Code of Conduct & Anti-Harassment Policy
Policy Statement
The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all its staff, interns, members, and participants at all Council meetings, events, delegation trips, and conferences, as well as during other Council-related activities. USTBC operates a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, and treats all incidents or allegations of incidents seriously. Anyone asked to stop any harassing behavior is expected to comply immediately. This code of conduct policy is meant to supplement good judgment, and we ask that our community respect its spirit as well as its exact wording.
USTBC defines harassment as unwelcome conduct that causes offense or humiliation. It can include a one-off incident or a series of incidents. Harassment is generally deliberate, unsolicited, and coercive.
Discriminatory harassment is harassment based on race, religion, color, creed, ethnic origin, physical attributes, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favor, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature (or which can reasonably be construed as sexual), or any other behavior of a sexual nature that is inappropriate in a professional environment. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to, physical misconduct such as unwelcome physical contact or touching, physical violence including sexual assault, and unwanted sexual advances. It also includes verbal misconduct such as sexualized comments on appearance, sexual-based comments, suggestive words, stories, and jokes, and condescending or paternalistic remarks. USTBC recognizes that sexual harassment is a manifestation of power imbalances, and often occurs within unequal professional or workplace relationships.
USTBC will ensure that adequate resources are available to promote a positive and professional work environment, and we are committed to preventing inappropriate behavior during Council activities. Staff, interns, members, and participants have the right to choose an informal or formal dispute resolution and report process for any harassment incident. USTBC is committed to maintaining the necessary measures to protect the privacy of complainants and/or witnesses, and to prevent any retaliation for reporting or discussing a harassment incident.
Procedures
Individuals who feel that they are being subject to harassment, discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, or abuse of authority are encouraged, where possible, to first inform the alleged offender that their conduct is unwelcome and request that such conduct cease. Anyone asked to stop any harassing behavior is expected to comply immediately.
Informal Complaint
USTBC understands that direct action is not always possible. If direct action is not possible, or if the alleged offender has been asked to stop the behavior and does not, USTBC asks that the complainant approaches a senior member of USTBC staff to make an informal complaint. USTBC staff will confer internally and with the complainant to jointly determine next steps. Depending on the gravity of the matter, immediate contact with law enforcement may be warranted.
If the informal complaint does not resolve the incident to the complainant’s satisfaction, or if the complainant fears retaliation, please consider making a formal complaint or reporting the matter to law enforcement.
Formal Complaint
A formal, written complaint can be submitted via email to the USTBC for further review to the dedicated email address harassment@us-taiwan.org. The complaint should include the date and location of the alleged harassment incident. If available, the names of witnesses and/or documentary proof that may corroborate the allegation should also be included. The report will be investigated by the Council within 5 business days. USTBC may handle the matter internally, or if necessary may refer the matter to an external adjudicator. Should a serious complaint be lodged, the Council may refer the matter to a third party to conduct the incident review process.
Anonymous Complaint
Anonymous complaints can be made by submitting information using the form below. While USTBC will be unable to follow up on anonymous reports, we are committed to fully investigating each report and to taking whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence of harassing behavior.
Disciplinary Measures
Staff, interns, members, attendees, or participants that USTBC deems responsible for misconduct that can be construed as harassment, discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, or abuse of authority will be subject to appropriate administrative or disciplinary measures. Complainants or witnesses will not be retaliated against for filing a complaint and/or assisting in a complaint or in the investigation process.
If USTBC determines that harassment has occurred, remediation will be taken in accordance with the circumstances involved. Any persons responsible for harassment will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. Such measures include, but are not limited to, immediate ejection from an event, termination of employment, or suspension of membership privileges. The nature of the disciplinary measure will depend on the gravity and extent of the harassment. Suitable deterrent sanctions will be applied to ensure that incidents of sexual harassment are not treated as trivial.
USTBC will ensure that our community is widely aware that this code of conduct and anti-harassment policy is in effect from August 25, 2022, and it will be included in our internal employee handbook.
Submit an Anonymous Complaint
Please fill out the form below to send us an anonymous complaint about a violation of the Code of Conduct. While USTBC will be unable to follow up on anonymous reports, we are committed to fully investigating each report and to taking whatever action is necessary to prevent a recurrence of harassing behavior.