Code of Conduct

For Apprendly AS Community and Services

Last updated: October 23, 2025

At Apprendly, we are committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and inclusive environment for all members of our community. This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations for participant behavior and the consequences for unacceptable conduct.

Our Pledge

In the interest of fostering an open and welcoming environment, we as contributors, maintainers, and community members pledge to make participation in our community a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of:

  • Age, body size, disability, ethnicity, or gender identity and expression
  • Level of experience, education, or socio-economic status
  • Nationality, personal appearance, race, or religion
  • Sexual identity and orientation

This pledge is in accordance with Norwegian law, including the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act (Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven) and the Working Environment Act (Arbeidsmiljøloven).

Our Standards

Expected Behavior

The following behaviors are expected from all community members:

  • Be respectful and professional: Treat all individuals with respect and courtesy, valuing diverse perspectives and experiences.
  • Communicate thoughtfully: Use welcoming and inclusive language. Be considerate in your speech and actions.
  • Collaborate constructively: Accept constructive criticism gracefully and focus on what is best for the community.
  • Show empathy: Demonstrate empathy and kindness toward other community members.
  • Take responsibility: Accept responsibility for your actions and apologize when you make mistakes.
  • Focus on learning: Recognize that everyone is at different stages in their learning journey.

Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are considered unacceptable within our community:

  • Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form
  • Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, or nationality
  • Unwelcome sexual attention or advances
  • Trolling, insulting or derogatory comments, and personal or political attacks
  • Public or private harassment
  • Publishing others' private information without explicit permission
  • Violence, threats of violence, or violent language
  • Other conduct which could reasonably be considered inappropriate in a professional setting

Machine Learning Ethics and Responsibilities

As a company working with AI and machine learning technologies, we hold ourselves and our community to additional ethical standards:

Data Ethics

  • Privacy by design: Respect user privacy and handle personal data in accordance with GDPR and Norwegian data protection laws.
  • Transparency: Be clear about data collection, processing, and usage practices.
  • Informed consent: Ensure users understand how their data will be used in training or improving AI models.
  • Data minimization: Collect only the data necessary for the stated purpose.

Model Development

  • Bias awareness: Actively work to identify and mitigate bias in datasets and models.
  • Fairness: Ensure ML models do not discriminate against protected groups under Norwegian law.
  • Accountability: Take responsibility for the outcomes and impacts of deployed models.
  • Explainability: Strive for model interpretability and be able to explain decision-making processes.
  • Safety: Implement safeguards to prevent harmful outputs or unintended consequences.

Responsible AI Practices

  • Do not use AI to create content that is harmful, deceptive, or violates others' rights
  • Disclose when content is AI-generated where appropriate
  • Respect intellectual property rights and avoid training on copyrighted material without permission
  • Consider the environmental impact of compute-intensive operations
  • Prioritize human oversight and decision-making for high-stakes applications

Scope

This Code of Conduct applies to all community spaces, including but not limited to:

  • Our website, platform, and digital services
  • Community forums, chat channels, and discussion boards
  • Official social media accounts
  • Events, workshops, and training sessions (virtual and in-person)
  • One-on-one communications in the context of community business

This Code also applies when representing Apprendly in public spaces, including social media, conferences, and other professional settings.

Enforcement

Reporting

If you experience or witness unacceptable behavior, or have any other concerns, please report it as soon as possible to our Code of Conduct team:

All reports will be handled with discretion and confidentiality. In cases involving Norwegian law violations, we may be required to involve appropriate authorities in accordance with our legal obligations.

Investigation Process

Upon receiving a report, we will:

  1. Acknowledge receipt within 24 hours
  2. Conduct a fair and impartial investigation
  3. Protect the privacy of all parties involved
  4. Take appropriate action based on our findings
  5. Follow up with the reporter on the outcome (within confidentiality limits)

Consequences

Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in consequences determined by the Code of Conduct team, including but not limited to:

  • Warning: A private written warning with clarity around the violation and expectations for future behavior
  • Temporary suspension: Temporary restriction from community participation or service access
  • Permanent ban: Permanent removal from the community and services
  • Legal action: In cases of serious violations, we may refer the matter to appropriate authorities

For employment-related matters, consequences will follow Norwegian labor law (Arbeidsmiljøloven) and our internal HR policies.

Appeal Process

If you believe you have been unfairly sanctioned under this Code of Conduct, you may appeal by contacting support@apprendly.com within 14 days of the decision. Appeals will be reviewed by a separate team not involved in the original decision.

Norwegian Legal Framework

This Code of Conduct is designed to comply with and support Norwegian legislation, including:

  • Likestillings- og diskrimineringsloven: Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act
  • Arbeidsmiljøloven: Working Environment Act
  • Personopplysningsloven: Personal Data Act (implementing GDPR)
  • Straffeloven: Criminal Code (relevant sections on harassment, threats, and discrimination)

Where this Code of Conduct conflicts with applicable law, the law takes precedence.

Acknowledgments

This Code of Conduct is adapted from the Contributor Covenant (version 2.1), the Python Software Foundation Code of Conduct, and incorporates ML ethics principles from the IEEE Ethically Aligned Design framework and Norwegian AI ethics guidelines.

Changes to this Code of Conduct

We may revise this Code of Conduct from time to time. We will notify the community of any material changes and update the "Last updated" date at the top of this document.

Contact Information

For questions about this Code of Conduct, please contact: