Our Code of Ethics is the foundation for everything that we do at Slow Food. These principles guide our conduct whenever we are representing Slow Food and help us to foster a culture that truly represents our values. This code aims to be not simply a list of duties, but a binding commitment to Slow Food’s values and principles, of relevance to the daily actions of anyone in the world who operates in the name of and on behalf of the movement. Everyone carrying out the activities of Slow Food, whether political representatives, staff, members, activists or anyone else must be familiar with the Code of Ethics, commit to pursue its principles, and uphold it. Pursuing the movement’s interest can never in any way justify conduct contrary to the principles of the Code of Ethics.
The Slow Food’s assets are used entirely to pursue the civic, solidarity and socially useful aims set out in the Statute: any direct or indirect form of distribution of profits is prohibited. We prohibit all forms of bribery and corruption. Facilitation payments, kickbacks or inappropriate gifts, whether direct or indirect, are not allowed. We seek to avoid any potential or perceived conflict of interest.
We expect anyone carrying out Slow Food activities to be familiar with the laws of the country where they operate and to avoid behavior that could compromise the organization’s integrity or professionalism.
Diversity is the greatest wealth we possess as human beings and as a community. We commit to be stewards of socio-biodiversity and to promote equality, equity and diversity at all levels of human relationships. We are committed to treating all people equally and with respect regardless of their age, gender and gender identity, dis/ability, class, nationality, ethnicity, racialization (i.e. being attributed a race), religion or belief, political opinion, sex or sexual orientation or other factors. We strive to ensure a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for everyone who works for or engages with us. We acknowledge that some individuals, groups and communities are more likely to face discrimination, harassment and exclusion in society due to racism, xenophobia, (neo)- colonialism, patriarchy, classism, heteronormativity and other forms of oppression. We encourage and support the inclusion and participation of people who face oppressions in society. We work to ensure that space is always given to the best minds and the most willing people, through the removal of organizational and cultural obstacles and obstacles of any other kind that prevent everyone from enjoying equal opportunities for participation. Zero tolerance towards exploitation, harassment and abuses. Any form of exploitation, harassment or abuse, including sexual harassment and abuse, is not tolerated. Anyone working for or acting on behalf of Slow Food must work to prevent exploitation, harassment and abuses, and is encouraged to report any violations, suspected violations or concerns. Exchanging money, other good or favors in kind to solicit sexual favors is not tolerated. We recognize a fundamental duty of care towards those who are most vulnerable in our societies. Harassment and sexual harassment are particularly serious when committed against children (persons under the age of 18) or other individuals in a position of vulnerability.
Diversity is the greatest wealth we possess as human beings and as a community. We commit to be stewards of socio-biodiversity and to promote equality, equity and diversity at all levels of human relationships. We are committed to treating all people equally and with respect regardless of their age, gender and gender identity, dis/ability, class, nationality, ethnicity, racialization (i.e. being attributed a race), religion or belief, political opinion, sex or sexual orientation or other factors. We strive to ensure a safe, welcoming and inclusive space for everyone who works for or engages with us. We acknowledge that some individuals, groups and communities are more likely to face discrimination, harassment and exclusion in society due to racism, xenophobia, (neo)- colonialism, patriarchy, classism, heteronormativity and other forms of oppression. We encourage and support the inclusion and participation of people who face oppressions in society. We work to ensure that space is always given to the best minds and the most willing people, through the removal of organizational and cultural obstacles and obstacles of any other kind that prevent everyone from enjoying equal opportunities for participation. Zero tolerance towards exploitation, harassment and abuses Any form of exploitation, harassment or abuse, including sexual harassment and abuse, is not tolerated. Anyone working for or acting on behalf of Slow Food must work to prevent exploitation, harassment and abuses, and is encouraged to report any violations, suspected violations or concerns. Exchanging money, other good or favors in kind to solicit sexual favors is not tolerated. We recognize a fundamental duty of care towards those who are most vulnerable in our societies. Harassment and sexual harassment are particularly serious when committed against children (persons under the age of 18) or other individuals in a position of vulnerability.
We treat all our stakeholders and partners with respect, dignity, fairness, honesty, equity, correctness and open-mindedness. When we enter into any engagement with a partner, we do so with a high degree of trust, and expect all our stakeholders to uphold this trust to the highest degree.
We follow the principle of solidarity, which stems from the awareness that we all belong to the wider human comunity. For this reason, we commit to fighting against any form of injustice and we strive to contribute, in whichever way we can, to pursuing peace. Solidarity among all people involved in the movement and with partners is a fundamental to the success of our mission.
We operate with respect for local, national and international communities, supporting initiatives with a cultural and social value that improve the well-being of local community and protect common goods. We respect local cultures, structures and customs, and we do not tolerate behaviour that violates international human rights or is otherwise considered illegal or unethical.
We are committed to conserving and reusing natural resources as much as possible. We advocate high standards of environmental responsibility to achieve long-term sustainability.
We recognize that the health, safety and well-being of our staff and of anyone carrying out Slow Food activities is paramount for our success and the fulfilment of our mission. We encourage anyone acting on our behalf to observe a healthy and safe working practices.
All work and professional activities, actions, operations, negotiations and, more generally, the conduct of anyone carrying out Slow Food activities must be guided by the principle of transparency.
We respect the privacy of our stakeholders and partners and protect their personal data in accordance with relevant data protection laws.
Slow Food takes all violations of the Code of Ethics very seriously. Any concerns or alleged violations of the Code of Ethics can be reported anonymously to fairness@slowfood.it . The whistle-blower’s identity will also be kept confidential (subject to legal requirements) and the whistle-blower will be protected from retaliation. Every whistle-blower report is taken seriously and recorded in an internal incident register. Reports of suspected violations will be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct a proper investigation. Any violation of the Code of Ethics can result in sanctions, including expulsion from the organization.
