Customer Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct (referred to as “The Code”) addresses the commitment of Soca Islands LLC (“Soca Islands”) to the honesty, integrity and ethical behavior of the people, including you, associated with Soca Islands. It is about treating one another with respect and tolerance. This code is so important that we cannot have you purchase nor participate in our Caribbean travel experiences unless you sign on to them. The Code in itself however, is not a contract and as such does not create any contractual rights of any kind between Soca Islands and any participant or staff.
We periodically update this code and we will let you know when we do via an in-app notification in your portal, or email.
INFORMATION
Soca Islands is committed to ensuring the respect and tolerance of diverse groups of individuals. As such, and to help ensure a safe and productive environment, participants (referred to herein as “Soca Islanders”), staff, and staff of partnering organizations are expected to behave in accordance with this Code of Conduct. (For clarity, when The Code mentions “Soca Islanders,” it is meant to include all participants using Soca Islands’ services.) We expect Soca Islanders and staff to act with the values of respect and tolerance in mind when interacting with each other and the world at large. As you travel with us and/or work with us, you are representing yourself, you are representing your home country, and you are representing the Soca Islands community. Please act in accordance with this Code of Conduct and represent Soca Islands in a way that the entire Soca Islands community will be proud of.
This means that your actions must be free from discrimination, libel, slander, or harassment. It also means, you are responsible for your own actions. Misconduct is not excusable because it was directed or requested by another. You are expected to alert Soca Islands whenever an illegal or unethical act is discovered or suspected. No one will be subject to retaliation for a good faith report of a suspected violation.
Soca Islanders who violate The Code will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Soca Islands travel experience. (Note for Soca Islanders: any guests or visitors brought to Soca Islands accommodations, workspaces, or events are expected to behave in accordance with The Code and may be banned from Soca Islands, Soca Islands accommodations, workspaces, or events if they fail to do so.) Staff who violate The Code will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. Periodically, you may also be required to review The Code and acknowledge your understanding of and compliance with The Code.
PERSONS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES
Soca Islands also recognizes that some individuals may have physical and/or mental disabilities. As such, Soca Islands will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so causes a direct threat to these individuals or others, violates local laws, and/or if the accommodation creates an undue hardship to Soca Islands. For more information about this section or to discuss or request an accommodation, please reach out to your Experience Ambassador (for Soca Islanders) or your People representative (for staff).
ANTI-HARASSMENT AND ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
Soca Islands is dedicated to providing a harassment-free environment and therefore prohibits harassment or discrimination of any kind, especially involving race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, gender identity and expression, physical appearance, body size, and/or technology choices.
Prohibited harassment also includes: inappropriate use of sexual images, deliberate intimidation, stalking, following, harassing photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome sexual attention. Any such activities could result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is prohibited by law and violates The Code. Prohibited conduct may be verbal, visual, or physical in nature. It includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or the granting or withholding of something of value in response to sexual conduct.
More subtle forms of behavior, such as foul or obscene language of a sexual nature, posting or viewing social media language or pictures, gossiping, asking questions about another’s sex life, displaying offensive posters, cartoons, caricatures, comments, jokes of a sexual nature, and repeated unwanted requests for a date are prohibited as they may constitute sexual harassment or contribute to a hostile or offensive environment. All questionable behavior should be avoided because conduct that appears to be welcome or tolerated by one person may be very offensive to another.
Do not ignore harassment. Soca Islanders and/or staff who feel they have been harassed or who witness any type of harassment should make it known that the behavior should be stopped immediately. Inappropriate behavior should be reported according to the guidelines listed below. If you believe you are being harassed or discriminated against for any reason, please, immediately contact your Experience Ambassador(Soca Islanders) or People representative (staff) or use the resources under the Reporting Procedures section in this Code.
VIOLENCE
Soca Islands is committed to maintaining a violence-free environment and will not tolerate any type of violence or threats of violence. Violence includes, but is not limited to, harassment, coercion, physical altercations, use of weapons of any kind, intimidation, stalking, and threats of violence. Please, do not joke or make off-hand remarks about violence.
Any potentially dangerous situation must be reported immediately to an Experience Ambassador (Soca Islanders) or your manager (staff). Law enforcement, security, and/or emergency services should be contacted first if you believe there is an imminent threat.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Social media offers various methods of communication and self-expression and it can foster community—both with friends and family in other countries. However, use of social media that violates The Code (including discrimination and harassment), discloses confidential or proprietary information, makes maliciously false comments about Soca Islands or its staff or participants, or contains abusive comments, may result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
FRATERNISATION
Everyone on a Soca Islands program (and everyone working for Soca Islands) is an adult and is expected to make responsible decisions. It is not Soca Islands’ place to tell consenting adults who they can and cannot date or be friends with… with these exceptions:
- First, Soca Islands prohibits managers from dating subordinate staff.
- Second, Soca Islands prohibits staff dating Soca Islanders or having romantic relationships with Soca Islanders during the course of their travel experience.
- Soca Islands’ stance on Soca Islanders entering into a physical or romantic relationship with other Soca Islanders, (or staff entering into same with other staff), emphasizes Soca Islands’ commitment to and belief in the importance of Affirmative Consent. Affirmative Consent is defined as “informed, freely and affirmatively communicated willingness to participate in sexual activity that is expressed by clear and unambiguous words or actions.” Clear and unambiguous words or actions are those that are freely and actively given by informed individuals that a reasonable person in the circumstances would believe communicate a willingness to participate in mutually agreed upon sexual activity.
As specified in the “Anti-Harassment” section in this Code, unwelcome sexual attention is not permitted, if you are not sure if you have Affirmative Consent, immediately stop.
ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE
Soca Islands has a longstanding commitment to provide you with safe experiences. Soca Islands has safeguards and resources in place to reduce risks, and in turn you are also expected to avoid behavior that is likely to cause danger to yourself or to others. Specifically, the use of alcohol and drugs are examples of this type of behavior.
Alcohol Use. Excessive alcohol use has many potentially negative and/or risky effects. We will not tell you what your drink limit should be, but we do ask that you make smart decisions about your personal alcohol use.
Additionally, staff is expected to act responsibly and ensure their intake of alcohol does not impede their judgment or job performance. DRIVERS FOR SOCA ISLANDS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CONSUME ALCOHOL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
For both Soca Islanders and staff, if your actions cause a threat to you or others, or if you participate in behaviors that violate The Code you may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
Drug Use. The use of illegal drugs violates the law. Drug abuse can also pose a threat to the health and safety of Soca Islanders and staff. The term “drug” as used in this Code includes the improper use of prescription drugs, marijuana, illegal inhalants, illegal drugs and/or other controlled substances.
Soca Islands reserves the right to inspect all premises for drugs or other contraband, and any person refusing to cooperate in such inspections may be subject to appropriate discipline up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
If you use, possess, buy, sell, manufacture or dispense an illegal drug you may be disciplined, up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITY
Soca Islands assumes no liability for any behavior that breaches this Code of Conduct, including, but not limited to, violence, harassment, sexual assault, and/or the use or abuse of alcohol and/or drugs. If you participate in or instigate behaviors in breach of The Code of Conduct, Soca Islands reserves the right to contact local authorities, contact your emergency contact, and/or take any other steps that Soca Islands deems necessary to maximize your safety and the safety of those around you. In addition, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders) or dismissal (staff).
OBLIGATION TO REPORT POLICY
It is each person’s responsibility to abide by any/all applicable laws and regulations, as well as by The Code of Conduct. If you believe that there has been a violation of any expectations defined in The Code of Conduct, including harassment or discrimination, you are obligated to make a timely report to enable Soca Islands to investigate and correct not only the behavior, but also any effects behavior may have had on the program and/or those involved.
If you observe an incident of violence or threatened violence that is immediate and serious, take steps to maximize safety first, including contacting local authorities and/or security if needed. Once the immediate threat has passed, please also notify Soca Islands by following the procedures outlined below.
To report a situation or incident, your first line of support is to report the incident to your Experience Ambassador (Soca Islanders) or your People representative (staff) who will support and assist you in lodging a report.
For Soca Islanders and staff who are not comfortable reporting to their first line of support, your second option is to reach out to Sophia Bacchus-Kirton, Soca Islands’ Head of People Operations.
Finally, if you are not comfortable with the options above, Soca Islanders and staff may submit a report to Soca Islands COO, Roger Kirton.
During an investigation, each incidence will be evaluated on an individual basis. If the result of an investigation indicates that corrective action is called for, such action may include disciplinary measures up to and including immediate expulsion from the Soca Islands experience without a refund at the discretion of Soca Islands (Soca Islanders), or dismissal (staff).
When a Soca Islander’s employer has a direct relationship with Soca Islands, information about any situation related to The Code may be shared with them, at Soca Islands’ discretion, including information regarding reports, investigations, and resulting actions.
Soca Islands does not tolerate retaliation for filing a report. For more information, see the No Retaliation section of this Code.
NO RETALIATION
Retaliation against any person who in good faith has reported a violation of The Code (or the law), has raised questions or concerns, has reported an incident, or has otherwise participated in an investigation of such matters, will not be tolerated.
If, for any reason, you perceive retaliation, please follow the report procedure outlined above to notify us. The situation will be investigated, and if Soca Islands determines an individual’s behavior is in violation of The Code, disciplinary action will be taken, up to and including removal from the Soca Islands experience (Soca Islanders), or dismissal (staff).
This Code of Conduct is not intended to describe every possible instance that may happen, or provide answers to all of the questions that may arise. Soca Islands encourages you to talk to your Experience Team Lead (Soca Islanders) or your People representative (staff) for guidance, and for support with any questions. The Code is an agreement to faithfully comply with all laws, rules, policies and regulations of the regulatory agencies and countries that apply to us during our journey/time together. It also acts as a guide for inclusion and acceptance of all members of the Soca Islands, reminding us to act responsibly, in good faith, and to treat one another well.
This code of conduct was updated on November 10 2021.
If you require a copy of Soca Islands LLC terms and conditions before this date, please contact explore@socaislands.com