Non – Discrimination and Sustainability Policies for FEPSAC 2022

The FEPSAC 2022 Conference will adopt the following safer space policy and implement numerous diversity and inclusivity initiatives in the ongoing effort to improve the diversity and inclusivity in this conference.

Specific Diversity and Inclusivity Initiatives:

  • The FEPSAC 2022 Conference aims to have gender and geographical balance: In the selection of the speakers, the committee will be careful to guarantee a gender balance and a geographical representativeness.
    In addition, the Organizing Secretariat will respect every author and participant regardless of their gender identity (whether it is feminine, masculine, or non binary). In respect of the transgender community, the pronouns of the participants will be asked during the registration on an optional basis. It is also possible that they will be printed on the badges that participants will use during the Conference.

  • Safer Space Policy: A safer space policy aims to foster an environment of respect, which makes all participants feel welcome – particularly those who are typically marginalized or excluded, whether by religion, race, sex, gender, or sexual, romantic and relational orientation. Differing opinions and perspectives are crucial to effective discussion but all attendees ultimately take responsibility for their own speech and behaviour – in person and on social media – throughout the entire event and associated social gatherings.

  • Social sustainability: An event is considered socially sustainable when designed, planned and realized with a strategy that minimizes negative impact on the environment and leaves a positive legacy to the host community.
    Over the years Symposia has been implementing a large number of operational best practices for the daily running of its structure and all its events, from the selection of materials according to eco-sustainability criteria and the energy efficiency of the equipment, to the procedures for possible work peaks and for the replacement of absent staff.

  • We have provided reduced fees to meet the needs of students, retirees and participants from lower and middle-income Countries for which registration fees may be difficult to pay.

Architectural and Sensory Accessibility:

  • The FEPSAC 2022 Conference is committed to providing disabled participants with accessibility to all Conference structures, that are provided with all necessary means to be accessed by everyone.

Attendees are encouraged to:

  • Ask respectful questions and avoid dominating a presenter’s question time to further any particular agenda. Question time after a talk is intended to give presenters the opportunity to expand on their talk in response to audience questions, and is not a platform for the audience to individually reply.

  • Be mindful of and understand that intersectionality shapes our lived experience.

  • Actively include all attendees in social gatherings (such as post-conference dinners and social events), particularly those for whom English is not a first-language and junior students.

Sustainability

Over the years Symposia has been implementing a large number of operational best practices for the daily running of its structure and all its events, from the selection of materials according to eco-sustainability criteria and the energy efficiency of the equipment, to the procedures for possible work peaks and for the replacement of absent staff.

FEPSAC 2022 will be an environmentally-friendly event promoting environmental and social solidarity.

Great care will be put in our Green philosophy that will be applied to the catering services as well as to the choice of all equipment, materials, and gadgets and also thanks to the Food for Good project endorsement.

  • Food waste: Thanks to the collaboration with Federcongressi & eventi, the food bank network Banco Alimentare and the Fair Event organization Equoevento, we will collect the surplus food at the end of the Conference meals and deliver it to charitable organizations such as family homes, soup kitchens and refugee centers, in accordance with applicable hygiene regulations and in compliance with Italy’s Good Samaritan lay (Law 155/2003).

 

  • Carbon neutral: FEPSAC 2022 will be climate-friendly and, in the best-case scenario, carbon neutral. As the Organization Secretariat, Symposia minimises the waste of CO2 emissions during its work and avoid all CO2 emissions that arise from any conference-related activities and travels. For this reason, in the website and private correspondence with participants, FEPSAC 2022 staff will inform participants of different possibilities to reach the venue, such as public transportation and bike routes. FEPSAC 2022 will also prioritize renewable energy sources and eco-friendly merchandise in the conference kit.