowledges that lack of awareness, knowledge, or understanding of this Code of Ethics is not, in itself, a defense to a charge of unethical conduct; alleged violations will be investigated by The VII Foundation Directors, the Board of The VII Foundation, and outside experts. If there are complaints against the Directors or the Board they will be investigated by elected members and outside experts.

The VII Foundation participant undertakes to:

Take proactive steps when having reason to believe that another participant, trainer or invited guest may be approaching or involved in an ethically compromising situation;
Neither discriminate nor retaliate against a person on the basis of having made an ethical complaint;
Neither file nor encourage frivolous ethical complaints solely to harm or retaliate.
Cooperate fully during ethics investigations and proceedings.

code of ethics

Responsibility to The VII Foundation

Responsibility to fellow participants

Contact and relationships

Data Protection and Communication

Reporting violations

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Educate

Report

Campaign

About

Support us

Newsroom

Staff

Board

Partners

Contact

code of ethics

Responsibility to The VII Foundation

Responsibility to fellow participants

Contact and relationships

Data Protection and Communication

Reporting violations

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe to stay informed about our upcoming educational opportunities.