From principles to practice: A code of conduct for the human-centered and ethical development of immersive technologies

<ns3:p>The XR4Human Code of Conduct was developed over a 12-month period using a participatory co-design approach that combined multi-disciplinary expert workshops with members of the consortium followed by stakeholder and public consultations. The process was intentionally iterative. Drafting, review, and revision were guided by reflective equilibrium to reconcile empirical inputs from the project deliverables, normative principles, and practical constraints. The final Code is organised into nine domains that consolidate core principles relevant to the responsible design, development, and deployment of XR systems. These principles are made more concrete through seven articles that specify actionable obligations. To support real-world adoption, the Code is operationalised via an Ethical Impact Assessment and a companion Compliance Checklist aligned to the core principles and articles.</ns3:p>