Code of Conduct is about the basis of KY’s principles and values, and how we are dedicated to provide harassment-free conditions for everyone. Code of Conduct applies in all KY events and situations where KY members are in contact with each other or other people. We expect everyone to respect others and their surroundings.
If you encounter harassment in our community or you are willing to talk about these themes, you can always contact KY’s Executive Director and/or Chair of the Board.
Code of Conduct is a document that lists things and topics that are important in our community. Code of Conduct aims to prevent harassment and make it easier to act if you encounter harassment. The document also encourages KY members to intervene when they encounter situations that might lead to harassment or make others uncomfortable.
Code of Conduct is applied in every event that KY or its associations organise, so this paper applies in every committee, subcommittee, club etc. events and activities. Code of Conduct describes different themes and things that might be sensitive to other people and that everyone should take into consideration when planning or attending activities.
It is important that KY members act in a respective manner. Code of Conduct is applied in every activity, and the School of Business also emphasises it in their actions. Whether you are a KY member, an attendee in our events or a business partner – you should know what kind of things are included in our Code of Conduct, so you can act accordingly. Not reading the Code of Conduct does not mean that it does not apply to you.
If someone does not act according to Code of Conduct, there are different sanctions to inappropriate action. Sanctions can be things like official warning, ban to volunteer at KY or termination of membership. The police will be notified if something illegal happens in KY events.
The most important thing is to act appropriately and respect others and your surroundings. Ask others, if you are unsure about something and do not assume. If you encounter harassment or other inappropriate behaviour, tell the event organiser. That is how the situation can be solved and you get the support you need.
Also, contact KY’s Executive Director or Chair of the Board. That is how the situation can be handled afterwards, and how that kind of situation can be prevented in the future.
This Code of Conduct helps us to display the set of standards that the KY community has agreed to adhere to to live up to our values. Its purpose is to summarise the principles and policies we want to follow and to set out guidelines for the kind of behaviour that we expect of each other.
This Code of Conduct applies to all KY members, KY employees, attendees at KY events, partners of KY and all people who hold a position of trust at KY or in an association operating under KY. These principles should be followed in all kinds of interactions between members of the community, whether they were carried out live or remotely.
A person who violates this Code of Conduct or KY’s statutes can be seen as unfit to operate at KY or in an association operating under KY, and in extreme cases can be dismissed from KY membership according to association law and KY’s official rules. Each case of potential violation of the Code of Conduct that is brought to KY’s attention will be observed by the Executive Director and Chair of the Board of KY.
At KY and among its members, gender should not be a defining factor of any kind. Nobody should suffer negative consequences due to their sex, gender identity, or gender transition. The interests of all genders must be optimally served at all levels and in all functions. Positions of responsibility are never tied to gender.
At KY, we are aware that everyone does not identify according to the binary gender distribution. If asking for gender is imperitable, an alternative gender is offered. If gender is irrelevant in surveys, it is not requested. Furthermore, KY promotes gender equality in business partnerships.
At KY, our members should feel comfortable with openly showing their sexual orientation. Everyone is treated equally in the whole community, regardless of their sexual orientation. The preconceived sense that all identify themselves as heterosexual is avoided in KY’s communication and events. This also applies to business partnerships.
At KY, all members, regardless of their age, must have the equal possibility to participate in the student association activities and events within the limits of the Finnish law. KY and its associations organize events and offer services in a manner that suits different ages.
At KY, everyone should be able to have and exercise their faith and conviction without disparaging, mean, or otherwise offensive comments. No one should feel that they need to hide their faith and beliefs or that they need to defend them. All activities should be organised in a manner that takes into account the sensitivity of these issues.
At KY, each member should be able to be open about where they come from and what culture they belong to. KY, its associations, and members accept and welcome people from all cultures and ethnicities. No one should have to hide or explain their cultural belonging.
Activities arranged by KY and its members and partners are encouraged to be designed in a way that enables the participation of people with disabilities whenever possible. KY and its members should also take into consideration the special needs a person with a disability may have, be it physical or mental.
KY’s premises at Otaniemi are generally accessible with few exceptions: in Espilä, the two cabinets Tuomela and Contactor, can only be reached via stairs and the same goes for Saha’s stage and backstage. Both premises are otherwise on one floor and have accessible toilet facilities.
KY and the members of KY should allow everyone to combine privacy and KY life. Nobody should ever be pressured to share any information they are not comfortable and willing to give. KY and its associations shall also concentrate on safeguarding the information they have on any members or any other individuals. KY will handle all of its data with the utmost respect and according to the GDPR statute of the European Union.
At KY and among its members, socio-economic background of a person should have no impact on the way anyone is treated. The KY community should work against stereotypes regarding different backgrounds.
At KY and among the members of KY, everyone should feel welcome despite what language they speak as of their mother tongue. Language should be used to promote social inclusion and public participation in decision-making. KY’s official language is English, and both international and domestic students are encouraged to use a common language to enhance social cohesion.
KY aims to promote equality on a comprehensive level. Everyone should be treated equally also in matters that might not have been listed above, but that can be somehow contrasted with the listed items, and will act upon if necessary.
Events are an integral part of the everyday KY life, and thus an emphasised part of the KY Code of Conduct. These events build our community, and to that end, KY’s goal is to create an environment where everyone feels safe and welcome to participate. Every KY event is dedicated to providing harassment-free conditions for everyone, regardless of for example their gender, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, or religion.
KY has zero-tolerance for all kinds of harassment and inappropriate conduct or behaviour. Examples of harassment may include for example making sexual comments about appearance, unwelcome touching, inappropriate sexual gestures, or sending suggestive communications in any format. Inappropriate behaviour includes all kinds of violence.
1. Be mindful of your surroundings and your fellow participants
2. Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behaviour and speech
3. Note that the use of illegal drugs is prohibited in KY’s events
4. Violent behaviour is not tolerated at KY’s events
5. Alert the event organizers immediately if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or any violation of this Code of Conduct
Event organisers will be expected to enforce this Code of Conduct throughout their event to help KY create a safe and positive experience for everyone. It is important to anticipate: attend to safety in your events in advance and make sure that all of the organisers know how to deal with potential cases of inappropriate behaviour. See 5. Reporting an Incident for further checklist for event organisers.
KY has zero-tolerance for all kinds of harassment and inappropriate conduct or behavior. A safe environment is a subjective experience, which cannot be judged from the outside and always depends on the context. Silent acceptance is not ok, which is why we encourage to always act on in case of seeing something inappropriate.
If you see, overhear or experience a violation of the Code of Conduct in KY’s premises, e.g. at an event, please follow these steps:
1. If you encounter inappropriate behavior yourself or as an observer, intervene in the situation and tell the person acting inappropriately to stop if possible.
2. If someone is in an immediate danger, call the national emergency number 112 for authorities.
3. Contact the event organizers and tell what has happened.
4. If possible, write down or otherwise document what has happened to ease the further addressing of the issue.
5. Contact anyone from the KY Office to report the incident. They will take the issue to KY’s Executive Director and/or Chair of the Board for further actions.
After investigating the issue and hearing all relevant parties, KY can pose sanctions to those who have been seen as violating this Code of Conduct. More about the sanctions in 6. Infringements of the Code of Conduct.
The aim of this section is to assist those who have responsibility for dealing and are encountered with inappropriate behaviour. It is important to remember that while examples are given of the type of inappropriate behaviour which may be dealt with by the sanctions outlined below, it is recognised that each incident will have its own particular circumstances.
Many individuals may not be aware of how their behaviour has affected those subject to it. Thus, each case must be considered on its merits and it is not possible to have one model applied to all cases. It is important to note that when establishing how serious an incident or pattern of behaviour is, categorising the type of behaviour is less important than the impact it has on those subjected to it.
"Categorizing the type of behavior is less important than the impact it has on those subjected to it."
We would like to emphasize that the actions set out in this document can also be taken alongside police or court action. None of the actions outlined in this document should replace reporting to and involvement of the police where offences have been committed or where the safety of any person is threatened.
Before making further decisions on possible sanctions, all relevant parties, including the person accused for inappropriate behaviour, are contacted to get the best possible picture of the case in question. Furthermore, it is essential that KY members are informed of the different sanctions administered by the KY Office. This will not only show that the organisation takes unacceptable behaviour seriously but will allow KY members to anticipate the possible sanctions to adverse actions.
The sanctions are considered and applied by the Executive Director and Chair of the Board. The possible sanctions for violating the Code of Conduct include but are not limited to:
AN OFFICIAL WARNING FROM THE KY OFFICE
The purpose of the official warning is to immediately address the situation/violation with the person accused to prevent it happening again. If the behaviour continues after the warning, KY reserves the right to impose further disciplinary actions, up to and including a ban to volunteer at KY and termination of membership. By giving the warning, KY points out the inappropriate behaviour and gives the person a chance to change their behaviour before any further actions.
A BAN TO HAVE KEYS TO KY’S PREMISES
A person can be seen as unfit to have access to KY’s premises. The ban’s length can be anything from one week to a permanent ban.
A BAN TO VOLUNTEER, WORK OR HAVE A POSITION OF TRUST AT KY
A person can be seen as unfit to represent KY in any position. The ban’s length can be anything from one week to a permanent ban.
TERMINATION OF KY MEMBERSHIP
According to KY statutes, it is possible to terminate a person's KY membership if the person has violated KY’s statutes or purpose.
The KY Board is responsible for communicating this Code of Conduct, and the main communication language used is English. The document and its policies will be communicated through KY’s communications channels to all members as well as to external partners to set up a common ground for the KY community.
This Code of Conduct has been implemented as a part of KY’s membership process and is compulsory to agree upon in order to be accepted as a new member to the association. In addition, this document or a corresponding summary will be attached to all Facebook event descriptions of associations that function under KY, starting latest from the beginning of the year 2021. This ensures that everyone is aware of the policies that should be followed at these events.
The set of standards in this document should be applied to both in-house marketing and business partnerships. Also, the internal and external resources regarding safe environment, such as KY’s and AYY’s contact persons for harassment as well as student health services, will be promoted in KY’s channels to build a safer student experience for all KY members.
Here are some tips on how to conduct yourself in our events to ensure a good and safe experience for everyone:
1. Make yourself visible when approaching someone new. You don’t need to take anyone by surprise.
2. Ask for consent. May I join you? May I get you a drink?
3. Avoid following or staring at someone forever as it may make them uncomfortable.
4. Give people their own personal space. Avoid filming people without their permission.
5. Don’t flirt with someone who needs care. Helping someone who is having a difficult time is not an open door to flirt with them. Furthermore, if someone is having a hard time communicating or can’t take care of themselves, they can’t consent to sexual interactions.
If you spot a situation that seems to go against our Code of Conduct or where intervention could be needed, here are some ways you as a bystander can help:
1. Delegate the situation to a bouncer or the event organiser or have them assist you in breaking up the situation.
2. Directly confront the situation if you feel safe to do so. Ask if everything is okay or if help is needed and help the person getting harassed exit the situation.
3. Create a distraction by, for example, pretending you’re a friend of the person getting harassed and create an opportunity for them to leave the scene.
4. Document the situation, since filming or writing down what’s happening can be useful later on.
5. If none of these help, wait the situation out and check on the person when the situation itself has passed.