Safe Environment Policy

AAEM is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and AAEM staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, AAEM staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Meeting Safety & Responsibility Policy. This Policy applies to all AAEM meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than AAEM but held in conjunction with AAEM events, in public or private facilities.

Responsible Drinking

At most AAEM networking events both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. AAEM expects participants at our events to drink responsibly. AAEM and Meeting host event staff have the right to deny service to participants for any reason, and may require a participant to leave the event.

Personal Safety and Security

AAEM works diligently to provide a safe and secure environment at its meetings and events by working with venue staff to make sure meeting participants are safe. We ask that all attendees report any questionable or concerning activity to AAEM staff so that they can take immediate action. No concern is too small, if you see something, say something.

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Use the buddy system when walking to and from the event venue, networking event locations during early or late hours.
• Don’t wear your meeting badge on the street. Take it off as soon as you leave the building/venue.
• Don’t carry a lot of cash or credit cards. Leave in your hotel room safe.
• Don’t leave personal property unattended anywhere, anytime.

If it is an emergency or if you need immediate assistance, you should ask any AAEM staff member or the on-site security personnel to help you.

Unacceptable Behavior

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.
• Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AAEM staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
• Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, AAEM staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.
• Disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by AAEM at the meeting venue, hotels, or other AAEM-contracted facilities.

AAEM has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, AAEM asks that you inform Missy Zagroba, CAE, Executive Director, mzagroba@aaem.org or 1 (800) 884-2236 so that we can take the appropriate action.

AAEM reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and AAEM reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting.