CalSPRA Code of Ethics

The CalSPRA Code of Ethics is applicable to all CalSPRA members, board members, staff, sponsors, and participants of CalSPRA events. This code is in alignment with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Code of Ethics, reflecting CalSPRA’s commitment to ethical conduct. Given the significant public trust placed in CalSPRA members while serving the public good, we acknowledge our special obligation to act ethically and maintain high standards.

The CalSPRA Executive Board reserves the authority to deny or revoke membership or exclude individuals from association events or activities if they have been sanctioned by a governmental body, convicted in a court of law, or have engaged in actions that violate the PRSA Code of Ethics.

For further information and resources, please refer to the PRSA Code of Ethics.

Meeting & Event General Policies and Virtual Programs Code of Conduct

CalSPRA is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and CalSPRA staff and volunteers. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, CalSPRA staff, service providers, and others, are expected to abide by the Meeting Policies and Virtual Programs Code of Conduct, which apply to all CalSPRA meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than CalSPRA but held in conjunction with CalSPRA events, in public or private facilities and/or public or private platforms.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY & LIABILITY WAIVER

CalSPRA’s goal is to ensure a safe meeting environment. By attending any CalSPRA in-person event (the “Event”), you voluntarily assume all risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury related to exposure to COVID-19 and release CalSPRA from liability for any injury or harm that may result from attending the Event. CalSPRA’s goal is to ensure a safe meeting environment. CalSPRA will also follow the strictest guidance (such as masking) established by the facility hosting the event, the county department of public health in which the event is located, and/or the State. As such, you also agree to abide by any prevention or safety measures that CalSPRA, the hotel or facility hosting the event, the county health department in which the event is located, or the State may have in place during the Event. You also agree not to attend the Event if you become ill, are aware that you have been directly exposed to the COVID-19 virus within 7 days prior to the Event, or exhibit any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus prior to or during the Event.

IN-PERSON MEETINGS POLICY

CalSPRA’s top priority for all in-person meetings is the safety and welfare of our attendees and team. Our in-person meetings policy is based on facility, county, and state guidelines.

CalSPRA will follow the strictest guidelines (such as masking) established by the facility hosting the event, the county department of public health in which the event is located, and the state. Attendees will be required to agree to a Personal Responsibility & Liability Waiver when registering for a meeting or event. Attendees will receive logistical information via email, including safety and prevention measures, before their arrival.

We expect to review this policy in the future and may make changes as circumstances dictate or allow.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Please refer to the event registration page for the cancellation policy information for each event. Submit all requests to CalSPRA via email at admin@CalSPRA.org. CalSPRA regrets that refunds will not be given for no-shows. Substitutions within a given event are gladly accepted. A substitution of full registration is permitted prior to an event by submitting a written request to admin@CalSPRA.org.

CalSPRA reserves the right to change speakers and/or cancel an event due to unforeseen circumstances without penalty. The total amount of any liability of CalSPRA will be limited to a refund of the attendee’s registration fee.

Additional Virtual Event Provisions:

If a technical failure at the attendee’s home or workplace prevents access to the virtual event, the attendee will not be given a refund. It is the responsibility of the attendee to confirm system requirements and test their computers prior to the start of the virtual event. However, if a technical failure is the fault of the service provider and the virtual event is canceled, a full refund will be provided.

If you are unable to attend the virtual event, information on how to access program recordings, materials and features of the virtual event will be provided to all registered persons. Registrants who fail to attend the event, in part or in whole, are not eligible for a refund or credit and will be billed for any balance due.

CONSENT CLAUSE

Photo Release

Registration and attendance at, or participation in, CalSPRA meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to the use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in photographs, videos, electronic reproductions, and audiotapes of such events and activities by CalSPRA and other third parties, including but not limited to the venue, sponsors, and destination organizations (i.e. CVBs). Your registration may include technology that monitors your activities throughout the meeting, such as session attendance.

Email/Mail Release

CalSPRA will provide attendee contact information and email addresses to program partners and exhibitors of certain CalSPRA events. The information provided to program partners and exhibitors will only be used to inform the attendee of promotions and networking opportunities with the program partners and exhibitors at the event. Attendee information is never given to any other parties. CalSPRA does not sell attendee information. For those CalSPRA events with program partners/exhibitors you will have the option during registration to choose whether you wish to receive notifications and opportunities from the program partners/exhibitors via email or mail.

Mobile App Policy

As a knowledge sharing community, the CalSPRA Mobile App has features that allow fellow meeting attendees to know and contact each other. By participating in certain CalSPRA events you grant CalSPRA the right to upload your name, company and company's primary address & phone number in your profile to the CalSPRA meeting App, which will be available to registered attendees only.

PERSONAL SAFETY & SECURITY

CalSPRA works diligently with venue staff to ensure participants are provided with a safe and secure environment at its meetings and events. We ask that all attendees report any questionable or concerning activity to CalSPRA staff so that they may take immediate action. No concern is too small, if you see something, say something. Here are some tips on staying safe:

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Use the buddy system when walking to and from an event venue during early or late hours.
• Don’t wear your meeting badge on the street. Take it off before you leave the building/venue.
• Don’t carry a lot of cash or credit cards. Leave what you can in your hotel room safe.
• Don’t leave personal property unattended anywhere, anytime.

CalSPRA and its sponsors claim no liability for the safety of any attendee while in transit to or from a CalSPRA-sponsored event. If there is an emergency or someone requires immediate assistance, ask a CalSPRA staff member or onsite security personnel for help, or call emergency services.

RESPONSIBLE DRINKING

At some CalSPRA events both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. CalSPRA expects participants at our events to drink responsibly. CalSPRA and meeting host event staff have the right to deny service to participants for any reason, and may require a participant to leave the event.

UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR

Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, CalSPRA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest. Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, CalSPRA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
• Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by CalSPRA at the meeting venue, hotels, or other CalSPRA-contracted facilities or throughout the virtual meetings.
• All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any CalSPRA virtual event staff.
• Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services. CalSPRA reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.
• Participants should not copy or take screenshots of Q&A or any chat room activity that takes place in the virtual space.

CalSPRA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, CalSPRA asks that you inform admin@CalSPRA.org so that we may take the appropriate action.

CalSPRA reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and CalSPRA reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person. Please refer to the CalSPRA Ethics Code of Conduct for additional information.