Code of Conduct

Official PyData policy: PyData Code of Conduct
Complete governing policy: NumFOCUS Code of Conduct
Official reporting form: Report a Code of Conduct incident to NumFOCUS
Local event response: Community and Code of Conduct Team

Our commitment

PyData is an educational program of NumFOCUS, and PyData St. Louis follows the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct. It applies to participants, speakers, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, and attendees in our in-person and online event spaces.

Community members are expected to be kind, considerate, inclusive, and respectful of different viewpoints and experiences. Harassment, discrimination, intimidation, unwelcome sexual attention, threats, sustained disruption, and other behavior inappropriate for a professional community are not tolerated.

The official policies linked above are authoritative and contain the complete standards, scope, procedures, and possible consequences.

Our community

NumFOCUS community members value kindness, inclusivity, transparency, curiosity, and collaboration. Participants are encouraged to:

• Be open to collaboration and focus on what is best for the community.
• Acknowledge the time and effort contributed by others.
• Show empathy, consideration, and respect.
• Be courteous when disagreeing or raising concerns.
• Respect differing viewpoints and experiences.
• Use welcoming and inclusive language.

Every community member has the right to have their identity respected. We are committed to a positive experience for everyone regardless of age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, neurotype, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, nationality, race, religion or lack thereof, education, socioeconomic status, or level of experience.

Unacceptable behavior

Examples of unacceptable behavior include:

• Harassment, deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following.
• Violent threats, incitement of violence, or encouragement of self-harm.
• Sexualized language or imagery, unwelcome sexual attention, or advances.
• Unwelcome physical contact or continued interaction after a request to stop.
• Sexist, racist, discriminatory, exclusionary, or stereotype-based jokes and language.
• Insults, put-downs, ridicule, trolling, or derogatory comments.
• Publishing private information or sharing confidential content without permission, except when necessary within the Code of Conduct process.
• Recording or taking screenshots of online activity for harassment.
• Creating additional accounts to continue harassment or circumvent a ban.
• Sustained disruption of community discussions or events.
• Other behavior inappropriate for a professional audience of people from many backgrounds.
• Advocating for or encouraging any of the above behavior.

Anyone asked to stop inappropriate behavior is expected to comply immediately.

Weapons policy

Weapons are not allowed at NumFOCUS events. This includes firearms, explosives or fireworks, large knives designed for hunting or display, other objects or substances designed to injure or incapacitate, and replicas of dangerous weapons. A person possessing such an item will be required to leave and may return only without it.

Scope

The Code of Conduct applies to everyone participating in, attending, or interacting with PyData St. Louis in-person and online events. It covers event spaces, event-related off-site social activities, and interactions through official event accounts, video platforms, hashtags, and communication spaces.

Consequences

When a participant violates the Code of Conduct, the Code of Conduct Event Response Team or NumFOCUS Code of Conduct Working Group may take or recommend an appropriate action. Depending on the circumstances, this may include a warning, a required change in behavior, removal from an event or community space, loss of event responsibilities, or exclusion from future events. Current official procedures control all responses.

How to report

For an event-specific concern, ideally speak privately with a PyData St. Louis organizer or a member of the Community and Code of Conduct Team. This gives the local Event Response Team an opportunity to address immediate needs and enforce the Code of Conduct during the meetup.

If an organizer or team member is not present, you would prefer not to report locally, or the concern involves a local responder, submit the PyData St. Louis Code of Conduct reporting form. This is the official NumFOCUS form, and submissions go directly to the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct Working Group under its policies and procedures.

If you are unsure whether an incident violates the Code of Conduct or falls within its scope, you are still encouraged to report it. You may submit a report without providing contact information, although contact information allows the Working Group to ask follow-up questions and share updates.

Local responders can help address urgent needs, contact venue staff or emergency services, provide an escort, or take other appropriate immediate steps to support safety during the event. Reports made in person may also be documented through the official form.

Event-specific reporting instructions may be found on the website for the event. Meetup-specific reporting instructions should be found on the Meetup group’s page. For PyData St. Louis, these instructions are available here and on our Meetup group.

If there is immediate physical danger, contact emergency services or venue security first. NumFOCUS and PyData St. Louis are not emergency services.

The NumFOCUS Code of Conduct Working Group may contact the local team, relevant organizers, or community managers when follow-up concerning an event is necessary. On-site action by the local team does not replace the official NumFOCUS reporting and review process.

Helpful information for a report

Provide as much information as you feel comfortable sharing. Useful details may include:

• Your contact information, if you would like follow-up.
• The date, approximate time, and location of the incident.
• Whether the incident is ongoing.
• A description of what happened and the surrounding circumstances.
• Identifying information for the person whose behavior is being reported.
• Names or contact information for witnesses or other people involved.
• Relevant messages, screenshots, links, or other supporting records.
• Any immediate safety or retaliation concerns.

What happens after a report

The NumFOCUS Code of Conduct Working Group receives and evaluates reports submitted through the official form. It acknowledges reports, checks for conflicts of interest, gathers additional information when needed, evaluates the incident, determines an appropriate response, and follows up with the reporter when contact information is available.

Reports are handled confidentially. Details are anonymized as much as possible when an incident is discussed with a reported person, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed when the circumstances make an identity apparent. Include any concerns about safety or retaliation in the report. A Working Group member with a conflict of interest must recuse from discussion, documentation, and decisions concerning that report.

Under the published procedure, a Working Group member follows up within one week when the reporter provides contact information. Please review the complete NumFOCUS Code of Conduct for current procedures, response options, and confidentiality information.

Source and updates

This page provides local meetup instructions and selected material from the official PyData Code of Conduct and NumFOCUS Code of Conduct. If this page ever differs from an official policy or procedure, the official NumFOCUS material controls.

The NumFOCUS Code of Conduct is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license. This adaptation retains that attribution and license.