This is the canonical Code of Conduct for the Manchester AI Guild. The copies on the Guild's GitHub .github repository and on manchesteraiguild.org are generated from this file.
1. Purpose, background and scope
This Code is the Guild's high-level standard of conduct. It sets the principles everyone works to, how to raise a concern and what happens when someone falls short. The policies named in this Code hold the detail.
It applies to all Guild members, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members, volunteers and service providers working with or for the Guild, wherever they represent the Guild.
2. Principles
Everyone this Code applies to will:
Act with integrity and honesty.
Treat everyone with respect and dignity. No harassment or discrimination.
Use AI ethically and responsibly. Do not promote AI where the harm outweighs the benefit.
Protect confidential information and personal data. Share only what you are allowed to share.
Declare and manage conflicts of interest.
Give impartial, practical advice, and say where your knowledge ends.
Represent the Guild accurately, and credit others for their work.
Follow the law and Guild policies.
3. Commitments: attestation
Everyone this Code applies to confirms that they have read it and will follow it:
when they join the Guild;
when they take up an SLT role;
before a service provider starts work for the Guild.
Confirmation is renewed every year. Attestations will be recorded in a Notion database. The details will be confirmed when membership opens (Website & Platform lead).
4. Roles and responsibilities
Everyone this Code applies to follows it and confirms this under section 3.
The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) approves this Code and each review of it, and decides any breach under section 6.
The Risk & Governance Director, Edwin Luther, receives concerns. The Data Protection Lead, Trevor Roberts, acts as secondary and advises on personal data.
5. Procedure: raising a concern
Report a concern to any SLT member, or to report@manchesteraiguild.com. We acknowledge every report within 5 working days. We handle concerns fairly and keep them confidential as far as the investigation allows. Nobody faces retaliation for raising a concern in good faith. The Complaints and data rights procedure and the Speaking up policy set out the steps.
6. Compliance: breaches
The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) responds to a breach in proportion to what happened. The response ranges from a private warning to removal from the Guild or ending a service agreement. Nobody takes part in a decision about a concern that involves them.
7. Further information
Reports, questions and personal data requests: report@manchesteraiguild.com.
8. Review
We review this Code as often as is reasonable, and at least once every 12 months. We review it sooner after a serious incident or a significant change to the Guild. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) approves each review. A Manchester AI Guild member who did not draft this Code QA reviews it first.
9. Related policies
Membership terms · Complaints and data rights procedure · Speaking up policy · Conflicts of interest policy · Privacy notice · Safeguarding policy · Equality, diversity and inclusion policy
10. References
Contributor Covenant (2021) Contributor Covenant Code of Conduct, version 2.1. [online]. Available at: https://www.contributor-covenant.org/version/2/1/code_of_conduct/ [Accessed 2 November 2026]. Parts of this Code are adapted from it.
11. Version history
| Version | Date | Author | Reason for change | Presented to SLT | Signed off |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v3.0 | 2 November 2026 | Edwin Luther | Rewritten as a high-level standard for members, SLT and service providers. | — | — |
| v2.9 | 2 November 2026 | Edwin Luther | Rewritten to the Manchester AI Guild policy writing standard: standard section order, plain English, roles and review wording, verified citations. QA reviewer: to be assigned. | — | — |
| v2.8 | 12 October 2026 | Edwin Luther | Guild Member defined by reference to the Membership terms, removing a tier structure that the published terms do not establish. | — | — |
| v2.7 | 12 October 2026 | Edwin Luther | Acknowledgement set to 5 working days, matching the complaints procedure and every other reporting route. SLT decision, 12 October 2026. | — | — |
| v2.6 | 12 October 2026 | Edwin Luther | Scope narrowed to Guild Members, SLT, volunteers, speakers, contractors and event attendees, so registering interest or subscribing to the newsletter no longer binds; acknowledgement unit changed from business to working days. | — | — |
| v2.5 | 24 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Review cycle set to a minimum of once every 12 months, approved by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), with QA review by a Manchester AI Guild member who did not draft the document. | — | — |
| v2.4 | 24 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Reporting and escalation route changed to report@manchesteraiguild.com; ownership allocated to Edwin Luther, Risk & Governance Director, with Trevor Roberts as secondary. | — | — |
| v2.3 | 20 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Data Protection Officer role replaced by Data Protection Lead (to be appointed) and the dpo@ mailbox by report@manchesteraiguild.com. | — | — |
| v2.2 | 17 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Independence panel made workable for a small SLT; owner named for publishing and onboarding. | — | — |
| v2.1 | 17 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Rewritten into the MAIG policy writing standard. Reporting route conduct@ (mailbox on Fastmail). | — | — |
| v2.0 | 16 September 2026 | Edwin Luther | Adopted as canonical; Guild-specific standards merged; applied by default pending ratification. | — | — |