WCRP Code of Conduct

3 July 2023

This World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) Code of Conduct is informed by the United Nations and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) guidance and instructions as contained in the Charter of the United Nations¹, the UN Secretary-General Bulletin on Prohibition of discrimination, harassment including sexual harassment, and abuse of authority² and the WMO Code of Ethics.³

WCRP embraces diversity, demands equality, and builds capacity for the future. In order to achieve these, every member of WCRP groups, panels and committees, including members of the WCRP Secretariat, should be able to work in a professional, respectful and harassment-free environment.

This code of conduct applies to any activity organized by any WCRP group, panel, committee and the WCRP Secretariat, including day-to-day business conducted by those groups, either in a face-to-face or virtual environment.

All members of WCRP groups are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and in a manner that is professional, respectful, tolerant and responsible. A zero-tolerance approach will be applied to any form of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying.

Discrimination is any unfair treatment or arbitrary distinction based on a person’s race, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability, age, language, social origin or other status. Discrimination may be an isolated event affecting one person or a group of persons similarly situated or may manifest itself through harassment or abuse of authority.

Harassment is any improper and unwelcome conduct that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offense or humiliation to another person because of inter alia, an individual’s gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, ethnicity, national origin, age, or religion. Bullying is unwelcome, aggressive behavior involving the use of influence, threat, intimidation, or coercion to dominate others in the professional environment. Harassment or bullying may take the form of words, gestures or actions which tend to annoy, alarm, abuse, demean, intimidate, belittle, humiliate or embarrass another or which create intimidating, hostile or offensive professional environment.

Sexual harassment is a specific type of prohibited conduct. It is any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment may be any conduct of a verbal, including via electronic or telephonic means, nonverbal or physical in nature and may occur between persons of the opposite or same sex.

In the event that a member of any WCRP body, or participant of a WCRP meeting, feels that an issue has arisen regarding disrespectful treatment, harassment bullying or discrimination, regardless of whether it rises to the level of breach of this conduct, the member or event participant is encouraged to discuss it in confidence, with anyone in the list below, as appropriate:

• The Chair or Vice-Chair of the Joint Scientific Committee (JSC)
• The Head or any other member of the WCRP Secretariat
• The Co-chairs of Core Projects or Lighthouse Activities Scientific Steering Groups (SSG)
• The Directors of the WCRP Core Projects’ International Project Offices (IPOs)

In the event of a clear or perceived breach of the code of conduct, it may be reported in writing to the Head of the WCRP Secretariat, or the Chair or Vice-Chair of the JSC, as appropriate. Once this is received, a JSC member will be appointed as point of contact, who will first discuss with the complainant on how they wish to proceed.

All reports and allegations of breaches to this code of conduct will be handled sensitively and in confidence. The immediate priority will be to protect the privacy of the person(s) exposed to the breach of conduct and the need for further action will be assessed carefully on a case-by-case basis. Note that this code of conduct applies not only to in-person meetings, but also to teleconferences, e-mail exchanges and other interactions.