Events policy

This events policy (Policy) sets out minimum standards of conduct and outlines steps the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) may take for the safe enjoyment of the AICD’s professional events and functions (Events). 

August 2023

1. Background

(a) The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) is committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all Employees, Contractors, members and guests.

(b) This Policy is intended to ensure that the AICD’s professional events and functions (Events) can be safely enjoyed by all Attendees and sets out:

• Standards of conduct required of Attendees; and
• Steps the AICD may take to ensure the safety of Attendees.

(c) It is the AICD’s intention that Events are:

• Kept free of harassment towards employees and Contractors working with and for our organisation as well as our members and guests/non-members who are in attendance. The AICD is committed to preventing and does not tolerate any form of harassment or other inappropriate conduct at its Events; and
• Held in compliance with relevant Public Health Orders and directives in place from time to time.

2. Minimum Standards of Conduct at Events

(a) It is a condition of attendance that Event Attendees agree to comply with the standards of conduct set out in this Policy.

(b) Attendees must agree to observe the following minimum standards of conduct at all Events:

(i) Showing courtesy and respect to other Attendees, whether they are members, guests or Employees or faculty of the AICD, or employees of an Event venue.

(ii) Not engaging in conduct which may be reasonably be perceived as harassing, intimidating, overbearing or physically or emotionally threatening.

(ii) The AICD reserves the right to remove from a venue any person who does not meet the standards set out in this Policy and to take any other action available to it under its Constitution or any other rules that apply to membership or attendance at Events from time to time.

3. Responsible Service of Alcohol

The AICD meets its obligations under relevant Responsible Service of Alcohol laws in each state or territory in which it conducts those Events. The AICD requires organisations that provide hospitality services in relation to Events to comply with all relevant laws relating to Responsible Service of Alcohol.

4. Virtual Events

The minimum standards of conduct set out at paragraph two (2) above are also required to be met when an Event is held ‘virtually’ ie when one or more Attendees join an Event via a video conferencing service.

5. Making a complaint

(a) If you wish to make a complaint about conduct that you consider to be inconsistent with these standards at an Event, please speak to an AICD staff member.

(b) If you wish to make a complaint about conduct that you consider to be inconsistent with these standards following an Event you are able to contact the AICD at email address contact@aicd.com.au or telephone 1300 739 119. The AICD will take such steps as it considers necessary to respond to the complaint, including but not limited to, investigating the matter.

(c) Where an Event is held virtually you may contact the AICD moderator via the messaging service attached to the video conferencing service.

6. Public health precautions at ‘in-person’ Events

(a) To protect the health and safety of the AICD’s employees, faculty, members, guests and employees of the AICD’s service providers as well as the wider community, from time to time the AICD may require that Attendees at Events that are held in-person take certain steps to help prevent community transmission of disease, in accordance with guidance provided by the applicable Department of Health in that state or territory and the AICD’s obligations under relevant work health and safety laws.

(b) The steps that the AICD may take at a particular Event to help prevent the community transmission of a disease will depend on a number of factors which include:

• State and Commonwealth public health laws, orders and directives that apply from time to time; and
• Rates of transmission in the local community.

(c) Where the AICD determines that an in-person Event cannot be held due to an increased risk of transmission of a communicable disease, it will make arrangements to reschedule the Event or offer the Event as a virtual event able to be attended by video-conferencing service as it determines in its sole discretion.

7. Definitions

AICD means the Australian Institute of Company Directors (ABN 11 008 484 197).

Attendee means any person attending an AICD organized event including members, guests and staff.

Committee Member means a person that has been appointed as a member of any committee or advisory group of the AICD pursuant to the AICD’s Constitution, a letter of appointment or any terms of reference issued by the AICD.

Contractor means all faculty, facilitators, board advisors, consultants, secondees and any other third party contracted to provide professional services to the AICD.

Employee means all full-time, part-time and casual employees of the AICD employed on a permanent or fixed term basis

Policy means this Safe Conduct at Events Policy.

You (and “you” and “your” as appropriate) means the persons bound by this Policy as broadly set out in section 1(a) of this Policy.