GraphQL Ambassador Program Standards of Excellence

While the wider GraphQL community abides by the contributor covenant code of conduct, a stronger set of standards is used for the Ambassador Program. This is because the Foundation endorses Ambassadors as representatives and leaders; the Standards of Excellence are designed to provide a set of guidelines and best practices for engaging with the GraphQL Foundation and broader community. This makes it easier for Ambassadors to contribute to a positive culture by providing clarity around what and how we create a safe and collaborative environment.

Scope

If you are a GraphQL Ambassador, these Standards apply to you. This means they apply to your statements and actions in your capacity as a GraphQL Foundation representative, whether they occur online or offline, and whether they occur within community spaces or outside of community spaces.

In addition to complying with these Standards of Excellence, GraphQL Ambassadors are also required to comply with the GraphQL Code of Conduct and the Linux Foundation Events Code of Conduct, and all other applicable GraphQL Foundation policies, rules, or guidelines.

Be Kind, Welcoming, and Inclusive

• Be kind to others.
• Promote a friendly atmosphere where people feel comfortable asking questions, participating in discussions, and making contributions.
• Show gratitude and appreciation for others. Look for opportunities to say “thank you” and recognize people when they are being helpful or making contributions.
• Make a conscious effort to welcome and be inclusive of newcomers and people who are different from you.
• Show empathy, care, and concern for others’ feelings, perspectives, and experiences.

Be Respectful and Professional

• At all times, conduct yourself in a manner that is appropriate for a professional environment.
• Always treat others with courtesy and respect. Rude, insulting, offensive, disparaging, or threatening statements or behaviors are not permitted.

Handle Disagreements Respectfully

We want to encourage the candid exchange of ideas and feedback and foster an environment in which people can openly agree or disagree with each other, so long as they do so respectfully. Disagreements are not an excuse for bad behavior. As a GraphQL Ambassador, you are expected to:

• Respond to differences of opinion in a respectful manner.
• Make a conscious effort to understand other people’s perspectives and learn the facts before you publicly take a stand on any highly controversial issue.
• Seek to resolve conflict and disagreement in a respectful and collaborative manner and encourage others to do the same.

Promote and Enhance the GraphQL Brand

As a GraphQL Ambassador, part of your role is to promote and enhance the GraphQL brand and contribute to goodwill and positive relations among the Foundation and others in GraphQL ecosystem. Nonetheless, you can be honest and candid with constructive criticism, holding others accountable, identifying opportunities for improvement, and discussing potential challenges. However, always express yourself in a manner that is respectful and professional, and strive to also be tactful and sensitive to how your words may impact others. See the “Be Graceful With Feedback” section below for suggestions on how to deliver feedback constructively and kindly.

As a GraphQL Ambassador, your actions can reflect either positively or poorly on the GraphQL community, Foundation, and brand. Therefore, engaging in activity that is illegal, immoral, fraudulent, deceptive, or is otherwise likely to damage the reputation of the GraphQL community, Foundation, or Ambassador Program, is grounds for immediate suspension or removal from the GraphQL Ambassador Program.

Don’t use GraphQL community spaces or your role as an Ambassador to promote political causes

Your role as a GraphQL Ambassador is to be used for the purpose of evangelizing GraphQL and otherwise contributing to the GraphQL community and ecosystem. Both the GraphQL Code of Conduct and these Standards of Excellence prohibit use of GraphQL community spaces for political campaigning or promotion of political causes that are unrelated to the advancement of GraphQL technology.

Outside of GraphQL community spaces, you are free to engage in political activities and support causes you choose. However, when you discuss political causes that are unrelated to GraphQL, please keep those discussions separate from your engagement in GraphQL and separate from your role as a GraphQL Ambassador. For example, if you choose to promote a political cause unrelated to technology on X or LinkedIn in your personal time, please do so in posts and discussion threads that are separate from GraphQL-related discussions.

Be Graceful With Feedback

• Giving others kudos and recognition is a great way to contribute to a positive environment. Therefore, feel free to share positive feedback in both public and private forums.
• When it comes to negative feedback or criticism, remember that none of us are perfect. We all make mistakes. Most people are good people who are trying to do good things. Therefore, when others make mistakes, strive to be understanding. When you make a mistake, take responsibility and do your best to learn and improve.
• Always share feedback or criticism in a respectful, courteous, and professional manner. Additionally, always strive to present negative feedback or criticism in a constructive manner (e.g. as suggestions for improvement) rather than a destructive manner (e.g. insults or degrading language).
• When you have negative feedback or criticism about an individual (other than a public figure), please share it privately to help the individual learn and grow. Please avoid sharing negative feedback or criticism about an individual (other than a public figure) publicly, because this could cause unnecessary shame, embarrassment, or humiliation.
• When you have negative feedback or criticism about an organization or public figure, you may share it publicly or privately, so long as you do so in a respectful, courteous, and professional manner.

Consequences for Violation

If the GraphQL Foundation determines that a GraphQL Ambassador has violated these Standards of Excellence, or if a GraphQL Ambassador has been found in violation of the GraphQL Code of Conduct or the Linux Foundation Events Code of Conduct, the GraphQL Foundation, at its sole discretion, may take any action that it deems appropriate under the circumstances, including asking the GraphQL Ambassador to remove offending content from community spaces or public spaces, or suspending or removing the individual from the GraphQL Ambassador Program.

Questions and Reporting

If you have questions about these Standards of Excellence, or if you would like to report a potential violation, please send an email to [insert email address] and the current community manager will contact you. We will respond promptly to all questions and reports.

Updates

The GraphQL Foundation reserves the right to modify these Standards of Excellence at any time, at its sole discretion. The GraphQL Foundation will notify GraphQL Ambassadors of major changes to the guidelines by email [and via the GraphQL Ambassador Discord channel]. However, any changes to these guidelines will not apply retroactively. If these guidelines are updated and a GraphQL Ambassador does not wish to agree, their participation in the GraphQL Ambassador Program will cease until such time as they do agree.