Conduct Policy
As a professional association, the Investments & Wealth Institute expects attendees, participants, speakers, and sponsors at its events to act with integrity, comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations, maintain professional appearances, and treat other attendees and colleagues ethically, respectfully, and without discrimination or harassment.
The Institute expects its attendees, participants, speakers, and sponsors to conduct themselves appropriately and comply and adhere to their own company’s and The Institute’s professional conduct policies, including, among other things, the following harassment and discrimination policies:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA)
The Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) are federal laws that prohibit employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against applicants and individuals with disabilities. The Institute will make reasonable accommodation, when needed, for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship or a direct threat to the Institute.
Unlawful Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Harassment and Discrimination
The Institute is sensitive to the diversity of its attendees, speakers, and sponsors and strives at its events to maintain a positive environment free of unlawful harassment and discrimination. In doing so, the Institute prohibits sexual harassment and discrimination and harassment because of age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty or status as a covered veteran or any other legally protected characteristic.
The Institute encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of discrimination or harassment. It is the policy of the Institute to promptly and thoroughly investigate such reports. The Institute prohibits retaliation against any individual who reports discrimination or harassment or who participates in an investigation of such reports. This policy applies to all Institute employees and non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, and event participants, attendees, speakers, and sponsors.
EEO/Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedure
If you believe there has been a violation of the EEO policy or harassment based on the protected classes outlined above, including sexual harassment, please use the following complaint procedure. The Institute expects attendees, speakers and sponsors to make a timely complaint to enable it promptly to investigate and correct any behavior that may be in violation of this policy. Your complaint will be kept confidential to the extent consistent with adequate investigation and appropriate corrective action. When possible, the Institute encourages individuals who believe they are being subjected to such conduct to promptly advise the offender that his or her behavior is unwelcome and request that it be discontinued. Often, this act alone will resolve the problem. The Institute realizes, however, that an individual may prefer to pursue the matter through complaint procedures.
Any form of coercion, intimidation, retaliation, interference or discrimination against any attendees, speakers and sponsors who reports, in good faith, an alleged sexual harassment or other offensive behavior or who assists in an investigation will not be tolerated and will be dealt with appropriately. False and malicious complaints of harassment, discrimination or retaliation may be the subject of appropriate action as well.
Whistleblower Protection
The Institute is committed to the highest possible standards of ethical, moral, and legal conduct. Consistent with this commitment, a policy has been adopted to provide avenues for those who raise concerns about suspected misconduct, and to provide reassurance that they will be protected from reprisals or victimization for whistle-blowing in good faith, to the extent the Institute has such protective powers.
Employees, attendees, speakers and sponsors who have a concern relating to suspected misconduct may file a report. The report may be filed by telephone, email or regular mail to the CEO/Executive Director or to Human Resources. The complaint will be investigated and further information may be requested from the complainant. The Institute is committed to protecting attendees, speakers and sponsors from interference with or retaliation for having made a disclosure or for having refused an illegal order. A retaliation complaint may be filed directly with the CEO/Executive Director or Human Resources. If a finding that interference or retaliation has occurred, corrective action will be taken against the attendees, speakers and sponsors who is found to have interfered or retaliated. The determination is final and binding and will be communicated in writing to the complainant and to the person or persons accused. An appeal may be filed only on the basis of whether the complaint is timely and qualifies for review under the scope of this policy.
To report any violations of these policies to the Institute, please contact Sean Walters, CAE, CEO/Executive Director, at swalters@i-w.org, or Elissa Motley, Director of Human Resources, at emotley@i-w.org.