Code of Conduct

Helsinki Blockchain Week is a professional gathering for the global blockchain community. We are committed to providing a safe, respectful, harassment-free experience for everyone, in line with the principles of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the GDPR, and Finnish non-discrimination legislation.

1. Scope

This Code applies to all attendees, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, volunteers, staff and contractors of Walbrook Association LLC, at all Event venues, on official channels, on the website, and at co-located or side events branded as part of HBW.

2. Expected behaviour

• Treat every participant with respect, professionalism and dignity.
• Communicate openly, with empathy and without personal attacks.
• Be considerate of accessibility, dietary and cultural needs.
• Respect privacy — do not photograph or record individuals without consent.
• Follow the instructions of Event staff, security and venue personnel.

3. Unacceptable behaviour

Harassment and misconduct include, but are not limited to:

• Discrimination or offensive comments related to age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, or political belief.
• Threats, intimidation, stalking or unwanted following.
• Unwelcome sexual attention, imagery or advances — including in professional networking contexts.
• Sustained disruption of talks, workshops or side events.
• Recording of closed-door sessions, private conversations or badge data without explicit permission.
• Doxxing or sharing personal data of others without consent (GDPR breach).
• Promotion of scams, unregistered financial products, or misleading claims about crypto-assets in violation of MiCA (Regulation (EU) 2023/1114).

4. Reporting an incident

If you experience or witness a breach of this Code, please contact us as quickly as you feel able to:

• On-site: approach any staff member wearing an HBW lanyard or visit the Safety Desk at the main entrance.
• By email: trust@helsinkiblockchain.fi (monitored 08:00 – 22:00 CET during Event days).
• Emergency: call 112 (Finland general emergency number).

All reports are handled confidentially. We will acknowledge receipt promptly, assess the situation with care, and take proportionate action.

5. Consequences

Participants asked to stop any behaviour that breaches this Code are expected to comply immediately. Walbrook reserves the right to take any action deemed appropriate, including but not limited to:

• a verbal or written warning;
• removal from a session, venue, or the entire Event without refund;
• exclusion from future editions of Helsinki Blockchain Week;
• notification of law-enforcement or regulatory authorities where conduct is unlawful.

6. Non-retaliation

Good-faith reporters and witnesses are protected from retaliation. Any act of retaliation is itself a breach of this Code and will be investigated.

7. Data handling for reports

Personal data collected during an incident report is processed under our legitimate interest to keep the Event safe (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) and, where applicable, to comply with a legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)). Records are retained for up to 24 months and are accessible only to a limited Trust & Safety team. Reporters may request access, rectification or erasure as described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Acknowledgements

This Code of Conduct is inspired by industry best practice including the Contributor Covenant and the Berlin Code of Conduct, adapted to the professional context of a European blockchain conference.

Thank you for helping us make HBW a welcoming, world-class gathering.