Code of Conduct Policy

The Skylight Code of Conduct is one of the ways we put Skylight’s values into practice. It’s built around creating a culture where people work joyfully, communicate openly about things that matter, and collaborate effectively in service to our clients. We hold ourselves to high ethical standards and strive to foster a respectful, lawful environment that supports our work.

Skylight adheres to the following principles:

• Create an inclusive culture
• Be empowering
• Set boundaries

As a baseline, we follow all Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws. We expect everyone who works at Skylight, attends Skylight events and meetings, or participates in online forums or other virtual collaboration to follow this code of conduct and the EEO laws. This applies to all of our methods of communication: office chat rooms, commit messages, email, and both formal and informal conversation.

We highly encourage you to read our Code of Conduct in its entirety and follow it in both spirit and letter. If you have a question or ever think that one of your colleagues or the company as a whole may be falling short of our commitment, don’t be silent. We want — and need — to hear from you. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

Create an inclusive culture

Skylight’s dedicated to creating an inclusive environment for everyone — not just classes protected by law. We ask that you hold yourself to the following standards:

• Take responsibility for what you can influence, like making sure people feel safe coming to work each day and have ways to grow in their careers.
  Example: If you notice someone being overshadowed in a meeting, speak up or follow up to ensure they have space to share their perspective.
• Model respectful discourse and decisions, so they become the norm across the organization. Step out of your comfort zone to engage in conversations that might challenge your assumptions.
  Example: If a colleague proposes an unconventional idea, stay curious — ask clarifying questions and explore how it might work rather than dismissing it outright.
• Rigorously reflect on your words and actions, aiming to reduce harm. Practice active listening by “listening to understand” rather than “listening to respond.”
  Example: If someone shares feedback about how your tone felt dismissive, pause to consider their point of view and commit to adjusting your approach next time.
• Engage in a cycle of action and reflection, learning from both successes and failures to continuously improve.
  Example: After completing a project, spend time debriefing with the team — celebrating what went well and identifying ways to improve communication or collaboration.
• Set personal learning goals and stay open to new viewpoints that can improve our collective work.
  Example: Read articles or listen to podcasts from different industries or backgrounds to expand how you think about problem-solving in a team setting.

To help create an inclusive culture, we’re also committed to a diverse team environment. We know that diversity fosters innovation. Diverse teams are creative teams. We need diversity to create meaningful solutions for our clients. While we acknowledge that diversity is not a cure all, it’s important that we prioritize making Skylight a workplace that reflects a wide array of people and perspectives. As a company working within the civic tech space, we commit to building a team and community that reflects the diversity of America.

Be empowering

Think about how you can encourage and support others. Make room for everyone to contribute ideas. Give credit to the original source, not just the loudest or most recent contributor. When someone offers something unexpected, look for ways you can contribute or collaborate. Share your knowledge and skills.

Empower yourself, too. Acknowledge mistakes and give others the benefit of the doubt when they make theirs. Challenge the status quo if you think there’s potential for improvement, and encourage others to speak up if there’s a problem, share ideas, or try new solutions.

Set boundaries

Create boundaries for your own behavior, and consider how you can maintain respectful spaces that help prevent unacceptable behavior by others. We don’t seek to list every possible case of unacceptable behavior, but we offer examples to guide how you respond when you see it, whether it’s directed at you or someone else.

If you’re unsure whether something’s appropriate, it probably isn’t. Each person you interact with can define where that line is for them. Impact matters more than intent. It’s your responsibility to ensure your behavior doesn’t negatively impact others.

Here are a few examples of unacceptable behavior:

• Negative or offensive remarks regarding someone’s protected traits (race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, etc.).
• Touching people without their affirmative consent.
• Sustained disruption of meetings, talks, or discussions (including chat rooms).
• Patronizing language or behavior.
• Aggressive or micro-aggressive behavior, like unconstructive criticism, repeated interruptions, or subtle prejudice.
• Referring to people in an intentionally offensive or belittling way.
• Retaliating against anyone who files a formal complaint about a potential Code or EEO violation.

Please review Skylight’s Intentional Communications Policy for more guidance.

Report potential violations

Despite our best efforts, we realize violations of this Code of Conduct may occur. We encourage and expect all employees, regardless of level, to recognize and report possible violations. Disciplinary actions for proven violations of this Code — or for retaliation against anyone who reports possible violations — will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may include termination of employment. You may report violations or concerns to your immediate supervisor, any Skylight executive, or [email protected].

Credits

Skylight has adapted this code of conduct using various publicly available references and resources, ensuring it aligns with our organization’s needs and legal obligations.

Relevant legal considerations:

• Laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Types of discrimination prohibited by law
• New and proposed regulations

Future changes

If we decide to change this policy, we’ll update the modification date below.

Updated: February 13, 2025