Code of Conduct

TELUS supports screen-based media producers in BC and Alberta to tell both locally reflective and globally relevant stories. This Code of Conduct was created to communicate to our production partners the standards to which they can expect to hold us, and those to which we ask them to adhere, so that we can defy expectations and bring compelling, inspiring and high quality content to life.

Content and spaces supported by TELUS engage and reflect people of diverse backgrounds, abilities and experiences. We are committed to facilitating spaces without racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia and other forms of oppression, so that every person who engages with us is inspired to share of themselves, and their stories.

Who this policy applies to:

Everyone producing content with the support of TELUS including but not limited to, producers of content branded ‘TELUS original’, is expected to abide by the following Code of Conduct when interacting with production stakeholders (including crew), event organizing partners, speakers and staff. This policy also applies to all TELUS team members interacting with the production community.

The TELUS Local Content Team will remove people representing our staff or our content in public spaces, completely at our own discretion, based on the guidelines below.

Where the Production Partnership Code of Conduct applies:

Production partnerships with TELUS of any kind are contingent upon following guidelines in all associated activities, including but not limited to:

• Content production activities supported by TELUS including but not limited to pre-production, production, post-production and exhibition.

• Engaging with TELUS team members virtually, or co-located

• Representing projects supported by TELUS at public events

• Representing projects supported by TELUS on social media (official accounts, staff accounts, personal accounts).

• Participating in TELUS-supported events, group or in-person meetings, and related correspondence.

Our Values

Our values guide our decisions and actions within the TELUS team, and are the foundation of our work together. You can expect that we will uphold these values in all of our interactions with you, and we request that you uphold them in your interactions with us, as well as in any spaces where we might be supporting or inviting community engagement arising from our collaboration.

Inclusion is essential to the content we create, and how we create it

Inclusion is about creating an environment of involvement, respect and connection, where a diversity of ideas, voices and perspectives is expressed and listened to. We hold ourselves accountable for inclusive behaviors and seek out diverse perspectives in choosing and assessing the content we support. We are respectful of people of all cultural practices, attitudes and beliefs, and seek to create content that accurately reflects them.
In all aspects of our working partnerships and related meetings or events, we strive to accommodate all abilities and facilitate people’s participation whether they are:

• Remote (on video or phone)

• Not native language speakers

• Using pronouns other than “he” or “she”

• Facing other challenges to participation.

We provide alternative ways to contribute or participate when possible.

As part of TELUS’ commitment to gender parity in screen-based media, we do not participate in or support any events with all-male panels or facilitation teams. We are thoughtful about how much time is taken up by dominant members of any group and/or members of a dominant group.

Systemic oppression is real

History, culture, policies, institutional practices, and personal behaviors and beliefs interact to maintain a hierarchy — based on race, class, gender, sexuality and/or other group identities. The ways that these dynamics afford the dominant group privileges and dis-advantage oppressed, targeted or marginalized groups is systemic oppression1. It persists in our schools, offices, criminal justice system, film sets, production offices and elsewhere. They can manifest as microaggressions and unconscious bias. These types of oppression are about everyday actions and discourse by everyday people, causing real harm, sometimes despite our best intentions.

These issues are all relational. We are invested in disrupting patterns and individual actions that reproduce systemic oppression and colonial violence. TELUS will establish measures for accountability, determined by the communities we serve, because there is no inclusion without accountability. We prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort.

Words matter

Language and communication can reinforce systemic oppression related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, varied ability, mental illness, neurodiversity, physical appearance, body size, age, race or religion. We refer to individuals by the pronouns they identify with and respect all dimensions of diversity by using language that respects everyone’s:

• Background

• Family status

• Gender

• Gender identity or expression

• Marital status

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

• Language

• Age

• Ability

• Race and/or ethnicity

• National origin

• Neurotype

• Physical appearance

• Body

• Socioeconomic access

• Religion

• Geographic location

• Lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, drugs, and employment.

Acknowledging our relationships to space and place

We acknowledge that many Indigenous communities and cultures survive on the land on which we work, live and play, even in the face of Canada’s colonial past and present. At events, TELUS, and/or our partners, must acknowledge the territory(ies) that we are on and pay respect to the Indigenous People(s) who call the land home. We also continually work to understand our individual positionality within this history. In our work together, we take conscious steps to involve Indigenous Peoples in decision-making processes and to address inequities in the Canadian screen-based production sector.

We abide by the On Screen Protocols and Pathways: A Media Production Guide produced by ImagineNATIVE and the Indigenous Screen Office. TELUS expects that any persons proposing to produce content with First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit themes, references and other forms of content first consult and demonstrate their willingness to abide by the recommendations set out in this document.

Dealbreakers

The following behaviors are considered to be unacceptable in any project supported by TELUS. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Violation of these guidelines can result in being asked to leave an event or online space, either temporarily or permanently, or being removed from participation in TELUS programs, collaborations, or future events and activities in perpetuity at the discretion of TELUS. Violation can also be grounds for termination of contract.

Harassment

We do not tolerate harassment in any form. This also includes repeated subtle and/or indirect discrimination. Harassment includes behaviours such as:

• Deliberate misgendering

• Deliberate use of “dead” or rejected names (i.e. A name assigned to a person at birth which they no longer identify with.)

• Deliberate intimidation

• Stalking or following

• Harassing photography or recording

• Pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others

• Deliberate “outing” of any private aspect of a person’s identity without their consent
  Knowingly making harmful false claims about a person.

Violence and threats of violence

Violence and threats of violence are not acceptable, online or offline. This includes incitement of violence toward any individual, including encouraging a person to commit self-harm. This also includes posting or threatening to post other people’s personally identifying information (“doxxing”) online.

Discrimination

Aspects of identity should not cause a person’s contributions to be routinely devalued or minimized, or for the person to be excluded, diminished or harassed. Bias — explicit, hidden and unconscious — can also help perpetuate a dominant culture that works to discriminate some and privilege others. Unchecked bias that harms any person connected to a TELUS production should be discussed with a TELUS team member.

Personal attacks

Conflicts will inevitably arise, but frustration should never turn into a personal attack. It is not okay to insult, demean or belittle others in TELUS’ working or exhibition spaces. Attacking someone for their opinions, beliefs and ideas is not acceptable.

Unwelcome sexual attention or physical contact

Sexual attention or physical contact without affirmative consent is not acceptable. This includes sexualized comments, jokes or imagery in interactions, communications or presentation materials, as well as inappropriate touching, groping or sexual advances. This includes touching a person without permission, including their hair, pregnant stomach, mobility device (wheelchair, scooter, etc) or tattoos.

Influencing unacceptable behavior

We will treat influencing or leading such activities the same way we treat the activities themselves, and thus the same consequences apply.

Reporting

If you experience or observe behavior, in person or online, that makes participation in a project supported by TELUS anything other than a safe and positive community experience for all, please report the incident to [email protected]. If an incident happens in an in-person space where a TELUS team member is present, you may report it directly to them. If the person in violation of the Community Code of Conduct is a TELUS team member, they will recuse themselves from handling your incident.

Emails to [email protected] reach the Local Content leadership team. After receiving a concise description of your situation, they will review and determine next steps. In addition to conducting any investigation, they can provide a range of resources, from a private consultation to other community resources. They will involve other colleagues, including legal counsel, only as needed to appropriately address each situation. All reports will be handled in confidence.

We reserve the right not to act on complaints regarding “reverse” -isms, including “reverse racism,” “reverse sexism,” and “cisphobia.”

While this code of conduct is specifically aimed at TELUS’ work and community, we recognize that it is possible for actions taken outside of TELUS spaces—and which happened in the past—to impact community health. We are open to discussing these such situations and finding appropriate actions to provide safe and respectful environments for creativity and community. Please contact the Local Content leadership team, at [email protected] to discuss.

Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior

Reports of harassment/discrimination will be promptly and thoroughly investigated by the people responsible for the safety of the space, event or activity. TELUS may take any action we deem appropriate to address the situation.

Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately. Violation of these guidelines can result in being asked to leave an event or online space, either temporarily or permanently or being banned from participation in projects supported by TELUS, funding, or future events and activities in perpetuity at the discretion of TELUS.

In addition to these guidelines, TELUS staff are held accountable to the TELUS Code of Ethics & Conduct. TELUS staff in violation of either set of guidelines may be subject to further consequences, such as disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. For contractors or vendors, violation of these guidelines may affect continuation or renewal of contract.

License, attribution & modifications

This document is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.
It remixes much of Mozilla’s Community Participation Guidelines, and is inspired by several codes of conduct including those adopted by ImagineNATIVE, Seed&Spark, xoxo festival and Geek Feminism. Verbiage under “Systemic Oppression Is Real” is informed by Robert Jensen, Rain Daniels, Chelsey Branch, and Jeff Corntassel.

This document and all associated processes are informed by creators, partners and other community members who work alongside TELUS Local Content to make screen-based storytelling more diverse and inclusive. Accordingly, TELUS Local Content may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.

Questions? Contact us.

You can reach the Local Content leadership team at [email protected]. 

Everyone is encouraged to ask questions about these guidelines, and we will respond as quickly as we can. Your input is welcome.