How we operate, who we work with, what we feature

Last updated: Jul 10, 2026

AVA International hosts spaces for animal and vegan advocates from all across the world. As hosts, we deeply care about our global movement and our approach to safety reflects not only our procedural responsibilities, but our care for protecting all who gather.

This policy supports our role as logistical facilitators and movement stewards, creating safe and brave spaces:

• It serves as a guiding framework for mitigating and sets out the procedures for responding to conflict and harm.
• It clarifies organizers' roles and responsibilities (and limits thereof).
• It is our primary reference point that all event participants, staff, board members, and volunteers are expected to read and abide by.

Our values

AVA International is a global organization that welcomes a wide spectrum of political, religious, and cultural worldviews. We are not affiliated with any political party, single ideology, or religious institution.

We recognize that movements for human and animal advocacy are often interconnected, and we honor the diversity of experience and perspectives within our community. We are committed to treating all in a fair and inclusive manner.

We do not tolerate discrimination or oppression in any form. Our commitment is rooted in opposing harm to all sentient beings (including humans) because progress for animals thrives most where civil societies, freedom of expression, human rights, and the ability to organize are protected.

We value and in fact, encourage, respectful disagreement and good-faith criticism at our events. We recognize that some topics discussed at AVA events may, by their nature, be controversial or challenging. However, when discourse distracts from our events or rises to the level of harm, it will not be tolerated.

As event organizers, our decision-making is primarily content-based. This means we focus on what a speaker will present or what a sponsor or exhibitor will showcase at an event. However, we also take into account alignment with our five Organizing Principles, including patterns of harmful behavior or a history of dehumanizing statements, if they present a concrete concern.

Our decisions are guided by AVA International's Organizational Principles:

1. Transparency & Accountability. We understand that transparency builds trust across communities, which is why our decision-making processes are available publicly. We strive for clarity in our reasoning by regularly re-evaluating our processes. In order to ensure fairness and accessibility, we actively seek feedback and hold ourselves accountable to those impacted by our work.
2. Trust & Respect. As a global organization, we honor the diversity of perspectives within our community. We approach all AVA's collaborators, participants, and stakeholders with kindness, curiosity, and humility, assuming good intent while making space for dialogue and accountability. We acknowledge that trust is built through actions, not just words.
3. Justice & Inclusion. We understand that the movement for animals does not exist in isolation. Just as we reject the exploitation and suffering of nonhuman animals, we stand against all forms of human oppression. We strive to create spaces that are safe, inclusive, and aligned with the values of justice and compassion for everyone.
4. Hospitality & Empowerment. We design our spaces in ways that ensure all attendees—especially those who have faced exclusion—feel a sense of belonging. We commit to listening to and amplifying voices that have been historically marginalized. Meaningful conversations and transformative ideas only arise when people feel safe, heard, and valued.
5. Courage & Care. Building a global movement for animals requires both boldness and humility. We challenge harmful systems and narratives while remaining mindful and realistic of the complexities of cultural, economic, and social contexts. We hold space for discomfort, learning, and growth.

Expectations and definition of safety

While AVA International cannot guarantee absolute safety, we strive to create safe working and gathering environments where all individuals are free from harassment, discrimination, and violence, and where differences in identity, experience, and perspective are treated with respect.

We do not engage in or tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, or violence, including discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, appearance, religion, immigration status, pregnancy, marital or familial status, or similar.

We recognize we cannot name every form of harm that may arise and that safety is not experienced equally. For many, particularly those from historically oppressed communities, safety includes the ability to speak openly about injustice.

We prioritize creating a reasonably safe event space over being an investigative body as we are not specialized in conducting formal investigations.

Our approach

Most of the Conduct & Safety concerns that reach us are related to our programming or the partners and sponsors we work with. Our regional Advisory Committees (including advisors for Anti-Hate / Discrimination, Travel Award Selection, Program / Speaker Selection, Communication / Messaging, Partnerships, Logistics, and Youth) support our decision-making. See also how we select speakers and topics and partners and collaborators.

Procedures

It is helpful to address conflict and in some circumstances harm by engaging in dialogue as soon as it arises. We recommend:

(A) Direct dialogue. If you feel that you or someone else is being treated inappropriately, we always encourage you to speak up: let the person know their behavior isn't okay and ask them to stop.

(B) Dialogue with the Community Health Lead. In some circumstances, it might not feel safe to engage in direct dialogue. In this situation we recommend that you alert our Community Health Lead to support you. Depending on availability and the region of the event, they may be a member of our Leadership Team, our Anti-Hate and Discrimination Advisory Committee member (assigned for every event), or an independent, trauma-informed mediator. They are trusted individuals responsible for listening to concerns, offering support, and helping navigate next steps.

Depending on the situation, possible responses may include: checking in with the person impacted, speaking with those involved, setting boundaries or expectations for participation, or if necessary, asking someone to leave the event. We do not involve law enforcement except as a last resort or in the case of immediate emergency.

(C) Reporting. In case dialogue is not possible, you can report an incident to the AVA Team with this form. It is confidential: only AVA International's responsible team reads it. We will reply within 48 business hours (if you write during the event or less than 72 hours before it, we may need more time).

We aim to handle all reports in a way that is fair and responsive to the needs of those impacted—while recognizing the limitations of our role as an event organizer rather than a formal investigative or judicial body. Every report will be read by two team members independently. All reports and records of related conversations remain confidential to the fullest extent possible, and information is disclosed only as necessary for the investigation and resolution of the complaint. An investigation may include interviews with the parties involved and with people who may have observed the alleged conduct. At its conclusion, both the person who submitted the complaint and any individual accused of harm will be notified about any actions that will be taken.

We take all reports of misconduct seriously and approach each situation objectively, assessing each report based on evidence rather than assumption. Submitting false or unjustified complaints may result in disciplinary action, including exclusion from AVA events. We are unable to investigate complaints submitted anonymously, as the lack of identifying information significantly limits our ability to gather facts, verify details, or take meaningful action.

Safety measures around animal agriculture industry infiltration

We are committed to ensuring our events are safe and trusted spaces where our community can collaborate freely and effectively for animals. Infiltration by individuals connected to or sympathetic with the animal agriculture industry poses real risks: from compromising sensitive discussions to misusing information in ways that could harm animals and undermine our advocacy efforts.

Starting in 2026, we have introduced changes to minimize (and ideally eliminate) these risks:

• Background screenings for all individuals registering for an event.
• ID checks at our registration desks.
• Requiring attendees to wear their name badges at all times in event areas. Name badges are not transferable to friends, colleagues, or family members.
• Ending the recording of sessions for our YouTube channel (and removing public accessibility of previously uploaded sessions).
• Briefing our speakers on potential remaining risks.

We recognize that some of these decisions come with trade-offs, such as a reduction in knowledge-sharing through free online session recordings. However, we have been advised that the potential negative impact on animals outweighs the possible benefits. Together, we will continue advancing the most promising outcomes for animals. #WeAreAVA

AVA's mandate sits inside a large set of realities that shape our work.

Our movement exists in a world shaped by collective trauma such as war, oppression, displacement, moral injury, and generational harm. When people arrive at AVA events, they are not arriving as blank slates. They bring their histories, their communities, and the experiences that shaped them long before they entered animal advocacy.

Within that wider world are many organized social movements working to change systems, including movements around public health, labor rights, indigenous food systems, climate justice, anti-poverty work, LGBTQI+ rights, and many more. At times, these movements intersect with animal advocacy. AVA recognizes these intersections and engages with them whenever the connection clearly advances outcomes for farmed animals.

Inside that broader movement ecosystem sits the field of animal advocacy, with many areas of work such as wildlife protection, companion animals, sanctuary work, legal advocacy, animals used in research, entertainment, and more. Within it, we have the very specialized field of farmed animal advocacy, which still receives far less funding and attention than other areas, despite the magnitude of farmed animal exploitation.

Within that field lies AVA's mandate. Our platforms primarily center systemic change for farmed animals. At the same time, we leave thoughtful space for adjacent areas of animal advocacy and farmed-animal-related social justice movements, such as wild animal suffering or the rights of slaughterhouse workers, when those conversations move farmed animal advocacy forward.

AVA operates with a strong awareness of the larger world and the many movements that surround our work. But our platforming decisions come from inside our mandate, because our responsibility is to use the space we hold to accelerate impactful, system-level change for farmed animals.

At AVA International, our events are built to move the animal and vegan advocacy movement forward in tangible, practical ways. The way we select speakers and topics is a core part of that work. Every event is designed to be rooted in the region where it takes place, focused on impact for animals and long-term movement health, useful for advocates' day-to-day work and professional growth, and a safe, welcoming, and honest space for learning and disagreement.

Our program goals

• Firm regional grounding, with the majority of speakers living or primarily working in the region of each event.
• Blending established leaders and emerging voices, including youth, grassroots organizers, and underrepresented perspectives.
• A balance of content types, including strategy, skills, movement wellbeing, and "disruptive" or experimental ideas.
• Representation goals for gender and racial equity, a minimum number of sessions on key topics (fundraising, DEI and social justice, climate and food systems, movement wellbeing, youth and student organizing, and regionally specific sectors) and a higher share of interactive workshops.

We publish these goals so that our process is transparent and the movement can hold us accountable.

Where our topics come from

We build every program through a combination of an open call (talks and panels, workshops, case studies, lightning talks and experimental formats), targeted outreach to voices that may not be in existing networks (frontline and grassroots advocates, underrepresented communities and geographies, youth, researchers, legal and policy practitioners, corporate campaigners), and regional research and gap analysis: which species, sectors, or strategies are underrepresented, which skills advocates need most, and where our events can help connect work across countries, movements, or sectors.

The role of our Advisory Committees

Advisory Committees are a key part of our selection process. Members serve in an individual capacity, not as formal representatives of their organizations, and are invited for their skills, experience, and perspective. We use 1-year renewable terms (maximum 3 years), a yearly gap analysis of the skills and perspectives we need, and clear conflict of interest guidelines. Committee members help review speaker submissions and travel award applications, advise on partners and communications, and provide regional context.

How we review and select submissions

Our decision making is primarily content based: we focus on what a speaker or facilitator will present and how it advances the movement for animals. The Program Team conducts an initial review (relevance, clear objectives, audience and format, and no conflict with AVA's core values or our Event Conduct and Safety Policy). Each submission is then reviewed by several Advisory Committee members with professional experience in the region. Committee members do not review submissions from their own organization or from organizations they were recently affiliated with.

Shared criteria include relevance to the audience and goals, the experience and expertise of the speaker, potential for impact for animals and the movement, alignment with regional and representation targets, and contribution to content balance. Keynote or high-visibility plenary sessions receive additional scrutiny from the AVA Senior Leadership Team.

Innovation and continuous improvement

We reserve space for forward-looking work and experimentation, and we do not consider the program "finished" when it is published: after each event we gather feedback from speakers and participants, follow up on selected sessions, and revisit our committees, regional targets, and content priorities. If you have questions or suggestions, reach out to program@avainternational.org. Our programming belongs to the movement, and we are committed to building it with you, not just for you.

As AVA grows, more organizations, initiatives, and individuals approach us to collaborate—through co-producing events, requesting promotion on our platforms, or seeking special benefits. The interest in working with AVA is a testament to the reputation and trust we've built together as a community. With this growth comes responsibility: we want to be clear about how we approach partnerships so that our decisions are rooted in fairness, integrity, and alignment with AVA's mission—not perceived as personal judgments.

Our partnership approach

• Our focus is AVA's mission: advancing systemic change for farmed animals through global events, training, and strategic collaboration.
• Partnerships must align with our values: a clear alignment with AVA's mission, a commitment to equity, and shared values of transparency, professionalism, and respect.
• We protect the investment of our partners and sponsors by honoring the benefits they've chosen to support. We do not give away equivalent perks or privileges outside of established agreements.

What we do partner on

• Strategic collaborations that clearly advance AVA's mission and movement-wide goals.
• Equitable sponsorships where benefits are transparent and accessible through established tiers.
• Projects that uplift the movement as a whole without conflicting with AVA's commitments to partners, sponsors, and the community.

What we don't partner on

We honor and celebrate the many forms of advocacy happening across the movement. Our decision not to partner on certain types of initiatives is about organizational focus, not value judgment. Examples include:

• Officially co-produced events (we do invite you to organize your own satellite event around our Summits or Academies—let us know and we can support).
• One-off campaigns or initiatives: we cannot provide ad-hoc promotion, organizing support, or advisory calls for projects that fall outside AVA's strategic priorities.
• Requests for promotion that mirror sponsor benefits, out of respect for our partners' investment. From time to time, AVA may share select opportunities that are not promotional in nature and directly benefit attendees (such as mentorship, professional development, or regionally relevant partnerships), decided case by case.
• Initiatives outside our core mission that would redirect significant AVA staff time, focus, or reputation away from our own vision and commitments.

Our commitment

Partnership decisions at AVA are never personal. They are based on our organizational identity and mission, transparent criteria for fairness and equity, and responsible stewardship of AVA's reputation and resources. While we cannot collaborate with every initiative, we remain committed to building a thriving, impactful, and connected community.

For AVAxParis, travel awards (support with the ticket, travel and accommodation) are only offered to people who live in France and speak French fluently; French nationality is not required. Each application is assessed case by case. Apply here.

How does the travel award payment work?

You have two options if you are selected:

• Reimbursement only: you will not receive a prepayment; you submit an expense report after the event and we reimburse your expenses, up to the amount of your award. If you have organizational support and are not in a difficult financial situation, please select this option to reduce the administrative burden on our team.
• Prepayment and reimbursement: you receive half of your award before the event; after the event, your second installment is either the rest of your total expenses or half of your award, whichever is lower. If your expenses are less than the first installment, we request a refund.

Payments go to the bank account you submit, usually within 30 days of your award notification or expense report. The award is a contribution toward travel costs, and AVA cannot take responsibility if a recipient has no other funds available to complete their travel; please plan for contingencies.

What is covered, and what isn't?

• Travel (plane, train, bus, taxi or ride-hailing, public transport, including to and from the station or airport) and accommodation for the event dates.
• Your ticket: we will send you instructions to register for free. Do not buy a ticket if you receive an award; if you already did, contact us for a refund.
• Meals and off-program activities are not covered; most meals are included with your ticket.
• You may choose your own accommodation and share costs with others (explain it in your expense report). We cover bank fees on our end, but not fees on the receiver's end or currency exchange losses.

If you can't attend or don't use the full amount

You will need to return the funds (we make exceptions for serious catastrophic events). Awards cannot be rolled over to another event or given to a colleague or friend: we keep a waitlist and, to be equitable, grant the award to the next person on the list.

Receipts

Receipts for travel and accommodation that equal or exceed the award amount must be provided, including your name, date of payment, vendor name and proof of payment (for example the last 4 digits of the card used). If you paid by bank transfer, cash or phone transfer, add a detailed note. Questions? Email travel@avainternational.org.

AVA International offers Travel Awards and Speaker Stipends to remove financial barriers and ensure advocates—regardless of location or budget—can fully participate in our events. Each AVA event is budgeted independently, meaning sponsorships and financial support are assessed separately for each region and year.

The Travel Award application is open to all advocates. However, if an applicant's affiliated organization is an active sponsor of the same event, AVA generally will not provide that individual with a Travel Award or Speaker Stipend, to avoid unnecessary financial loops, bank fees, and administrative complexity. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis, including when the individual does not have access to their organization's travel budget, the organization is sponsoring a different AVA event (in another region or year), or the organization has an annual budget under $500,000 and/or is BIPOC-led. All exceptions are reviewed by AVA leadership.

If sponsorship commitments are confirmed after Travel Awards or Speaker Stipends have already been granted to members of the same organization, AVA may reassess the funding to ensure fairness and operational sustainability: it may withdraw or adjust an award or stipend, reduce the number of funded participants, or offer a modified approach such as partial funding or financial netting.

This policy is guided by equity, transparency, and responsible stewardship of resources. Our goal is to prioritize access for those who need financial support most, while keeping our processes fair, efficient, and sustainable.

We honor refund requests received up to 3 weeks prior to the event start time. All other requests are reviewed case by case.

To request a refund, write to us through the contact form (topic: Registration).

Though AVA International loves all animals of all sizes and types, we are unable to allow companion animals on site during our sessions, workshops, meals, etc., with the exception of verified service animals. In that case, please get in touch with us beforehand.

If you need to travel with your companion animal(s), please arrange their stay directly with your accommodation and refrain from bringing them to our sessions, workshops, meals, etc. Please also note that animals cannot be left unattended in your room. Thank you for your understanding!

By registering to attend an event organized by AVA International, you agree that AVA International has the right to use any photographs and videos taken at the event in publications or other produced media materials, including but not limited to social media, brochures, websites, and the promotion of future events.

If you do not consent to have your image recorded for distribution, please inform event organizers at least seven business days before the event at tim@avainternational.org.

Any person or organization using AVA International's photographs, graphics, videography, or other similar reproductions or recordings for commercial use requires advance written permission from AVA International.

We work closely with our partners and the venue to implement safety measures so that everyone can enjoy the valuable networking that is a vital part of a live event experience. We will comply with all requirements of the French health authorities for in-person events.

• Stay home if you feel unwell: do not attend if you are displaying symptoms, test positive, or are required to self-isolate.
• Be mindful of others: everyone has their own personal comfort level regarding proximity and contact, so please give each other space.
• Practice hand hygiene: sanitizers and washrooms will be available throughout the venue.
• Reduce touch points: fewer business cards and promotional materials are shared at live events; please consider QR codes or alternatives.

AVA International is not responsible for any expenses or delays incurred due to COVID-19. We will update this information if guidance changes.

How we handle your data at AVAxParis: see our privacy policy. AVA International's general privacy policy is here.