ATBC Code of Conduct

As tropical biology continues to grow in international participation and cultural diversity, it becomes increasingly important to be attentive to ensuring that our professional spaces are welcoming, respectful, and safe for all members. The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) supports safe, respectful spaces, contributing to creative and innovative thinking, allowing for diverse solutions and growth. Beyond its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, the organization has also formalized codes to establish fundamental norms that protect members from harassment and other misbehaviors. This document is the product of a collective effort, testifying to the commitment of ATBC members to constructing a complete code. In 2019, Krista McGuire, chair of the DEI committee until the beginning of 2020, developed the first draft of the Code of Ethics. This document was employed as a basis for the next DEI committee to start developing a Code of Conduct in April 2020. The Code of Conduct is meant to establish the best practices for everyone to have safe spaces and to serve as a guideline for the expected behavior of a person who participates in any activity organized by the association (in-person or virtual). The code went through multiple rounds of revision by the DEI committee and the Association Leadership, was approved by the ATBC Council in 2022, and shared publicly during the ATBC 2022 in Cartagena, Colombia. By publishing the code in Biotropica, we aim to make the ATBC Code of Conduct more broadly available so other institutions and associations can use it as inspiration to strengthen their own policies. This code highlights conduct expected to maintain professional integrity, enhance cultural sensitivities, and contribute to the collective effect of tropical biology and conservation. The Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC) is an international, professional society committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for its members. This Code of Conduct provides a framework for responsible conduct when members engage in research, outreach, and conservation activities at ATBC-sponsored events. The ATBC prides itself as a safe-space where discrimination and harassment of any kind based on gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, having any kind of disability, marital status, or religious belief is expressly prohibited. All functions of the Association require that members are given equal access and opportunity to participate in ATBC-sponsored activities. During ATBC activities, participants are expected to treat others with respect to ensure that a collegial atmosphere is maintained. The primary outcome of such activities should be to support the free exchange of ideas without any prejudice against member identity. The scope of this policy extends to all society-related activities, including meetings, workshops, field trips, mixers, and working groups, conducted online and/or in-person. The ATBC has a zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior and harassment of/ by members. Appendix S1 shows the reporting guidelines for members, adjudication of complaints, and consequences for the violation of this Code of Conduct and Policy. Appendix S1: btp70090-sup-0001-AppendixS1.docx. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.