hessian.AI
Code of Conduct

Preamble

hessian.AI aims to create excellent conditions for collaborative and individual research and promotion of early career researchers and aims to establish a vibrant culture of exchange within its ecosystem. We are committed to developing, deploying, and using AI systems in a manner that adheres to the ethical principles of respect for human autonomy and diversity, prevention of harm, fairness, and explicability. We also acknowledge and address potential tensions between these principles.

We pay particular attention to situations involving more vulnerable groups, such as children, people with disabilities, and others who have been historically disadvantaged or at risk of exclusion. We also consider situations where there are asymmetries of power or information, such as between employers and employees, or between businesses and consumers.

We recognize that while AI systems offer significant benefits to individuals and society, they may also pose certain risks and have negative impacts. These impacts may be difficult to anticipate, identify, or measure. As such, we are committed to taking adequate measures to mitigate these risks, when appropriate and proportionate to the magnitude of the risk.

hessian.AI is committed to promoting trustworthy AI that is lawful and complies with all applicable laws and regulations. It should be ethical, ensuring compliance with ethical principles and values, and be robust from both a technical and societal perspective, as it can potentially cause harm even with good intentions.

Purpose

hessian.AI

• is committed to maintaining the highest scientific, ethical and legal standards; 
• strives to build an ethical computational mindset that contributes to improving the human condition;
• supports a positive mindset that embraces the opportunities of AI can be leveraged while mitigating the risks;
• is committed to creating an environment in where all people are treated with respect and dignity;
• supports unconditionally the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This Code of Conduct is intended to provide binding rules for the implementation of the goals and principles of hessian.AI. It applies to all persons employed and/or engaged by hessian.AI, including permanent and temporary employees, faculty members, and researchers. The principles set out in this Code of Conduct apply to all activities in and for hessian.AI including research, internal and external social activities.

Principles of Ethics

Each individual shall:

• act honestly and uphold the highest ethical standards, particularly with respect to responsibility and accountability, equity and fairness, respect and transparency;
• perform their duties and conduct themselves in a prudent, open and transparent manner, showing respect and courtesy to others and avoiding discrimination and harassment;
• ensure that their actions on behalf of hessian.AI are impartial and objective.
• respect the rights, property and privileges of hessian.AI, other individuals, customers and visitors;
• use hessian.AI assets and other public assets responsibly and lawfully when authorized, including protecting assets and information from theft, fraud, destruction, vandalism, and neglect;
• comply with all other policies applicable to the individual and/or circumstance, including those described below.

Research and research data management

hessian.AI is committed

• to build an ethical computational mindset that contributes to improving the human condition;
• to develop AI in line with European values (such as respect for human autonomy and diversity, prevention of harm, fairness, accountability and explicability; 
• to fully support the United Nations’ strategic development goals; 
• adopting a positive mindset that embraces the opportunities of AI while mitigating the risks;
• to adhere to the rules of good scientific practice; 
• to adhere to the principles of open science (including esp. the promotion of an open access and preprint culture);
• to support explicitly reproducibility, transparency, and provenance of data, algorithms, systems, and results to enable FAIR reuse of AI systems and to ensure compliance with NFDI (national research data infrastructure) recommendations and guidelines, e.g., NFDI4DS, NFDIxCS, and NFDI4ING.

Conflict of interests

hessian.AI promotes entrepreneurial activities of its members and supports innovation. Collaborations with businesses, startups, and educational initiatives are encouraged. While laws, regulations, and contracts aim to limit conflicts of interest, a more applicable and user-friendly framework is needed to resolve conflicts of interest. Members of hessian.AI are expected to proactively manage any conflicts of interest (real or perceived) related to their activities. This includes:

• Declaring any real or perceived conflicts of interest or financial interest to the hessian.AI board, involved universities, and other relevant players or partners.
• Respecting the confidentiality of proprietary information received.
• Not making personal use of, or benefiting from, the Corporation’s assets or assisting third parties in a manner that results in preferential treatment or an advantage for any person or organization.

For further guidance, refer to the Directive on the Prevention of and Fight against Corruption in the Public Administration of the State of Hesse (St.Anz. 52/2019 p. 1357) and the Administrative Regulation for Employees of the State of Hesse on the Acceptance of Rewards, Gifts, and Other Advantages (St.Anz. No. 52/2017 p. 1497).

Diversity

hessian.AI is committed to providing a welcoming and harassment-free environment regardless of their race, nationality, ethnicity, religious beliefs, age, sex, gender and identity, sexual orientation, disability (physical or mental), and creed.

hessian.AI promotes and supports a family-friendly working and studying environment and a family-friendly academic culture. Equality and diversity perspectives constitute criteria for financial support provided to research, especially for internal grants and research funds. We support project-related equality concepts when seeking external funding. hessian.AI fosters a viable work-life balance, flexible working hours, a positive working environment, and academic conduct in a spirit of respect and cooperation. We also provide support to disadvantaged groups of people and persons with disabilities through positive action.

hessian.AI members commit to:

• Be mindful of their words, actions, and will actively recognize and respect each other’s boundaries.
• Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior or speech. Harassment includes, but is not limited to: deliberate intimidation; stalking; taking pictures or video of a person without consent; non-stop interruption of conferences or other events; non-consensual physical contact (for in-person events); use of sexual images, comments, or jokes; and unwanted sexual attention. If you feel harassed, if you think someone is being harassed, or more generally if you have concerns, please contact a member of the hessian.AI Board immediately.