Code of Conduct

House rules for The Coalition For Women In Journalism

This document is meant to keep us grounded and clarify our core mission and spirit. The code of conduct drafted here applies to everybody associated with The Coalition for Women in Journalism (also CFWIJ, #CFWIJ or @CFWIJ on Twitter) including, but not limited to, mentors, mentees and #HeForShe advocates.

Code of conduct that applies to any or either of the following.

A- If you are a member or work with us as a mentor:

Thank you for your commitment as well as the time, skills and resources you are contributing to help us create a thriving and diverse industry. Please remember that we advise all mentors to keep conversations between themselves and their assigned fellows confidential unless mutually discussed. In the interest of confidentiality and intimacy, a mentorship should be kept between three parties: the CFWIJ mentee, her mentor and our organization. We do regular follow-ups with mentors and fellows, the purpose of which is to keep track of how each mentorship is progressing.

B- If you are a fellow or seeking support from us:

Thank you for applying to our mentorship program. We encourage you to feel completely comfortable with your mentor. Each mentor is selected after a lengthy screening process and assessment by several other mentors experienced with helping individual mentees. Our goal is to help you exceed your current achievements and improve your health and wellbeing to the fullest extent possible. We dedicate an immense amount of energy and love to make this happen, in hope that you will remember our mission and pass it forward in your own career and professional relationships. We encourage you to share your expertise and resources with your female and LGBT colleagues whenever possible. We especially encourage you to mentor colleagues in the future, just as your mentors are doing for you now. Should you face any uncomfortable scenario during your mentorship, please notify your mentorship manager. If at any point you experience discomfort during your relationship with us, please get in touch with your mentor or mentorship manager. If necessary, you may also request to speak with the director.

C- If you are a partner organization:

Thank you for becoming partners in our mission to help each other better the industry. We encourage you to remember us as you operate your business and help promote the vision of the Coalition For Women In Journalism. Please do not hesitate to discuss new ideas or emerging concerns with our executive director, project director or relevant members. We are very open to improvement and growth.

D- For all members associated with the CFWIJ:

Please remember your purpose. You have joined the Coalition for Women In Journalism in the spirit of helping women journalists work in safe and thriving environments. We encourage you to contribute in this mission and remind you that the level of your involvement affects our daily environment. Each exchange, action and intention construct the reality of the ecosystem we all create, individually and collectively. Please remember these values:

• Be Inclusive

A collaborative spirit is at the heart of everything that we do. We ask all our members to participate in the environment of inclusivity, camaraderie and support in order to promote growth for all parties, including ourselves. If and when differences occur, we must remember the strength created by diversity. We expect our members to appreciate and acknowledge their differences and use them to build a stronger, more robust world for women journalists. If any conflicts or differences of opinions occur, we urge you to approach them with a kind, empathetic and solution-driven mentality.

• Be deliberate

We are purposeful in the actions we take and do our best to ensure that those actions translate into the progress, productivity, and promotion of women journalists. We expect our members to do the same.

• Maintain politeness and zero tolerance for harassment

This may seem obvious, but we must emphasize the following: any form of harassment, abuse, unwanted or impolite behavior by any member is completely prohibited. This is especially important in an environment where the majority of our members and partners invest time, effort and resources in a pro bono capacity. Our ecosystem depends on us constantly giving and taking with each other. Within this dynamic of power and investment it is not impossible to accidentally or unintentionally neglect our responsibilities. We understand that this is part of the human condition, but we are taking this opportunity to remind all members to maintain polite and encouraging behavior towards each other.

The best way to do that is to immediately and courteously address any neglect or irritation. Any form of harassment is a threat to the environment we have created. We have zero tolerance for such behavior in the context of the relationship between mentors and mentees or within our partnerships. If an incident of harassment takes place outside of our organization, we will become involved if necessary. These are problems in the industry we are seeking to address. We would like all our members to take this seriously and notify us if they have concerns about a member’s behavior.

• Wellbeing and mindfulness

We at CFWIJ intend that any and all actions taken by this organization should lead to contentment and fulfillment. We believe in prioritizing physical and emotional wellbeing and encourage our members to be kind to themselves. Attention to mental health and practices such as meditation are highly recommended. If you have any questions regarding this, we are happy to advise. Thanks to our colleague Dan Harris and his company 10% Happier, who have joined with us to help improve mental health and efficiency for women journalists, we are able to offer support in this area as well. Mindfulness matters and we take it very seriously at the CFWIJ.

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We are immensely grateful to the Craig Newmark Philanthropies for supporting this project and to the FCNY (Fund for the City Of New York) for the legal and logistical backing in the United States. If you are interested in learning more about our legal status, please get in touch via info@womeninjournalism.org or send in a query via your contact person.