Code of Conduct for Volunteers

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1. Purpose

1.1 ARIN Volunteers share a commitment to nurture and safeguard the American Registry for Internet Numbers, Ltd.’s (“ARIN”) reputation and to act in the best interests of the organization.

1.2 ARIN’s success requires a productive and safe working environment for all participants. Trust and mutual respect among members of the ARIN community are essential for providing the necessary environment. To this goal, Volunteers are expected to behave in a manner consistent with the guidelines set forth in this Code of Conduct (“Code”).

2. Application

2.1 “Volunteer” is defined as and applies to all ARIN Volunteers, to include Board of Trustees, Advisory Council, and Number Resource Organization – Number Council members. Volunteers will be provided with a copy of this Code, and will be requested to sign a written acknowledgement on an annual basis confirming their receipt, understanding of, and agreement to comply with the Code, which is a condition of their volunteer service.

2.2 This Code applies to ARIN Volunteers when they are at any ARIN or Internet industry meeting, conference or event, or when they are in the presence of individuals known to them to be members of the ARIN community, regardless of whether their expenses are paid for by ARIN. This Code does not address the conduct of Volunteers at private events that are unrelated in any manner to ARIN or the Internet industry.

3. General Provisions

3.1 Everything we do in connection with our work at ARIN is measured against the highest customary standards of ethical and professional behavior. ARIN’s commitment to these highest standards helps bring great people into the ARIN community and encourages their lasting participation.

3.2 ARIN Volunteers must avoid any conflicts of interest, which includes activity on the part of a Volunteer that is adverse to ARIN, including activity that will or will likely expose ARIN to a lawsuit or would manifestly bring the organization into disrepute. In addition, Volunteers should be aware of circumstances where there may not be an actual conflict but there may be the perception of one. Volunteers should, where appropriate given the nature and materiality of the issue and having regard to how the situation might be perceived by others, disclose the potential perceived conflict.

3.3 ARIN Volunteers must be generally aware of ARIN’s employment policies applicable to the Volunteers and conduct themselves in a manner consistent with those policies and this Code. Applicable ARIN employment policies are noted in Appendix A, where references to “employee” should be considered a reference to “volunteer”. They also need to be aware of and comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and must never knowingly violate these laws.

4. Policy Against Harassment

4.1 Every member of the ARIN community and broader Internet community is entitled to fair treatment, courtesy, and respect. ARIN strongly disapproves of and will not tolerate harassment of any of its participants, members, employees, officers, Volunteers, or Internet industry participants (collectively, the “ARIN community”). The ARIN community includes not only those directly involved with ARIN but also those throughout the Internet industry with whom ARIN Volunteers engage in any manner.

4.2 ARIN is committed to maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of discrimination and conduct that can be considered harassing, coercive, or disruptive, including sexual harassment. Actions, words, jokes, or comments based on an individual’s gender, race, creed, color, national origin, nationality, ancestry, marital status, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected characteristics (all as defined and protected by applicable law) will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of all Volunteers to assist ARIN in providing an environment that is free from harassment and commit to not engage in offensive or inappropriate harassing behavior and to report incidents of such behavior.

4.3 ARIN prohibits harassment in any form – verbal, physical, or visual – which includes slurs and any other offensive remarks, jokes, or verbal, graphic, or physical conduct. Sexual harassment is not limited to demands for sexual favors. It also may include actions such as:

  • Sexually-oriented kidding, teasing, gestures, or jokes;
  • Offensive or unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions;
  • Verbal abuse of a sexual nature;
  • Graphic or verbal comments, epithets, or slurs about an individual’s body;
  • Sexually degrading words used to describe an individual;
  • The display or transmission (e.g., e-mail, text, or social media) of sexually suggestive or sexually explicit materials (such as magazines, videos, pictures, cartoons, or posters);
  • Inquiries into another individual’s sexual experiences and activities or discussion of one’s own sexual experiences and activities; and
  • Unwelcome intentional touching of another person or other unwanted intentional physical conduct.

4.4 Any member of the ARIN community who feels that they have been, or are being, harassed by another member should immediately notify any of the following: the Chair of the Board, the President and CEO of ARIN, ARIN’s Chief Human Resources Officer, or ARIN’s General Counsel. If a Volunteer wishes to anonymously report an issue, including any misconduct and/or violation of ARIN’s policies, ARIN also offers an anonymous toll-free whistleblower hotline service administered by a third-party vendor, NAVEX Global EthicsPoint. If a Volunteer wishes to anonymously report any misconduct and/or violation of ARIN’s policies, NAVEX Global EthicsPoint can be reached at 1.844.910.2311.

4.5 All complaints of harassment that are reported will be investigated as promptly as possible. All complaints of harassment that are reported will be treated with as much confidentiality as possible, consistent with the need to conduct a thorough investigation.

4.6 ARIN prohibits retaliation against any ARIN community member who complains about alleged inappropriate behavior, even if sufficient evidence is not found to substantiate the complaint. ARIN also prohibits retaliation against any ARIN community member who participates in an investigation of a harassment complaint. An ARIN community member will not be penalized in any way for reporting, in good faith, an incident of harassment.

5. Violations of Code of Conduct

5.1 Violations of this Code may result in disciplinary action which correlates with the nature and gravity of the violation. Discipline can include a reprimand, limitation of Volunteer duties, removal of a Volunteer, or any other measure deemed necessary by ARIN to maintain a productive and safe working environment for all participants.

5.2 ARIN Volunteers are expected to adhere to the highest standards of behavior and decorum. A Volunteer’s failure to comply with ARIN Participants Expected Standards of Behavior Policy may constitute a violation of this Code. Prohibited conduct includes making statements while in an ARIN capacity that may be considered slanderous or libelous if not true, including making accusations of criminal conduct in the absence of an indictment or conviction.

6. Confidentiality

6.1 All information acquired by an ARIN Volunteer concerning ARIN personnel matters, financial matters, legal matters, member status issues, or any other item of ARIN business that is designated by the President and CEO, Chair of the Board, or General Counsel as being confidential in nature shall be held in the strictest of confidence and shall not be divulged to any outside party, including other ARIN members, without prior authorization by the President and CEO, Chair of the Board, or General Counsel. ARIN Volunteers will, from time to time, receive information relating to an alleged violation of this Code that if disclosed to anyone could reveal the identity of an ARIN community member and could be embarrassing to an ARIN community member, harmful to the interests of ARIN, or even create legal liability for ARIN. This confidentiality provision does not supersede, but rather supplements, the non-disclosure agreement signed by each Volunteer.

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