The Ethics Code

The World Nuclear University operated by the World Nuclear Association (WNU) is committed to providing a friendly, safe and welcoming environment for all, regardless of gender, gender reassignment or gender identity, sex or sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, age, disability, ethnicity, race, colour, nationality, national origin, or religion or belief. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for behaviour as well as the consequences for unacceptable behaviour.

1. Purpose

The WNU is committed to enabling events at which everyone can participate in an inclusive, respectful and safe environment.

WNU events are guided by the highest ethical and professional standards, and all participants are expected to behave with integrity and respect towards everyone attending or involved with any WNU event.

2. Applicability

The Code of Conduct applies to all participants at any WNU event (participants, you, your), which shall include the courses provided by WNU, as well as any networking or cultural programme organized the WNU wherever it takes place. It should also apply to your actions outside of a WNU venue whilst attending a WNU programme – you are representing not only your own organisation, but also the WNU and the global nuclear industry.

The WNU commits to implementing the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct is not legal or prescriptive in nature. It supplements, and does not affect, the application of other relevant policies, regulations, rules and laws, including laws regulating the premises in which the WNU event takes place and any applicable host country requirements.

3. Expected Behaviour

WNU requests all participants to:-

  • Be considerate and respectful;
  • Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behaviour and speech;
  • Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow attendees;
  • Be punctual in attending lectures and classes;
  • Participate fully in the programme (certificates will not be awarded for less than 90% attendance, without prior agreement);
  • Inform your class teacher if you are absent due to illness and if you are absent for more than two days, you should also inform the WNU office and obtain a medical certificate;
  • Dress appropriately;
  • Show respect and consideration to the local laws and customs in our host country;
  • Comply with the requests of the WNU team and the mentors;
  • Adhere to acceptable internet, email, and social media usage policies. Please don't share WNU Fellow's faces or names on social media without explicit consent, or publicly share lectures, assessments, or educational resources online. Do feel free to share your impressions, lessons learned, and course certificate;
  • Alert conference organisers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.

4. Unacceptable behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour includes but is not limited to:

  • Wearing clothing that is not suitable for a professional work environment, that is provocative, or otherwise potentially offensive;
  • Physical, written, verbal or other abuse, intimidation, threats, annoyance, harassment, stalking, pushing, shoving or use of any physical force whatsoever against any person, which in any way creates a disturbance that is disruptive or dangerous, or creates anxiety in a person;
  • Possession of any item that can be used as a weapon, and may cause danger to others;
  • Any boisterous, lewd or offensive behaviour or language, including but not limited to using sexually explicit or offensive language, materials or conduct, or any language, behaviour or content that contains profanity, obscene gestures, or racial, religious, gender, or ethnic slurs;
  • Drinking alcohol or being intoxicated during the core hours of the programme. Please drink responsibly;
  • Possession or use of any illegal substance. WNU does not tolerate the use or abuse of illegal substances anywhere in the venue;
  • Intimidating, harassing, abusive, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning conduct by any attendees of WNU and related events such as networking or cultural programmes.

Harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal 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.

A single incident can amount to harassment.

Harassment in any form because of gender, gender reassignment, gender identity and expression, sex or sexual orientation, disability, physical ability, physical appearance, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, political affiliation, age, religion or belief, pregnancy or maternity or any other reason is prohibited at WNU events.

conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offense or humiliation. Sexual harassment may involve any conduct of a verbal, nonverbal or physical nature, including written and electronic communications, and may occur between persons of the same or different genders.

Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:

  • Making derogatory or demeaning comments about someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity;
  • Name-calling or using slurs with a gender/sexual connotation;
  • Making sexual comments about appearance, clothing or body parts Persistent invitations to engage in social activity after it has been made clear that such suggestions are unwelcome;
  • Rating a person’s sexuality;
  • Repeatedly asking a person for dates or asking for sex;
  • Staring in a sexually suggestive manner;
  • Unwelcome touching, including pinching, patting, rubbing or purposefully brushing up against a person;
  • racist, sexist, homophobic or ageist jokes, or derogatory or stereotypical remarks about a particular ethnic or religious group or gender;
  • outing or threatening to out someone as gay or lesbian;
  • Making inappropriate sexual gestures, such as pelvic thrusts;
  • Sharing sexual or lewd anecdotes or jokes;
  • Sending sexually suggestive communications in any format including on social media;
  • Sharing or displaying sexually inappropriate images or videos in any format;
  • Attempted or actual sexual assault, including rape.

5. What to do if you witness or are a victim of unacceptable behaviour

If you feel that you have been subjected to unacceptable behaviour, notice that someone else is being subjected to unacceptable behaviour, or have any other concerns at any time whether before, during or after an event, please notify a member of the WNU team as soon as possible. All reports will remain completely confidential.

The WNU team will be available to help participants contact venue security or local law enforcement, or to otherwise assist those experiencing unacceptable behaviour to feel safe for the duration of the event. You can report unacceptable behaviour to any member of the Team, including your mentor, or you may email the WNU Director, Isis Leslie, directly, contact details below.

The WNU will take appropriate action in accordance with applicable policies, regulations and rules and taking account of your wishes.

Examples of appropriate action may include, but are not limited to:

  • Undertaking a fact-finding exercise;
  • Requesting the perpetrator to immediately cease and desist the offending behaviour;
  • Suspending or terminating the perpetrator’s access to the WNU event or refusing registration at future WNU or WNA events, or both;
  • Conveying the complaint to any authority with jurisdiction over the person accused of harassment;
  • Conveying a report to the employer or entity with jurisdiction over the person accused of harassment for appropriate follow-up action.

The victim of alleged harassment may also seek help from other relevant authorities, such as the police, bearing in mind the applicable legal framework.

A participant should never knowingly make a false or misleading claim about prohibited conduct.

6. Prohibition of retaliation

Threats, intimidation or any other form of retaliation against a participant who has made a complaint or provided information in support of a complaint are prohibited.

The WNU will take any reasonable appropriate action needed to prevent and respond to retaliation, in accordance with its applicable policy, regulations and rules.

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