CCRPC advances code-of-conduct work, schedules equity review and public-facing trainings

Anne Nelson, CCRPC equity manager, introduced the organization’s effort to develop a code of conduct and an equity action plan at the Oct. 4 Executive Committee meeting.

Nelson said the CCRPC currently has several policy documents (Administrative & Operating Policies, General Conditions, Conflict of Interest, Employee Conduct, Harassment, Substance Abuse, Board Member Handbook) and proposed consolidating and operationalizing core values and behavior expectations across staff, board and committees. Nelson read a list of questions staff are using to shape the policy, including: "How do we define unacceptable behavior? How does it differ from harassment or discrimination?" and "How do we talk about intent vs. impact?" She described a process in which staff draft language, workshop it with the Equity Advisory Committee, reconvene with staff, return to the EAC on Oct. 25, and bring a draft to the Executive Committee in November or December and subsequently to the board.

Committee members thanked Nelson for the work and offered to share existing codes of conduct they know of to inform drafting. Charlie Baker noted the staff is not very diverse and said he wants to ensure systems are in place to support diversification and to address lower-level conduct concerns; Nelson said she will provide an update in November.

The committee did not take formal action on the draft at this meeting. The next procedural steps are EAC review Oct. 25 and Executive Committee review in Nov./Dec.; the committee asked staff to continue stakeholder engagement and return with a draft for committee consideration.