PVRI Code of Conduct

At PVRI, we want to create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone in the PVRI global community. We believe that our stakeholders and everyone who comes into contact with us should be treated with dignity and respect – this includes staff, members, trustees, volunteers, corporate partners, event delegates and speakers, suppliers, and anyone accessing our services.

We want everyone to feel that they are in a safe and supportive environment, and we do not tolerate discrimination, including around age, disability, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or class.

However, our Board and staff team recognise our responsibility to create an inclusive culture beyond the protected characteristics listed above, and we strive to make the charity a place free from harm or inappropriate behaviour. We aim to build a culture where people’s wellbeing and mental health are valued and promoted, and we encourage all our stakeholders to do the same.

We realise that people experience harm in different ways, including in ways not immediately obvious to others. We will work to prevent this, try to facilitate communication in a safe environment, and seek redress where it is needed.

Unfortunately, harm can also be intentional and deliberate, and where this happens we will be uncompromising and robust in our approach. The priority is for PVRI to ensure the safety of all our stakeholders, and protecting those who have been harmed.

PVRI will: 

• Stand against and have a clear policy approach to prevent the abuse of trust and power, including bullying, intimidation, harassment, discrimination or victimisation
• Encourage a culture that supports the reporting and resolution of allegations, suspicions or concerns about abuse or inappropriate behaviour
• Ensure that anyone working or volunteering in the PVRI community understands the expectations placed upon them, and where needed, provide training to help people to meet their responsibilities
• Ensure that our stakeholders have access to proper support and advice if they 
  • experience or witness unacceptable behaviour
  • raise a concern or make an allegation about the actions of others
  • don’t feel safe

We ask that all members of the PVRI community: 

• Communicate and respect boundaries, bearing in mind that they are different for everyone
• Ensure that the expression of any personal beliefs is tactful and professional, and does not compromise the right of other individuals to feel safe and respected
• Keep any physical contact safe and socially appropriate
• Speak up if something makes you uncomfortable, or if you notice that someone else may be uncomfortable
• Listen with an open mind if somebody else speaks up
• Behave with integrity

If you have a complaint or been made to feel unsafe or unwelcome while engaging with our stakeholders or making use of our membership benefits and services, we urge you to let us know and to follow our complaints procedure. 

If you would like to discuss an issue raised in this Code, or if you have feedback or questions you would like to discuss, please contact our CEO Karen Osborn in confidence at ko@pvrinstitute.org or call us on 07934 126930.

The following PVRI policies and procedures may also be helpful and are available on request: 

• Complaints
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Grievance
• Whistleblowing
• Bullying & Harassment

Last updated: 26 February 2026
Reviewed: Every two years