It's 2025. Update your #CodeOfConduct to include “Referring a trans woman as ”biologically male” (or vice versa) is against our CoC”.

Update your CoC to match the world you live in, or remove it as a farce.

#transphobia #DiversityInTech,

New Article in Journal of Business Ethics: »Parrying Diversity-Hostility and Ethical Dilemmas of Organizing Inclusion«

It is not a coincidence that organizational efforts to support diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are in the eye of the neofascist storm that is currently devastating US-based institutions and has already begun to reverberate globally. The hostility toward DEI results from the fact that such initiatives not only seek to broaden participation, but also unsettle entrenched hierarchies and cultural privileges. This makes them an obvious target for movements aiming to restore exclusionary orders under the guise of tradition, merit, or freedom of speech. Yet, despite their centrality to current political contestations, organizational approaches to DEI remain ill-prepared to address the growing intensity of diversity-hostile communication.

In the article “Parrying Diversity-Hostility and Ethical Dilemmas of Organizing Inclusion” co-authored by my sister Laura Dobusch, Milena Leybold and me, we explore ‘parrying’ diversity hostility as an increasingly necessary DEI practice (in addition to traditional orientations of promoting inclusion and preventing discrimination). The case we are looking at is that of the controversy around the so-called ‘Google Diversity Memo’ by James Damore, which eventually led to the author’s dismissal. Check out the abstract below:

Many countries of the Global North are currently facing a strong rise in anti-diversity movements fueled by conservative, right-wing parties and authoritarian, probably fascist regimes, which also affects the workplace. However, organizations are insufficiently equipped to deal with increasing diversity-hostility since most policy approaches to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) focus on promotion- and/or prevention-oriented measures. What is missing is a parrying orientation: methodically responding to—sanctioning—diversity-hostile communication, which can even imply the dismissal of employees. At the same time, aiming to promote inclusivity through exclusion decisions makes parrying ethically dilemmatic, and, therefore, contestable. By analyzing the case of the ‘Google Diversity Memo,’ we shed light on how an organization addressed the ethical dilemmas connected to an act of parrying—the decision to dismiss the memo’s author, who criticized Google’s DEI approach for going ‘too far.’ Drawing on a processual understanding of decision communication, we investigate public communicative acts challenging and justifying the dismissal and Google’s respective policy approach more generally. We show that organizational authoritative texts such as a code of conduct represent particularly effective decision premises to challenge or justify acts of parrying. We argue that addressing the ethical dilemmas connected to parrying requires establishing overarching rule-based procedures on how to respond to diversity-hostile communication which contributes to the overall ethical infrastructure of an organization.

The article has been accepted for publication by Journal of Business Ethics and is available open access. Finally, check out the obligatory #1paper1meme below:

#1paper1meme #codeOfConduct #Diversity #diversityHostility #EthicalInfrastructures #Google #Inclusion #inclusiveOrganizations #inclusiveOrganizing #JamesDamore #parrying

Kiedy stróże prawa są skorumpowani, przestępcy biegają na wolności, a prawo jest wykorzystywane, by prześladować ludzi w imię osobistych niechęci. Dlatego nie chcemy, by przestępcy byli stróżami prawa.

Kiedy ludzie odpowiedzialni za pilnowanie przestrzegania "#CodeOfConduct" w projekcie są skorumpowani, prawdziwie toksyczni ludzie bawią się w najlepsze, a inni prześladowani są przy jego pomocy w imię osobistych niechęci. Dlaczego więc przyklaskujemy projektom, które adoptują CoC, ale nie dążą do tego, by jego przestrzegania pilnowały osoby niezależne?

#WolneOprogramowanie

When the law enforcement is corrupt, the criminals roam free and the law is used to pursue people over personal dislikes. We really want the criminals out of law enforcement.

When the #CodeOfConduct enforcement is corrupt, the truly toxic people roam free and the rules are used to bully people over personal dislikes. Why do we applaud projects for adopting a CoC if they are not pursuing independent judgement?

#FreeSoftware #OpenSource

#BendigoWritersFestival cancelled its closing night ceremony on Sunday evening, alongside more than 20 other sessions over the course of the festival weekend, 15–18 August 2025.

The cancellations were due to the mass withdrawal of authors from the program, with more than 50 #writers & hosts choosing not to appear in protest against a #codeofconduct sent 2 days before the festival was due to start.

#auspol

https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2025/08/18/312702/bendigo-writers-festival-2025-closes-without-ceremony/

Authors’ exodus from Bendigo Writers Festival prompts warning to future organisers

An author who was among dozens who withdrew from this weekend’s Bendigo Writers Festival says it is a…
#NewsBeep #News #Headlines #AU #Australia #australiansocietyofauthors #bendigowritersfestival #codeofconduct #freedomofspeech #GreaterBendigoCityCouncil #jesshill #LaTrobeUniversity
https://www.newsbeep.com/63041/

There are valid reasons to involve outside experts in code of conduct enforcement, but it’s ultimately a leadership responsibility.

https://duckalignment.academy/enforce-code-conduct/