Abstract

The current proposal stands as the final version of the Everclear DAO Code of Conduct, based on the outcomes of the last social votings as well as the Delegates Expectations listed in the forum post.

If approved, the Code of Conduct and operational updates will take effect in April, followed by a ~6.5-month trial period upon proposal approval before being considered for permanent inclusion in the Everclear DAO Constitution.

Motivation and Rationale

This proposal introduces a Code of Conduct for Everclear DAO delegates and community members to create a respectful and productive governance environment alongside additional improvements to the DAO’s operational standards. The Code of Conduct sets expectations for delegate behavior, emphasizing transparency, professionalism, and integrity.

The Everclear DAO Delegate Code of Conduct

The following expectations serve as guidelines that delegates should strive to meet. Non-compliance may result in delegators reconsidering their voting power allocation.

Delegates Expectations

Values Alignment

Everclear Delegates should always strive to uphold the four community values stated in the Everclear Constitution

• A Positive Sum Mindset
• Resiliency
• Data Orientation
• Openness, Transparency & Integrity

Good Faith and Best Interest

• Delegates should conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, and transparency, fostering trust and confidence among community members.
• Delegates should act and vote following what they see is in the best interests of Everclear.

Due Care and Attention

• Delegates should remain knowledgeable of developments in regards to Everclear DAO’s initiatives and the broader Everclear ecosystem. Delegates can stay up to date with the following resources:
  • Attending the recurring Governance Calls on the Governance Calendar
  • Joining the Everclear Delegates Telegram Group
  • Following the Everclear DAO X account
  • Reading the Bi-weekly updates forum posts
• Delegates should make a professional and unbiased review of each proposal before submitting their vote.
• Delegates are advised to vote abstain when unable to conduct the necessary diligence to understand the proposals.

Civility and Professionalism

• While separate from the Code of Conduct, delegates are expected to uphold the community guidelines for activity on the Everclear DAO forum and de-facto understood gathering places for the Everclear DAO, whether online or in-person.
• Delegates should seek to create a respectful and inclusive environment for all community members, free from harassment and discrimination. Some examples of unacceptable behavior include:
  • Publicly or privately harassing or intimidating others
  • Sharing someone’s private information without their consent
  • Using sexualized language or imagery, or making unwanted advances
  • Making insulting or derogatory comments about others
• Delegates should strive to provide constructive feedback that is well-researched and respectful, focusing on the proposal’s merits. Personal attacks are never acceptable.
• Delegates should be open-minded and respectful of differing viewpoints, even if they disagree with them. Disagreements are an inevitable part of healthy debate, but they often yield positive results when approached in a civil manner.
• Delegates should make a best effort to provide constructive feedback through appropriate channels and avoid taking discussions to social media in a manner that could tarnish Everclear DAO’s brand and reputation.

Responsibility

• Maintaining a culture of productive debate, integrity, and transparency requires a sense of collective responsibility. As entrusted leaders of the Everclear community, delegates should take responsibility for fostering and maintaining a culture that promotes the principles outlined herein.
• Best practices of responsible delegates:
  • Participation: delegates should make an effort to vote (even if abstain) on all proposals.
  • Communication: delegates should clearly communicate their rationale behind votes and discussions to the Everclear community.
  • Accountability: delegates should maintain knowledge of funded initiatives and hold managing parties or elected representatives accountable.
  • Responsiveness: delegates should use their best efforts to connect with the Everclear community and be accessible to answer questions or concerns.

Policies for Engagement (Enforced by Moderators)

To maintain a healthy community environment across all communication platforms including discourse, telegram & discord:

1. Treat all community members with respect, avoiding harassment and discrimination.
2. Contribute meaningfully to discussions, offering constructive feedback and evidence for claims.
3. Utilize designated channels for discussions and avoid contentious topics on social media.
4. Uphold civility and a positive attitude in interactions.
5. Protect personal information and report suspicious activities.
6. Do not bring non-relevant topics or spam conversations with personal agendas.

Violations of engagement policies will lead to:

• Warnings for minor cases of violations.
• Temporary suspensions for up to a month for severe cases.
• Possible permanent suspension for repeated violations.

These policies will be enforced by existing moderators of these platforms and/or the Everclear Foundation itself. Anyone can flag topics or posts which violate these principles with the tools provided within each platform and the moderators can take appropriate action. The Governance Task Force, as the team responsible for facilitating DAO operations, can also report non-compliance if necessary, but it will not be their mandatory duty at least until the second iteration of the Task Force, where this function may be officially incorporated into the Scope.

Conflict Resolution and Enforcement

The Code of Conduct has been purposefully written in a manner to establish a set of principles that Everclear Delegates should embody rather than a complete set of enforceable rules.

Conflict Resolution between Delegates

Taking the learnings from other DAOs into account, conflict resolution will remain in the hands of the Everclear Foundation. In general, we believe that many conflict issues can be resolved quickly and easily if approached in good faith by each party. Delegates and community members are encouraged to first address the behavior directly in private. If the matter is unable to be resolved for any reason, or if the behavior is threatening or harassing, report it to the Everclear Foundation Governance Lead. The Everclear Foundation will have the final say on the issue and reserves the right to determine if the issue should be brought to the attention of the community as a whole.

Soft-Enforcement of the Delegate Code of Conduct

DAO’s are unique organizations due to their complete openness. Any individual can participate in governance by purchasing the NEXT token. There are no barriers to creating a delegate profile and engaging in conversation. Delegations are liquid, thus they can be added or removed from addresses quite easily. This openness is a significant strength for DAOs, but it also presents a unique challenge in holding actors accountable. Today, the threat of reputational damage combined with the free market of delegations are the primary means of enforcement.

While it is not feasible to hold every governance participant accountable for upholding these principles, the DAO can hold accountable delegates compensated or individuals it elects to positions of power. Representatives appointed through an official election or ratification process through Snapshot or another platform who receive compensation as part of their position, will be required to publicly agree to abide by the Code of Conduct. Violations of the Code of Conduct may result in removal from a DAO-elected position, the minimal requirement for removal process is detailed further directly below.

DAO-Elected Position Removal

Any DAO member can propose a Snapshot vote to remove a DAO-elected representative. The proposal should clearly state the reasons for removal and provide evidence supporting the claims. Unless otherwise justified by a proposal author, the standard removal process will be a simple majority of votes cast by delegates. Additionally, an elected-representative removal Snapshot must adhere to the agreed-upon voting schedule and minimum discussion period of seven days. This should be a last resort and many other steps, including asking the DAO member to resign, should be taken first. The Governance Task Force, as the team responsible for facilitating DAO operations, can also report non-compliance if necessary, but it will not be their mandatory duty at least until the second iteration of the Task Force, where this function may be officially incorporated into the Scope.

This removal mechanism serves as a minimum requirement to be applied to any proposal that does not specify one. Each proposer is free to suggest a more complex mechanism or one requiring special majorities, provided they are never lower than those established in this article.

Conflicts of Interest

For this title, the provisions approved by the following vote shall be applicable: Social EGP 21 - Code of Conduct - COI Policy and Responsible Voting

Standardizing the DAO’s Operations

For this title, the provisions approved by the following vote shall be applicable: Social EGP 22 - Code of Conduct - DAO Operation Standards

Election Standards

For this title, the provisions approved by the following vote shall be applicable: Social EGP 23 - Code of Conduct - Election Standards