Event Attendance Policy

Meetings and events, both in-person and virtual, are a critical part of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s efforts to work toward achieving its mission. These include meetings, such as research meetings and annual chapter meetings; community events, such as BreatheCon and ResearchCon; and chapter events, such as Great Strides or galas; and conferences, such as the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference and the Volunteer Leadership Conference.

The Foundation is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment. As such, the Foundation has developed the following guidance for individuals visiting Foundation offices and attending Foundation-sponsored meetings, events, and conferences (together referred to as Foundation Events), including Foundation employees, volunteers, exhibitors, sponsors, vendors, service providers, media, presenters, attendees, and others.

• Event Conduct Guidelines
• Event Health Guidelines
• Event Safety and Security Guidelines

By visiting Foundation offices or registering for or attending Foundation Events, you agree to comply with this policy and the guidelines outlined below. Please also review the event policies of individual Foundation Events or events hosted by independent organizations, as they may have other requirements.

Reporting Concerns

If you witness or experience behavior that you believe to be a violation of this policy, please report the issue to a Foundation representative. Specific events may designate an event lead or primary contact, or you may ask Foundation employees for assistance. For issues during a virtual meeting, you may also report an issue by contacting the meeting host or moderator.

In some cases, the Foundation’s Reporting, Investigations, and Whistleblower Policy may also apply, and may offer additional methods for reporting incidents.

Compliance

You must immediately comply with any Foundation request to abide by this policy, including ceasing any prohibited behavior. You are also expected to cooperate in any Foundation efforts to look into potential violations of this policy.

The Foundation, in its sole discretion, may remove individuals that do not abide by this policy from its property or continued attendance at a Foundation Event, without refund. The Foundation reserves the right to determine if additional consequences may be appropriate, including reporting the matter to others, such as law enforcement agencies, as necessary. When appropriate, the Foundation may restrict individuals from future visits to its property or from attending future Foundation Events.

The Foundation is committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment for individuals visiting Foundation offices and attending Foundation Events, whether held in-person, virtual, or hybrid format. As such, the Foundation has outlined its conduct guidance.

Expected Conduct

You are expected to: 

• Be considerate, open-minded, and respectful.

  • Help create a productive and positive environment to create a meaningful experience for all.

  • Be considerate of others’ opinions and life experiences. 

• Keep presentation content, discussions, and questions focused on relevant topics.

  • Please raise matters that are within the scope of the intended discussion topics. Staying on relevant topics enables individuals to learn from each other and benefit from a productive exchange of ideas.

  • At Foundation Events, be responsive to moderator guidance on whether a topic is appropriately in scope. For example, a respectful debate about a CF-related topic may offer valuable feedback, but arguing individual political views, commercially promoting specific products or companies, debating matters of personal taste, or critiquing participant or community member personal qualities or interactions will generally not foster a productive dialogue. 

• Participate using your genuine identity and content you are permitted to share.

  • To create an open and honest space, use your real name, identity, and experiences.

  • When participating in virtual Foundation Events, use your real name or initials, and use accurate photographs of yourself, if uploading images to a profile. You may also decide to maintain your anonymity in forums where anonymous participation is specifically noted as being welcome.

  • For Foundation Events with registration or other attendance restrictions, please attend only the events for which you are registered and the intended audience.

  • Give appropriate credit to ideas or works created by others. 

• Seek permission before sharing non-public information and honor confidential discussions.

  • As an organization dedicated to curing an illness, discussions at the Foundation regularly involve sensitive or confidential information, such as an individual’s medical diagnoses or experiences. You should get an individual’s permission before sharing their non-public information, even as an example in a discussion.

  • While we encourage you to share your experience at Foundation Events, including on social media, please respect the privacy of others, including the content of one-on-one conversations, as well as small-group breakouts (video or in-person) and photographs that include other individuals.  

• Respect the rules, policies, and practices of the specific event.

  • To ensure the safety, security, and logistics of an event, please follow the Event Safety and Security Guidelines and any additional specific policies or guidance as instructed.  

Unacceptable Conduct

Individuals visiting Foundation offices and attending Foundation Events are expected to refrain from unacceptable conduct. The Foundation reserves the right to determine, in its sole discretion, whether behavior constitutes unacceptable conduct. As general guidance, you should avoid the following behaviors, including but not limited to, those noted below. 

• Do not discriminate against or harass any participants.

  • The Foundation prohibits discrimination or harassment of others.

  • Avoid personal attacks, or any speech or action that is intimidating, harassing, discriminatory, abusive, derogatory, or demeaning.

  • For additional information, please see the Foundation’s Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy

• Do not use malicious or offensive speech.

  • Avoid using vulgar speech or other offensive language that may make other participants feel uncomfortable. Individuals have different experiences, personalities, and backgrounds. Please be sensitive to others’ perspectives and do not make assumptions about them or their experiences. 

• Do not engage in unsafe behavior or interrupt the event.

  • To help protect the health and well-being of others, follow any Foundation health, safety, and security policies.

  • Do not interfere with the logistics of a Foundation Event or the proper functioning of event software, platforms, or other event technology.  

• Do not ask for or give individual medical advice.

  • Discussions with others are not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations from qualified professionals.

  • Please remember that everyone’s medical experiences are unique to them, including each person’s journey with cystic fibrosis. You may learn about how others manage cystic fibrosis or related complications as they share their stories, or hear from medical professionals providing general information, but individuals should consult their medical care team before making any changes to a treatment plan for themselves or others. 

• Do not share others’ information or content without permission.

  • Do not share others’ sensitive, confidential, or non-public information without permission.

  • Do not share pictures, screenshots, or information from private sessions unless given explicit authorization to do so by all individuals involved.

  • Do not share images, written materials or other third-party resources without obtaining written permission from the individuals that created them.

As an organization dedicated to curing cystic fibrosis, the health and wellbeing of our community is a top priority. As such, the Foundation has outlined its health guidance for individuals visiting Foundation offices and attending in-person Foundation Events.

Please consider the infection risk to yourself and others before visiting Foundation offices and attending in-person Foundation Events. Please do not visit or attend a Foundation Event if you feel sick or are experiencing any new respiratory symptoms. If you recently had a respiratory illness, please wait until you have been fever-free and your symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours.

Please also follow these steps:

• You should follow basic infection, prevention, and control practices by regularly washing your hands with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand gel, and by covering your cough or sneeze; and 

• We strongly encourage individuals to be up to date with their vaccinations (such as COVID-19, flu, and others).

Please follow guidance from your medical professionals and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and make informed decisions based upon your health, including taking additional health and safety precautions as necessary. If you or those around you have risk factors for severe illness, or either currently have, were recently exposed to, or are recovering from a respiratory illness, please consider additional preventative strategies:

• Test for COVID-19 prior to travel to large in-person Foundation Events, which may include testing even if you do not have symptoms; 

• Wear a high-quality mask (e.g., N-95 or well-fitting surgical mask); and 

• Consider social distancing, especially at indoor events.

If you are a person living with cystic fibrosis, please be aware that the Foundation policy is to invite only one person known to be living with cystic fibrosis at a time to be in-person at indoor Foundation Events. For outdoor Foundation Events, the Foundation recommends that people living with cystic fibrosis maintain a 6-foot distance from other attendees. You may also wish to consult your physician before visiting Foundation offices or attending in-person Foundation Events as there may be an increased risk of respiratory and other illnesses for yourself and others.

Please note that while the Foundation has taken steps to provide a safe environment for our community, due to the inherent risk of being in public places or gatherings, you may be exposed to a communicable illness. By visiting a Foundation office or attending in-person Foundation Events, you are assuming the risk that you may be exposed to or infected by a communicable illness, such as COVID-19. The Foundation may ask you to sign a related acknowledgment or waiver.

The Foundation is committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for individuals visiting Foundation offices and attending Foundation Events. As such, the Foundation has outlined its safety and security guidance.

You must avoid engaging in conduct that could endanger the safety of yourself or others, or cause damage to people or property.

The Foundation also asks that you abide by the following guidance:

• Report lost or stolen badges and/or event credentials (e.g., IDs, lanyards, passes) immediately to a Foundation representative.

• Event attendees and their guests must register before attending Foundation Events. Similarly, individuals visiting Foundation offices must follow the Foundation’s check-in process.

• You must resolve problems respectfully, without resorting to threats or acts of violence. The Foundation will not tolerate verbal harassment, threatened or actual violence, intimidation or assault. Please see the Event Conduct Guidelines for additional information.

• You are prohibited from smoking, unless in a designated smoking area.

• You are prohibited from possessing or using a firearm or other dangerous weapons.

• You are prohibited from using, manufacturing, cultivating, distributing, dispensing, or possessing, illegal drugs or other unauthorized or mind-altering or intoxicating substances.

• If alcohol is being served at a Foundation Event, you must be 21 years or older to drink. You should drink responsibly and in accordance with any other laws and Foundation policies. Please consider alternative ride options to get home safely, when appropriate.

• For Foundation Events that welcome children or pets, their conduct and safety is the responsibility of their supervising adult.

You should immediately report any accident, injury, or other incident (e.g., criminal activity, property loss, medical issue) that poses a health, safety, or environmental hazard to yourself or others. If you are unsure if something should be reported, please err on the side of caution or consult with a Foundation representative or the Foundation’s Director of Security.

In the event of an emergency, you should follow any relevant Foundation safety and security policies. You should also follow the directions of Foundation representatives charged with maintaining safety as well as responding law enforcement and medical or other health and safety professionals.

The Foundation thanks you for helping us to maintain a culture of safety at Foundation offices and Foundation Events.