ACM SIGIR :: Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Initiative
Inclusivity Checklist

Organisation☐​ There should be an ​active effort​ to invite members ofmarginalised groups to all organizing committees in SIGIR
conferences and activities. This also holds for programmecommittees.

☐​ There should be an active effort to invite women to allorganizing committees in SIGIR conferences and activities. This
also holds for programme committees.

☐​ There should be an ​Inclusivity Chair​ as part of the organisingcommittee. This person will be responsible for ensuring there isawareness of DEI in all aspects of the event, and will be thecontact person for any participants who have special needs thatare not otherwise supported.

☐​ The organizers should ensure that all attendees know who tocontact about their special needs (contact name and email on theWeb page).

☐​ There should be an effort to incorporate ​diversity-related

items into the programme ​that involve the whole SIGIR
community, such as: DEI Lunch; Women in IR Lunch; keynote
talks and panel discussions on related matters; and networking
events to encourage interaction within a diverse group.

☐​ It should be avoided to have all ​members of panels​ comingfrom one dominant group (e.g., all male panels, all speakers fromone continent).

☐​ There should be questions about inclusivity incorporated into
event ​feedback forms​.
☐ Make ​virtual attendance​ possible for free, even if theconference is held physically somewhere.
☐ It should be considered to offer ​childcare facilities​ at theconference, to facilitate young parents.
☐ Ensure that a substantial percentage of ​travel grants​ isawarded to researchers from low-income countries.
☐ Provide​ low-cost hotel accommodation​ recommended by
the conference.

About DEI
ACM considers
diversity and inclusionas central to its
mission to bring
together a broad anddiverse group ofpeople in a wide rangeof computing domains.
Diversity​ means
having people who are
different at the event.
Equity​ means
catering for different
needs of different
people, to enableequal opportunities forall.
Inclusivity​ means
designing the event so
a diverse group will
feel welcome.
Belonging​ meansthat everyone in adiverse community
feels as much a partof the community.
ACM strives toachieve these goals in
all its activities.
More information canbe found at:https://www.acm.org/diversity-inclusion/about

Communication☐​ Ensure that all​ language used is gender-neutral​ (e.g., do not default to ​he​) and does not
exclude particular groups (e.g., avoid terms that are derogatory to specific groups).

☐​ Ensure that all participants are asked for their ​food restrictions​ (kosher, halaal, jain,non-beef/pork, vegan, gluten-free, etc.), and ​preferred names​ and forms of address on badges.

☐​ Ask participants (with an open question on the registration form) to specify any other ​specialneeds​.

☐​ Communicate guidelines to presenters on how to prepare​ inclusive presentations​.
☐​ Ensure that speakers ​do not assume​ that some people need no introduction - there is almost
always someone who would value such an introduction.

☐​ Inform participants of the ​ACM Policy Against Harassment​.
Food☐ Ensure that dietary requirements are asked upon registration, in the form of an open question.

☐​ Ensure that participants with special food needs are treated fairly, and in line with their specialneeds (e.g., do not mix utensils).

☐​ Ensure that all food is labelled so all participants feel equally at ease.
☐​ Ensure that all events have non-alcoholic beverages available (e.g., ensure a supply of drinkingwater).
Accessibility☐​ Ensure that all venues are wheelchair accessible, sufficiently large, and that conference venues
are well-signposted and easy to navigate. Make sure that participants with mobility impairments
can easily move among venues.

☐​ Ensure that private space is available for parents with children, participants with religious needs,
participants who may feel overwhelmed by the event, etc.

☐​ Arrange simultaneous translation to overcome language differences, if needed.
☐​ Make conference websites and material available to participants in accessible formats (e.g.,PDFs can be interpreted by a screen reader for participants with visual impediments; videos canbe captioned for participants with hearing impediments).

☐​ Arrange for assistive hearing device support where needed and feasible.
☐​ Ensure that all speakers and those asking questions use a microphone.

Issued by: ACM SIGIR Executive
Version: June 2020
For any questions, comments, and suggestions, please contact the SIGIR DEI co-chairs:
Barbara Poblete <​bpoblete@dcc.uchile.cl​>
Hussein Suleman <​hussein@cs.uct.ac.za​>
Suzan Verberne <​s.verberne@liacs.leidenuniv.nl​>