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The WMS is a professional scientific society. Our membership comprises scientists of any gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, age, ability, appearance, status and social background from across the world. It is in our values that we provide a respectful, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for all, where they feel safe to participate in the Society’s activities without fear of disrespect for their dignity. A separate, but similar Code of Conduct exists to guide the behaviour of members of the WMS. Membership Code of Conduct.
The WMS also organises professional scientific meetings though its subsidiary WMS Congress Ltd, and our WMS values extend to all non-WMS members taking part in WMS Congress activities. In doing so, we are committed to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment for researchers and clinicians to learn, share ideas, and promote translational science. We encourage everyone to reflect on the diversity and inclusion in their presented work and its impact on the generalisability of findings for the benefit all patients with neuromuscular disorders.
The standards outlined in this document apply to in-person and virtual attendees of the WMS Congress and/or WMS Pre-Congress Teaching Course.
The WMS sets and upholds high standards of ethical behaviour and attitudes, and highlights the importance for members, speakers, exhibitors, media and staff, and other participants to express cultural sensitivity and respect with regards to clothing and appearance. We also expect everyone to behave with integrity and respect towards other members and delegates in Society’s activities.
The WMS Executive Board is committed to supporting members and delegates who challenge poor conduct and behaviours. The WMS is also committed to implementing, maintaining and monitoring procedures and guidance for appropriate reporting of unacceptable behaviour of any kind from delegates.
The present Code of Conduct is not a legal document or prescriptive in nature, but aims to provide a framework that encourages WMS Congress participants to engage in our activities within bounds of behaviour that are accepted and observed by others. All members, attendees, speakers, exhibitors, organisers, and volunteers taking part in any WMS-related activity are expected to always show respect and courtesy to others.
The Code of Conduct supplements, but does not affect, the application of other relevant policies, regulations, rules, and laws (including laws regulating the premises or platform in which WMS and WMS Congress activities may take place), third party related platforms, and any applicable host country agreement. WMS and WMS Congress comply with such policies and will report all inappropriate conduct accordingly.
WMS Congress delegates will be provided with personalised credentials allowing them access to Congress virtual platform. These credentials are personal and non-transferable. Non-registered individuals wishing to access the Congress or the Pre-Congress Teaching Course can only do so by prior agreement with the Congress organisers.
All Congress delegates are expected to interact with fellow members and attendees in the same way virtually as at a physical WMS event. As such:
Participants are encouraged to report any experience of harassment to the WMS Secretariat through our complaints procedure and form (insert links). The WMS and Congress organisers reserve the right to take any action deemed appropriate in case of harassment. Host institutions of reported individuals will be notified about upheld harassment reports.
Attendees of the WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course must respect the privacy of other members and refrain from unauthorised or unwelcomed recording or photography, including recording of any direct or indirect interactions or electronic messaging with other members or delegates.
The WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course adhere to the copyright laws guiding the appropriate sharing of scientific research material, including data. Authors’ consent may be requested by WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course in case sharing of scientific material from abstracts/posters/presentations will be required as part of WMS educational activities.
As detailed under “Online behaviour at the WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course”, attendees must not photograph or film and share via social media the scientific detail of live presentations or scientific posters at the WMS Congress or Pre-Congress Teaching Course without the express permission of the presenter and owner of the data/ intellectual property. Moreover, integral recording of complete oral presentations is not allowed unless these are done by a professional entity that has been contracted for this purpose by or on behalf of the organiser.
Presenters and exhibitors are strongly encouraged to clearly indicate whether or not photography/recording of the poster, presentation, or exhibit booth and sharing/remixing of the material is permitted. To aid in this process, WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course will provide presenters with a digital graphic image to incorporate into their slides/poster or to print and display.
For the purpose of these guidelines, harassment consists of improper or unwelcome conduct that might reasonably be perceived as intentionally causing offence or humiliation to another person. Harassment may involve any conduct of a verbal, non-verbal or physical nature, including written and electronic communication. Harassment in any form by or towards any member, attendee, speaker, exhibitor, organiser, or volunteer is not tolerated.
Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:
When organising its events, the safety of our members and attendees is our main concern. The committee organising these events will thoroughly consider all the risks associated with certain locations before deciding the safest and most appropriate venue.
All data and scientific research that is presented at a WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course, and subsequently shared on the WMS website, shall be based on original research findings derived from procedures and experiments which adhere to the accepted guidelines for good ethical and experimental research conduct. Presenters are responsible for the content of their presentations, whether oral or written, and shall secure appropriate consent from collaborators and funders, as relevant, prior to any presentation at a WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course.
The WMS and WMS Congress Ltd encourages open and respectful discussions on social media and blogging platforms. Nonetheless, attendees must not photograph or film and share via social media the scientific detail of live presentations or scientific posters at the WMS Congress or Pre-Congress Teaching Course without the express permission of the presenter and owner of the data/ intellectual property. not post images or video online without obtaining appropriate permission. Members are requested to respect any request from an author not to disseminate the contents of their presentation/poster.
In case of a possible breach of the Code of Conduct, the concerned individuals are requested to follow the WMS’s complaints procedure and provide details of the issue in this form. All breaches of the Code of Conduct will be managed confidentially by independent consultants E-volveHR.
The WMS and WMS Congress organisers reserve the right to take any action as deemed necessary as a consequence of any breach of the present Code of Conduct, or to prevent a violation of the Code of Conduct. This may include: reporting to host institutions; permanent removal of WMS Congress and Pre-Congress Teaching Course credentials; and filing a police report when appropriate.
