MAPME Community

Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct defines the expectations for behavior and participation within the MAPME community. Its goal is to foster a respectful, inclusive, and productive environment for everyone.

MAPME (Maps for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation in development cooperation) is a community-driven, open initiative that provides free and open access to GIS tools and Earth Observation data for the international development sector. We bring together professionals, researchers, thought leaders, institutions, and enthusiasts committed to leveraging geospatial technologies and open data to address global challenges such as climate change, poverty, and environmental degradation.

All community members agree to uphold this Code of Conduct.

MAPME's Core Values

In line with MAPME's mission, the community emphasizes:

Openness

Open source tools, open data, and shared learning for all

Collaboration

Mutual help, knowledge exchange, and collective progress

Integrity

Ethical use of data, transparency, and respecting contributions

Impact

Focusing on development, sustainability, and real-world application

Community Roles & Responsibilities

Community Organizers

Organizers are those who have signed the Collaboration Agreement or volunteered to take on structural duties. Their responsibilities include:

  • Facilitating monthly contributors meetings
  • Reviewing and admitting new community contributors
  • Facilitating the Discord Community by adding new members and creating new channels whenever needed
  • Facilitating the organization of workshops and events for the broader community, including planning, logistics, and communication
  • Setting up and coordinating working groups on specific topics whenever needed
  • Guiding the strategic direction of the community
  • Publishing directly on the official MAPME LinkedIn page to share community updates, outcomes, and events in coordination with other organizers
Meeting Schedule:
  • Once a month — remote support session
  • Decision making occurs in these meetings; organizers are expected to try to attend regularly
  • At least one representative from each member organization should attend at each meeting

Organizers must act with transparency, fairness, and openness in all decisions and should respect diverse voices within the community.

Community Contributors

Contributors are anyone interested in exchanging experiences, knowledge, data, tools, methodologies, or events related to MAPME's domain (open tools, GIS, Earth Observation in development).

Meeting Schedule:
  • Once a month — remote support session
  • Decision making occurs in these meetings; organizers are expected to try to attend regularly
  • At least one representative from each member organization should attend at each meeting

Contributors are expected to:

  • Share knowledge, resources, and experiences aligned with MAPME's mission
  • Respect others' contributions and viewpoints
  • Refrain from overt commercial promotion or practices incompatible with the community's principles

Working Groups

Working groups may be established to focus on specific themes or challenges (e.g. Geo4Impact event, data standards, capacity building).

  • They are launched and facilitated by Community Organizers
  • Their operations, rules, and deliverables should align with the overall Code of Conduct
  • Working group leaders should encourage inclusive participation and fair decision processes, respecting participatory methods as often as possible

Behavioral Guidelines

Relevant & Valuable Sharing

  • Posts, discussions, resources, and comments should be relevant to open tools, open geospatial data and/or Earth Observation in the development cooperation
  • Aim to share insights, use cases, lessons learned, methodological tips, or workshops and events, that would benefit others in the community

No Direct Commercial Advertising or Sales

  • The community is intended for non-commercial or open-source entities only
  • Overt, door-to-door sales pitches, promotional advertisements, or marketing messages are not allowed
  • If you represent a project or company with open or free offerings relevant to MAPME's mission, you may share it in the context of knowledge exchange—not as a sales pitch

Respect & Professionalism

  • Treat all members with respect, courtesy, and fairness
  • Avoid personal attacks, harassment, or discriminatory language
  • Be mindful of cultural and disciplinary diversity
  • Disagree in good faith; focus on ideas rather than individuals

Transparency & Attribution

  • When you share data, code, methods, or resources, provide clear attribution and licenses (open where possible)
  • Be transparent about assumptions, limitations, and uncertainties in your work

Confidentiality & Ethics

  • Do not share confidential or proprietary data without authorization
  • Avoid misuse of geospatial or Earth Observation data that might compromise privacy, safety, or human rights

Handling Violations & Disputes

Reporting

If a member feels that someone has violated the Code of Conduct (e.g. spam, harassment, breaches of confidentiality), they should reach out confidentially to one (or more) of the Community Organizers.

Reports should include: date, description, and any relevant evidence (messages, recordings, links).

Review & Response

Organizers will convene (usually at the next Organizer meeting) to review the report in a timely, fair, and confidential manner.

They may decide to take actions including (but not limited to):

  • Asking for a correction
  • Temporary suspension from meetings
  • Permanent removal from the community

Together, we leverage geospatial technology for sustainable development

MAPME Community | Open Source • Open Data • Open Community