NON – DISCRIMINATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY POLICIES FOR ESCAN 2026

The 8th ESCAN Conference is committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment for all participants, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, appearance, ethnicity, race, national origin, age or religion. To this end, we will introduce dedicated initiatives to increase diversity and inclusivity in science and among the conference attendees.
All delegates, including speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, media and staff, and other participants are expected to behave in accordance with these policies and with respect towards other delegates attending or involved with the conference and/or any related event or activity.

Attendees are encouraged to:

  • Ask respectful questions and avoid dominating a presenter’s question time to further any particular agenda. Question time after a talk is intended to give presenters the opportunity to expand on their talk in response to audience questions, and is not a platform for the audience to individually reply;
  • Be mindful of and understand that intersectionality shapes our lived experience;
  • Actively include all attendees in social gatherings (such as post-conference dinners and social events), particularly those for whom English is not a first language and junior students.

Safety and privacy

Two people taking a selfie with a smartphone in front of a brick building with arched windows.All conference events are reserved exclusively for registered participants. Conference badges should be worn within the venue.

Any form of harassment, as in improper or unwelcome verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct that might reasonably be perceived as causing offence or humiliation to another person, is not tolerated at the ESCAN conference. Participants are encouraged to report any observed or experienced harassment through the designated ESCAN procedures.

Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:

  • Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, ethnicity, race, age, religion, political affiliation;
  • The production or non-consensual sharing of harassing non-consensual photography or unwanted recording, including sexual images in public spaces (in any format, electronic or otherwise);
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking or following;
  • Sustained disruption of talks, sessions or other events;
  • Inappropriate physical contact;
  • Unwelcome sexual attention;
  • Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behaviours.

Smoking is prohibited indoors throughout the entire venue.

Where alcoholic beverages are available in the context of the Conference, participants are expected to drink responsibly. Individuals who are visibly under the influence of alcohol or other legal or illegal substances will be escorted from the Conference venue and denied re-entry.

Attendees of the conference are required to respect the privacy of fellow participants and to refrain from any unauthorised or unwelcome audio or video recording. Recording, photographing or filming of presentations, including scientific posters, is not permitted without the express consent of the presenter. Sharing any such content on social media also requires the clear consent of all individuals involved. Written permission is strongly recommended before disseminating such material.

ESCAN also adheres to copyright laws regarding the appropriate sharing of scientific research material, including data.

Diversity and inclusion

Three colleagues having a discussion in a modern office. One white woman is holding a coffee mug, a black man in a suit is standing with glasses in hand, and an asian woman in a wheelchair is engaging in conversation with them. They appear to be collaborating in a casual work setting with laptops and office furniture visible.Care and attention will be taken in the selection of speakers to ensure a gender balance, and geographic, ethnic and ability representation. We will also strive to reflect diversity in academic background and training, methodological approaches and research topics within human cognitive, affective and social neuroscience.
In respect of transgender and non-binary participants, pronouns may be provided on an optional basis during registration, and, with consent, printed on conference badges.
The registration process will also include the option to indicate dietary requirements, to help us accommodate participants’ needs.

Accessibility

The 8th ESCAN Conference is committed to ensuring accessibility for all participants.

The venue is designed to accommodate participants with limited mobility, and our staff will be available to provide any necessary support throughout the event. Dedicated quiet spaces will also be available for sensory decompression, nursing, and prayer.  If you have specific accessibility needs, please contact the Organizing Secretariat at the following address in advance, so we can provide the best possible support: secretariat@escan2026.eu

All official conference materials will be designed with accessibility in mind, using fonts, character sizes, line spacing, and color contrasts that support participants with partial sight or neurodivergences. The website additionally includes:

  • A search bar to help find everything on the website
  • Descriptive URLs so that screen readers can easily read them
  • Alt text for images

All presenters will be asked to follow these guidelines in preparing their posters and slides, so that all contributions are accessible to the widest possible audience.

Sustainability

Food for Good logo with colorful circle of figures connected by fork-shaped hands, and the text 'FOOD FOR GOOD – from meetings to solidarity' insideThe ESCAN 2026 conference is organised in collaboration with Symposia, which, over the years, has implemented a large number of operational best practices for the daily running of its structure and all its events, from the selection of materials according to eco-sustainability criteria and the energy efficiency of the equipment, to the procedures for possible work peaks and for the replacement of absent staff.
We expect ESCAN 26 to welcome a high number of attendees, and we are aware of the environmental impact such large numbers can have. With the purpose of limiting said impact, the following practices will be applied to the catering services as well as to the choice of all equipment, materials, and gadgets.

  • Food waste: Thanks to the collaboration of Symposia with Federcongressi & Eventi, the food bank network Banco Alimentareand the Fair Event organization Equoevento, we will collect the surplus food at the end of the Conference meals and deliver it to charitable organizations such as family homes, soup kitchens, and refugee centers, in accordance with applicable hygiene regulations and in compliance with Italy’s Good Samaritan law (Law 155/2003). Find more here.
  • Carbon neutral: to minimise the waste of CO2 emissions that arise from any conference-related activities and travels, the website and private correspondence with participants will include information on different possibilities to reach the venue, such as public transportation and bike routes. As the Organising Secretariat, Symposia prioritises renewable energy sources and eco-friendly merchandise in the conference kit, and limits CO2 emissions during all stages of its work.
  • Water saving: Particular attention will be paid to water conservation. Participants are warmly encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles, helping to reduce plastic waste. A map of nearby refill stations, including Rome’s historic nasoni (literally “big noses”)—the iconic public fountains that have provided fresh drinking water to Romans since the late 19th century—can be accessed by downloading the dedicated app Acquea (links can be found on this page). The venue and catering services will also adopt water-efficient practices, such as minimising bottled water use and favouring reusable tableware and low-water cleaning systems.
  • Recycling: Waste reduction and recycling are central to our sustainability efforts. The venue will provide clearly labelled containers for separate waste collection, consistent with the colour-coding system used throughout the city of Rome. Participants are kindly invited to dispose of materials responsibly and to follow these same labels when recycling elsewhere in the city.
    Italy has been a European leader in recycling for several years, consistently ranking among the top countries in Europe for overall recycling rates. We aim to uphold this standard by minimising single-use materials and promoting the correct recycling of all conference-related waste.