Download the Code of Conduct
Thank you so much for agreeing to volunteer with The Xerces Society’s Western Monarch Count. Your commitment provides critical information to further the conservation of western monarchs and their habitat. The Xerces Society is committed to promoting and maintaining an environment in which all volunteers are treated with respect and dignity. To achieve this, we ask that volunteers and employees conduct themselves in a civil and cooperative manner and avoid behavior that interferes with the ability of others to volunteer and to feel comfortable while volunteering. Questions about this Code of Conduct can be emailed to [email protected].
What We Ask:
While volunteering in any capacity such as with other volunteers, Xerces staff, organizational partners, or with the public, we ask that volunteers do the following:
- Please feel free to answer questions about your specific volunteer activity but direct people to the Xerces’ website for questions about Xerces’ mission, research, values, and position on conservation issues.
- Please act in a manner that will increase public trust in our conservation efforts.
- Please do not use a volunteer position with the Xerces Society for personal gain, nor claim or imply that you represent Xerces or represent your personal views as those of Xerces.
- Please represent that you are a Xerces’ volunteer only when engaged in an approved Xerces’ volunteer activity.
- Please direct the public to the Xerces’ website if they ask about making a donation and explain that you are not allowed to accept donations on behalf of the Xerces Society.
- If approached by the media while participating in a Xerces activity as a volunteer, only answer those questions that are directly related to volunteer participation in the specific activity, speaking only as a volunteer. Any questions beyond that limited scope, including but not limited to any questions about Xerces’ public policies, should be directed to the Director of Communications at [email protected].
Unacceptable Behavior:
In order to protect volunteers and members of the public they interact with, we consider the following behavior unacceptable:
- Trespass in any form or manner on private property including, but not limited to, by entering lands under cultivation or enclosed by a fence, climbing fences, pushing through fences or hedges that define property boundaries or tampering with locks on gates, entering uncultivated or unenclosed lands by ignoring signs forbidding trespass, refusing to reasonably look for signs forbidding trespass or destroying signs forbidding trespass, or refusing to leave the property when told. If you are uncertain as to whether property is public or private, assume it is private, stay on the public roads adjoining the property when performing the activity, and DO NOT ENTER THE PROPERTY ITSELF WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE OWNER.
- Damage of any public or private property, whether deliberately or through negligence, reckless or improper conduct, including Xerces Society-owned property.
- Fraudulent, illegal, or improper conduct or activities.
- Volunteering under the influence of, possessing, distributing, selling, or using drugs that are illegal under state or federal law while volunteering.
- Volunteering under the influence of, possessing, distributing, or selling alcohol.
- Bullying, abusive, intimidating, discriminatory or harassing conduct while volunteering.
- Violation of safety or health rules.
Rev. 5/20/22
