Code of Conduct

Azure Heroes Community Code of Conduct

Azure Heroes brings people together to share knowledge, learn about Azure and related technologies, and build a welcoming professional community. We want everyone to feel safe participating, asking questions, sharing experience, and meeting others.

By participating in an Azure Heroes community space or event, you agree to follow this Code of Conduct. It applies to attendees, speakers, sponsors, volunteers, organizers, and anyone else taking part, regardless of role or seniority.

Our expectations

  • Treat others with respect, empathy, and consideration. Welcome different backgrounds, identities, experiences, and viewpoints. Critique ideas constructively, give credit for others’ work, and take responsibility when your words or actions have a negative impact.

The following behavior is not acceptable:

  • Disruptive, disrespectful, degrading, harassing, discriminatory, or hateful behavior, messages, images, or interactions, including conduct based on age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

  • Sexualized language or imagery, unwelcome sexual attention, or unwanted physical contact.

  • Threats, intimidation, stalking, following, deliberate disruption, or repeated unwanted contact after someone has asked you to stop.

  • Insults, personal attacks, or jokes that target or demean people or groups.

  • Sharing or threatening to share another person’s private or identifying information, messages, or images without their permission.

  • Recording, photographing, or publishing identifiable participants in a way that disregards their consent or an event’s stated photography and recording guidance.

  • Spam, repeated solicitation, or promotional activity unrelated to the community or not approved by the organizers.

  • Sharing confidential employer, customer, or personal information, including credentials, access tokens, or other sensitive technical details.

  • Retaliating against someone for raising a concern or participating in a review.

  • These examples are not exhaustive. Conduct that a reasonable person would consider threatening, harassing, or inappropriate in a professional community may also violate this Code.

Where this Code applies

  • This Code applies to activities organized or managed by Azure Heroes, including meetups, talks, workshops, related business and social activities, online sessions, the website, social media, and community chat spaces. It applies to event-related conduct regardless of location, including interactions on digital platforms. It also applies when someone is representing Azure Heroes in a public or professional setting.

  • At in-person events, follow instructions from organizers and venue staff, and respect venue safety and accessibility requirements. Follow any event-specific guidance about photography, recordings, and promotional materials. Do not assume that meeting someone at an event is permission to add them to a mailing list, contact them privately, or use their details for marketing.

Reporting a concern

  • If you experience or witness behavior that may violate this Code, please contact the organizers at support@azureheroes.online. You may report a concern even if you are unsure whether it falls within this Code. At an event, you can also speak to an organizer, volunteer, venue staff, or event host. If someone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services or venue security first.

  • When possible, include what happened, when and where it happened, who was involved, any witnesses, whether the behavior is ongoing, and how the organizers can safely contact you. Share only information that is relevant and that you are comfortable providing. Please do not circulate reports, screenshots, or identifying details more widely than needed.

  • Organizers will review reports as promptly and fairly as practicable. They will limit access to report details to people who need them to assess and respond, and collect and retain only information reasonably needed for that purpose, subject to applicable obligations. Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed: details may need to be shared to investigate or address a safety concern, or where required by law. If you have concerns about your safety, privacy, or possible retaliation, please say so in your report.

  • Organizers handling a report should act impartially, disclose potential conflicts of interest, and step aside from decisions where they cannot do so. They may ask relevant people for their account of events and consider the available information before deciding on a response. The person raising a concern and the person whose conduct is reported will be treated respectfully; organizers will share information about the outcome only as appropriate to protect privacy and safety.

How organizers may respond

  • Responses depend on the nature, seriousness, context, impact, and pattern of the behavior. Organizers may take one or more of the following actions:

  • Give a private reminder, correction, or warning.

  • Ask someone to stop a behavior, remove content, or have no contact with another participant.

  • Restrict participation in a session, online space, or event, or ask someone to leave.

  • Suspend or permanently prohibit participation in Azure Heroes community spaces and events.

  • Refer a concern to the venue, platform, or appropriate authorities when necessary.

  • Organizers may take immediate action, including removal from an event or community space, when behavior is serious, ongoing, or presents a safety risk. A prior warning is not required. Retaliation or knowingly making a malicious report may itself violate this Code; good-faith reports will not be penalized simply because they cannot be substantiated.

Scope and other policies

  • This Code sets expectations for Azure Heroes community participation. It does not replace applicable law, event-specific terms, venue rules, or the policies of platforms and organizations involved. It is not legal advice. Participants may also contact an appropriate external authority or seek independent support.

  • Azure Heroes is an independent community. This Code does not make an Azure Heroes event a Microsoft event. If an activity is organized by Microsoft, Microsoft’s own event policies and reporting channels apply to that activity; participants may also raise a concern with Azure Heroes organizers when relevant.

References