ICLEI Events: Equitable & Inclusive
Executive Summary: The Basics
This document lays out the key principles needed to host, organize, or moderate anequitable and inclusive event. The intention is not to provide an exhaustive list of allconsiderations that will make an event equitable but to instead give an overview of themost critical considerations. Your power to influence may vary depending on your role,
but take the opportunity to advocate for these principles wherever possible. Please at aminimum consider:FEATURE A DIVERSITY OF VOICES – always aim for the greatest diversity whenchoosing a panel or passing the word to speakers. At the most basic level, consideration
for gender diversity and in particular when organizing a global event, for as muchregional diversity as possible as well are fundamental to meeting this objective. Please readfurther examples in this section.

DISTRIBUTE SPEAKING TIME IN A FAIR MANNER – Related to the above point,
moderators should ensure all speakers are given the same time to speak and have yourmoderator be assertive about interrupting should a speaker hog the mic. Call on speakers
if you find that one speaker is constantly jumping in. Please read further examples in this section.

USE INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE – Moderators need to be careful of the words they use.
While intended broadly, at a minimum avoid gendered terms. For example, instead of“ladies and gentlemen”, try “welcome everyone”, instead of “mankind” use “humankind”.
All individuals on a panel should be addressed in the same way. If elected officials andtechnical experts are on the same panel, ask if using their first name is okay (rather thanusing “Mayor” for one person and the first name for another person). Please read further
examples in this section.

ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE EVENT– Event logistics should enable, not hinder,
event attendance and meaningful participation. For in-person events, ensure that theevent venue and all event spaces are accessible. For virtual events, make sure that theplatform being utilized includes accessibility features and allow attendees to make use ofthem. Be mindful of accessibility considerations in the design and production of event
branding and communication products, including websites. Please read further examples in thissection.

FOSTER INCLUSIVE PARTICIPATION– use technology to engage audiences throughpolls and Q&A, prioritize underrepresented groups when asking questions, and encouragethem to speak in their preferred language (if interpretation is available). Please read further
examples in this section.

Equitable Events Guidelines
ICLEI events are a platform for meaningful dialogue and exchange about today’s
sustainability challenges which help advance collective commitments and significant
action towards local sustainability in cities, towns and regions worldwide. Whether ourevents are hosted in person, virtually, or through a hybrid model, we aim to integratesustainable, inclusive and equitable design wherever possible.
An equitable event is intended to actively promote inclusion and participation. Thisinvolves ensuring physical and virtual access and accessibility to the event, diversity oftopics and voices as well as an overall good quality experience for all. It also means
being prepared to protect everyone who participates in the event against all forms ofabuse, harassment, and discrimination.

Diversity of Voices
Meaningful dialogue and critical discussions cannot be achieved without a diversity ofperspectives and voices. When organizing an international event, ensure that thecontent is significant across regions (global south and global north, for instance). Design
the programme thinking carefully about which approach works best to create inclusive
sessions based on the purpose of each program item.
When selecting speakers and moderators you must ensure gender diversity andavoid creating "manels" (panels with only/the majority of men). Regional diversity
must also be aimed to ensure and other diversities considered whenever possible. Thinkabout age, race, social background, people with disabilities, etc.
Make an additional effort to find out if there are relevant people beyond "the usual go-to"
speakers, and to find good moderators: a good moderator can contribute to guaranteeingthat multiple perspectives are highlighted.

Inclusive Language
When organizing a session or event, share the inclusive language guidelines with yourmoderators and speakers. Words matter and we shall use inclusive language so that noone will feel excluded.
Avoid gender-biased words and expressions that reinforce stereotypical gender roles. Be
also mindful of the language used so as to not contribute to stereotypical perceptions ofvulnerable groups and communities. This is also an important aspect to take into accountfor translated materials: avoid traditional generic (male) plurals in Spanish and French.
a) Some examples in English:
Use businessperson vs. businessman
Use chairperson or just chair vs. chairman
Use humankind vs. mankind.
b) Some examples in Spanish:
Use todas las personas asistentes vs. todos los asistentes
Use la comunidad científica vs. los científicosc) Some examples in French:
Use c’est la raison de leur présence vs. c'est la raison pour laquelle ilssont là.

2Use Qui peut postuler? vs. Qui peut être candidat?
It is not necessary to point out the gender of the speaker. Avoid addressing womenwith expressions such as: “lovely ladies”, “ladies”, or “Lady Mayor”.
Gender is not binary:a) Avoid expressions such as “ladies and gentlemen”. You can try instead:“Thank you all for being here”; “Dear colleagues/participants”; “Welcomeeveryone”b) Avoid using gender pronouns: Mr, Ms, etc.
c) If you use gender pronouns (not recommended): ALWAYS ask participants
which one you should use to address themEvery person within a panel should be addressed in the same way. The moderator
must find a way to address all speakers in an equitable manner, independently of theirgender, age, etc. Be mindful of the cultural differences and always ask participants
before the sessions if they feel comfortable being addressed that way. Whe recommend
the following options:a) If the panel is composed exclusively by elected representatives (mayors,governors, councilors, etc.) use the collective (short) titles for all: often there
are differences in the titles depending on the countries or regions. The speakers
shall be introduced with their complete titles and during the conversation they all
should be addressed by the short title and last name. Examples:
Martin Horn, Lord Mayor, City of Freiburg → Mayor Horn
Susan Aitken, Leader, Glasgow City Council → Councilor Aitken
Katja Dörner, Governor Mayor, City of Bonn → Mayor Dörnerb) If the panel is composed by elected representatives and non-elected
representatives:
1) Avoid the use of titles and address them all by their first name
Katja Dörner, Governor Mayor, City of Bonn → Katja
Yunus Arikan, Director Global Advocacy, ICLEI → Yunus
2) If the speakers or the moderator do not feel comfortable with thisoption, address them by their full name
Katja Dörner, Governor Mayor, City of Bonn → Katja Dörner
Yunus Arikan, Director Global Advocacy, ICLEI → Yunus Arikan
3) If you use titles (not recommended), use them for all
Katja Dörner, Governor Mayor, City of Bonn → Mayor Dörner
Yunus Arikan, Director Global Advocacy, ICLEI → Director Arikan
4) Address them by their organization
Katja Dörner, Governor Mayor, City of Bonn → “This question isaddressed to the City of Bonn”
Yunus Arikan, Director Global Advocacy, ICLEI → “What does ICLEI
have to say about this?”
Ask how to pronounce participant’s names correctly before the session. In somecountries/cultures people have more than one family name: ask participants if you should
use the first one or both.

The word must be distributed fairly
Ensure all speakers are given the same time to speak and have your moderator beassertive about interrupting should a speaker hog the mic. Everybody’s turn must berespected, do not let one speaker systematically interrupt their peers.

3When starting discussions, do not always give preference to English speakers and do notpush minorities or underrepresented groups to speak at the end.

Accessibility
If you are organizing an in-person event be sure to consider the accessibility of thevenue. The space must be easily navigated by any person in spite of any disabilities.
Make sure to have clear signs and directions at the premises.
For online and hybrid events, be aware of the existent inequalities in the access toaffordable, fast and secure internet. Whenever possible, work with virtual tools andplatforms which do not take a lot of bandwidth and ensure participants can connect with
their mobile phones. Be sure to check and enable all accessibility features of the platform
you are using.
Presentations: try to reduce ppt presentations to the minimum. Do not include too manyslides, keep in mind people should be able to read them easily, with regards toparticipants with visual impairment it might be necessary to read text out loud anddescribe images, consider that black text on a white background is preferable, and use
inclusive language.1 Share any presentations in advance with the interpreters (if any) andconsider sharing them with participants.

Foster inclusive participation
When having discussions with the audience, use technology to engage participants
through polls, Q&As, or chat, so everyone can participate in the discussions without
having to expose themselves in front of an entire audience.
Prioritize underrepresented groups when asking questions, and encourage them to speakin their preferred language when language interpretation is available.

Run of Show
Always assume that a microphone is needed! - especially when hosting in-person andhybrid events. Everyone should be able to hear the session in equal terms; if participants
ask questions without a mic the virtual audience will not be able to hear them, people
sitting at the back might not be able to understand them, and this can also be an issue
for people using hearing aids.
Ask participants to identify themselves before they start speaking. This is especially
important to ensure that visually impaired participants can follow on equal terms.
Technical difficulties can always happen: be ready, patient and do not blame theorganizers or the technical staff. Simply indicate that a minor technical glitch happened
and that we are working to solve it. We are all working towards the same final goal ofhosting a great conference.
In case of hybrid sessions, do not forget about your virtual speakers and audienceand include them in the discussion as much as possible.

1

See also the Microsoft and Google guidelines for accessible presentations.

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Body language: remember that your body is also speaking. Do not turn your back to
the panel. Keep your distance and avoid touching other participants (if you feel this is too
impersonal, limit it to handshakes / fistbumps). Walking into someone's personal space isan invasion of their privacy and might make people uncomfortable. Sitting: avoid
manspreading (sitting position with the legs wide apart in such a way as to encroach onan adjacent seat or seats).

Disruptive situations
If a speaker unintentionally says something inappropriate or disrespectful, themoderators are entitled to intervene. Suggestions: Explain in a polite manner that that is
not correct and give the opportunity to the speaker to apologize.
Harassment in any form shall not be tolerated. If the offender refuses to apologize andcontinues with the inappropriate behavior, the moderator shall ask the person to leave
the session. The moderator shall report the incident afterwards to the event organizers
through the channels established for that purpose.
If someone in the audience or in the panel feels uncomfortable about something themoderator has said and raises the issue: Be humble and apologize - Moderators also
make mistakes. We are not perfect, we are making efforts to create more equitable
events but do not have all the answers.
“Thank you for pointing this out, this is a learning process for us...”If someone is systematically disrupting the session: give them space to speak and thencontinue with the session. Give them the mic for an allocated time (5 minutes max),
after that we need to move on. If this continues, invite the person to discuss the matterin a separate meeting. If the interruptions do not stop, you might need to invite theperson to leave.

Code of conduct & anti-harassment policy
ICLEI is committed to providing a safe event experience for everyone, regardless of sex,gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, race, ethnicity, religion (or lackthereof), social status, physical appearance or body size. With this purpose a code ofconduct, which participants will need to adhere to at the time of registration, and ananti-harassment policy will be established and implemented in all ICLEI global events.
These policies can be adapted for specific events, since some procedures may differ
depending on the event’s nature (hybrid, in-person, virtual), size, or local context.
Learn more about ICLEI global events' anti-harassment policy here.
Any events hosted by an ICLEI partner may have their own code of conduct andanti-harassment policy, which all participants including moderators, speakers, and ICLEI
staff involved in the organization might have to adhere to.
To learn more about how to design, plan, and implement an equitable event, please referto the ICLEI Equitable Events Handbook.

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