Code of Conduct

DSP has a code of conduct that guides its work and that it expects its members to adhere to:

  • We expect our members to abide by and support our mission statement and principles as listed on our website. This includes our core values: respect, equality, integrity and inclusion in the service of our mission to contribute to justice in Palestine

  • We respect our colleagues, fellow-members and others with whom we come into contact. We respect the individuality and diversity of everyone and we commit ourselves to maintaining an inclusive (work) environment. We do not accept any discrimination, harassment or intimidation.

  • We treat everyone equally and with the same open-mindedness and constructive feedback as we would like to be given. This includes treating them with respect, dignity, honesty and politeness. We ourselves are also open to constructive feedback and provide it in a respectful and constructive manner. As most of the communication between members is digital, we expect members to be nuanced and communicate in good faith.

  • We strive for equality without social and academic hierarchies, but are also mindful of decision-making processes. Individual members will not speak or act to any organization (universities, the media, police, other organizations/companies/corporations/initiatives) in the name of DSP without a clear mandate from the DSP board to do so.

  • We strive for maximum openness and transparency as long as it does not conflict with the rights of our members and our core values. We do not share internal discussions with outside sources that might put our members in vulnerable positions. We also do not share personal information about members (including their name) with outside sources unless the respective member(s) has (have) given explicit permission for this or when legally required.

  • We do not judge immediately, but ask questions, conduct research and then draw conclusions.

  • We address problems as quickly as possible, and constantly look for new solutions.

  • We are a not-for-profit organization and thus cannot individually or collectively profit from our work.

Complaint Procedure

DSP expects its members to act in accordance with the above code of conduct.

Nevertheless, conflicts or situations might arise where a member feels the need to find support or make an (official) complaint. DSP put a process in place to ensure such incidents are taken seriously and a procedure is followed.

DSP has an independent confidential advisor whom DSP members can contact and discuss steps with to address any issue at hand. The advisor is not a DSP member and functions as an independent resource DSP members can turn to.

Name of confidential advisor: Lucie Dinkla

Contact information: VP.luciedinkla@gmail.com

You can rest assured that the advisor will treat your case and the shared information with respect and privacy and will never share any details with others without your explicit approval (unless a crime is reported and there is a legal requirement to report this). Steps that can be taken after discussing your case with the advisor are (not limited to):

  • Making a report of the conversation / incident. This will be registered internally. Only the confidential advisor have access to the incident reports. Once a year an anonymized summary of all reports will be shared with the board and other interested parties.

  • Joint meeting with the other person(s) in question and the advisor; This meeting is set up by the complaining member.

  • Bringing the issue to members of the executive board and have them talk to the different parties involved.

  • Make a complaint, and refer the case to the complaint committee. The complaint committee consists of three members, and they will be tasked with investigating the incident and give recommendations on how to proceed, to both the complaining member and the executive board.

  • Any other steps that might help in resolving the issue, and holding people accountable when needed.

When signalling an integrity issue at DSP, members can also contact the confidential advisor and discuss referring the case to the executive board and/or the complaint committee.

The role of the executive board in case of complaints and violations of the code of conduct:

DSP can enforce disciplinary measures on members who show transgressive behavior and do not abide by the code of conduct, or who show disruptive, obstructive or interruptive acts that impact the work of DSP and its mission.

Depending on the severity and type of violation of the code of conduct, various disciplinary measures may be taken. They include de-escalating measures, and formal measures when de-escalation seems to be ineffective. These measures will be executed by members of DSP’s elected executive board, based on the advice of the complaint committee, and include the following measures.

  1. In case of a first violation, a meeting in person to discuss the behavior or complaint will be organized, together with the advisor.

  2. Official warning: In some cases, a more severe violation of the code of conduct may lead to a written warning (email) accompanied by a phone call. This is intended as a signal that the behavior is unacceptable and could result in further disciplinary measures if repeated.

  3. Membership suspension: In case of serious violations, a suspension may be imposed. Membership can be revoked by a 2/3rd majority vote of the executive board.

  4. Police complaint: If a person is suspected of criminal offenses, the police/justice will be involved.

This is a living document that will be evaluated annually and revisited when needed.