The Period Pantry.

1. Purpose and Mission Alignment

This Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct (the “Code”) establishes the standards of ethical behavior, professionalism, safety, and accountability expected of every person who works with, represents, serves, or acts on behalf of The Period Pantry (the “Organization”). It applies to directors, officers, employees, interns, volunteers, student ambassadors, contractors, consultants, and other covered individuals, including partners when they are representing the Organization.

The Period Pantry is committed to advancing menstrual equity and reducing period poverty by helping people access menstrual products and related support with dignity. Every covered individual must act in a way that advances this mission, protects the people we serve, and strengthens the trust placed in the Organization by beneficiaries, donors, partners, volunteers, and the community.

This Code provides a shared standard for decision-making and conduct. It does not replace applicable law, employment agreements, volunteer agreements, other Organization policies, or the obligation to use good judgment when a situation is not specifically addressed.

2. Core Values

The following five values guide how The Period Pantry carries out its mission and how covered individuals are expected to show up in every interaction:

1. Respect and Dignity. We treat every person as a whole person whose dignity, autonomy, and lived experience matter.
2. Inclusion and Non-Discrimination. We welcome and serve people of every identity and background, and we actively oppose stigma, bias, harassment, and exclusion.
3. Integrity and Confidentiality. We are honest, accountable, and transparent while protecting private information and the trust of our community.
4. Professionalism and Safety. We are reliable, prepared, responsible, and committed to safe, healthy, and respectful environments.
5. Compassion Without Judgment. We meet people where they are, listen with care, and provide support without shame, assumptions, or unnecessary questions.

3. Respect and Dignity

Every beneficiary, donor, partner, volunteer, employee, and colleague deserves to be treated with courtesy, patience, and respect. Covered individuals must:

• Interact with people in a welcoming, kind, and trauma-informed manner, recognizing that asking for menstrual products or other support may be difficult.
• Respect each person’s autonomy, privacy, name, pronouns, identity, boundaries, and choices.
• Use inclusive, person-centered, and stigma-free language. Do not make jokes, comments, or assumptions about menstruation, bodies, gender, poverty, housing, health, or a person’s circumstances.
• Honor The Period Pantry’s “no questions asked” commitment: do not demand that a person explain, prove, or justify their need for menstrual products or support as a condition of receiving assistance, except when a limited question is necessary for immediate safety, accessibility, or program administration.
• Never shame, demean, intimidate, threaten, bully, harass, exploit, or humiliate anyone, whether in person, by phone, in writing, online, or through a third party.
• Ask for informed consent before taking or sharing a photograph, video, recording, personal story, quote, or other identifying information, and honor a refusal without pressure.

4. Inclusion, Non-Discrimination, and Acceptance Without Judgment

The Period Pantry serves all people who menstruate and works to remove barriers created by period poverty. The Organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, immigration status, housing status, socioeconomic status, family status, health condition, or any other status protected by applicable law.

• Covered individuals must welcome and serve transgender, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming, and gender-expansive people, as well as people of every background and circumstance.
• Covered individuals must make reasonable efforts to provide accessible participation and communication, and must promptly raise an accommodation need with a supervisor or the Executive Director.
• Harassment, discrimination, stereotyping, slurs, exclusion, retaliation, and biased treatment are prohibited, including conduct disguised as humor or personal opinion.
• When a mistake is identified, the person who made it should listen, acknowledge the impact, correct the error, and seek guidance to prevent it from happening again.

5. Integrity and Ethical Conduct

Covered individuals must act honestly, in good faith, and in the best interests of The Period Pantry and the people it serves. They must:

• Provide accurate information and be truthful in records, time logs, applications, reports, fundraising materials, public statements, and communications.
• Use Organization funds, products, equipment, facilities, technology, data, relationships, and other resources responsibly, only for authorized purposes, and with appropriate documentation.
• Follow applicable laws, regulations, grant requirements, contracts, and Organization policies, and ask for guidance when a requirement is unclear.
• Never engage in theft, fraud, falsification, bribery, kickbacks, misuse of charitable assets, or any other dishonest or unlawful conduct.
• Give and receive credit accurately, disclose material mistakes promptly, and cooperate honestly with audits, reviews, and investigations.

6. Conflicts of Interest

A conflict of interest may arise when a covered individual’s personal, family, professional, financial, or other outside interest could influence, or could reasonably appear to influence, the individual’s judgment on behalf of The Period Pantry. A conflict is not automatically wrongdoing, but it must be disclosed and managed.

• Covered individuals must promptly disclose an actual, potential, or perceived conflict to their supervisor, the Executive Director, the Board President, or another person designated by the Board.
• A covered individual must not use their position, Organization information, influence, or resources for an improper personal benefit or for the benefit of a family member, friend, business, or other related person or entity.
• A covered individual with a conflict must not participate in related discussion, recommendation, negotiation, approval, or voting unless the disinterested decision-maker requests limited factual information.
• Covered individuals must not request or accept gifts, favors, entertainment, discounts, loans, services, or other benefits that could influence, or appear to influence, an Organization decision.
• When in doubt, disclose the circumstances and seek guidance. Covered individuals must comply with any separate Conflict of Interest Policy and any recusal or safeguard required by the Organization.

7. Confidentiality and Privacy

Trust is essential to The Period Pantry’s work. Covered individuals must protect confidential and private information about beneficiaries, donors, partners, volunteers, employees, applicants, and the Organization. This includes names, contact information, images, stories, health or service information, locations, internal communications, financial information, passwords, and nonpublic operational details.

• Access, use, and share private information only when authorized and only to the extent necessary to perform an assigned responsibility.
• Do not photograph, record, screenshot, copy, discuss, or post identifying information about a person receiving services, a pantry location, or a partner organization through personal or unauthorized channels.
• Store paper and electronic records securely, use approved systems and communication channels, protect passwords, and do not leave confidential information visible or unattended.
• Do not sell, trade, lease, or use personal information for an unauthorized purpose. Follow Organization requirements for retention, disposal, and requests to access or correct information.
• Report a suspected privacy breach, lost device, misdirected message, or unauthorized disclosure immediately to a supervisor or the Executive Director.

8. Professionalism and Representation

Covered individuals are representatives of The Period Pantry when performing Organization work or attending an Organization activity. They are expected to be punctual, prepared, dependable, communicative, and respectful.

• Follow through on commitments, communicate promptly about absences or delays, and ask for help before a responsibility or deadline is at risk.
• Follow the instructions, procedures, safety requirements, and reasonable directions of the person responsible for the activity.
• Present the Organization’s mission, programs, partnerships, impact, and policies accurately. Do not promise services, funding, outcomes, or decisions that you are not authorized to promise.
• Only authorized spokespeople may speak for The Period Pantry to the media, government officials, or other external audiences on behalf of the Organization.
• Do not work, volunteer, attend an event, or represent the Organization while impaired by alcohol, illegal drugs, or any substance that prevents safe and responsible participation.

9. Social Media and Online Conduct

Online conduct can affect the safety, dignity, and reputation of the people The Period Pantry serves. The same standards in this Code apply to email, messaging, social media, video calls, websites, online communities, and other digital spaces.

• Never post or share a beneficiary’s name, image, story, location, circumstances, or other identifying information without documented, informed consent and Organization authorization.
• Use only approved logos, campaign language, photographs, statistics, and other Organization materials. Confirm facts before sharing and correct material errors promptly.
• Do not imply that personal political, religious, commercial, or other views are the views of The Period Pantry. Make clear when you are speaking personally, while remembering that conduct connected to the Organization still reflects on it.
• Do not harass, threaten, demean, dox, discriminate against, or engage in hostile conduct toward beneficiaries, donors, partners, volunteers, colleagues, or members of the public.
• Refer media inquiries, complaints requiring an official response, and requests for unpublished information to the Executive Director or another authorized representative.

10. Professional Boundaries and Protection of Beneficiaries

Covered individuals must maintain appropriate professional boundaries and must never use access to a beneficiary, volunteer, or participant for personal, romantic, sexual, financial, or other improper purposes.

• Do not pursue or engage in a sexual or romantic relationship with a beneficiary or participant when the relationship is connected to, or could be affected by, the person’s access to Organization services or your position of trust.
• Do not request personal contact, social media access, money, gifts, favors, transportation, housing, or services from a beneficiary, and do not lend money or provide personal financial assistance in connection with Organization work unless expressly authorized by a program protocol.
• Use approved locations, communication channels, supervision, and procedures when interacting with beneficiaries, especially minors and people who may be vulnerable because of age, disability, crisis, or circumstance.
• Do not meet privately with a beneficiary outside an authorized activity, take someone off-site, or transport someone in a personal vehicle unless the Organization has authorized the arrangement and required safeguards are in place.
• Report suspected abuse, exploitation, neglect, grooming, or an immediate threat to safety promptly through the reporting channels in this Code and to emergency or protective authorities when required by law or necessary to protect someone.

11. Professionalism and Safety

The Period Pantry is committed to safe, healthy, and respectful environments. Covered individuals must follow all safety instructions and take reasonable steps to prevent harm.

• Follow event, pantry, storage, transportation, food and product handling, facility, and emergency procedures. Use required protective equipment and report unsafe conditions.
• Do not bring weapons, illegal drugs, or alcohol to Organization activities or facilities, and do not participate while impaired.
• Do not engage in threats, violence, hazing, harassment, reckless behavior, or conduct that creates an unreasonable risk to another person or property.
• Report injuries, accidents, threats, safeguarding concerns, and near misses as soon as possible. In an emergency, call 911 or the appropriate emergency service first, then notify the Organization.
• A person responsible for an activity may pause or end participation when conditions are unsafe and may request assistance from the Executive Director or another Organization leader.

12. Political and Campaign Activity

As an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, The Period Pantry is prohibited from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office. The Organization must remain nonpartisan in its programs, communications, fundraising, and use of charitable resources.

• The Period Pantry and anyone acting in an Organization capacity must not endorse, oppose, rate, recommend, or otherwise support or criticize a candidate or political party for public office.
• Covered individuals must not use Organization funds, facilities, equipment, mailing lists, email accounts, social media accounts, staff time, events, logos, name, or other resources for campaign activity or partisan fundraising.
• Covered individuals must not suggest that The Period Pantry supports or opposes a candidate, party, ballot measure, or political campaign. Invitations to candidates or public officials must follow an approved, consistently applied nonpartisan process.
• Individuals may participate in lawful political activity in their personal capacity, using personal time and resources, provided they do not represent that they speak for The Period Pantry and do not use their Organization role to pressure others.
• Lobbying and communications about legislation must be coordinated with authorized Organization leadership and must remain within applicable 501(c)(3) limits. When uncertain, seek guidance before acting or publishing.

13. Reporting Concerns

Every covered individual has a responsibility to speak up promptly about suspected misconduct, discrimination, harassment, conflicts of interest, fraud, misuse of resources, privacy violations, unsafe conditions, abuse, retaliation, or any other concern involving the Organization or its work. A concern may be reported even when the facts are incomplete or the person is unsure whether a policy has been violated.

• Report to your supervisor, event lead, or the person responsible for the relevant activity.
• Contact Executive Director Leanne Listman at leanne@theperiodpantry.com.
• Report to the Board President or another Board member when the concern involves the Executive Director, a supervisor, a Board member, or when another reporting channel is not appropriate.
• For an immediate danger, call 911 or the appropriate emergency or protective authority first. Use the Organization’s channels as soon as it is safe to do so.

Reports may be made verbally or in writing. People are encouraged to provide relevant facts, dates, names, documents, and witnesses, but no one must investigate the concern themselves. The Organization will protect confidentiality to the extent reasonably possible and permitted by law.

14. No Retaliation

The Period Pantry prohibits retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports a concern, asks a question, seeks advice, participates in an investigation, provides information, refuses to engage in misconduct, or exercises a legal right. Retaliation includes threats, intimidation, harassment, exclusion, adverse scheduling or assignments, loss of an opportunity, termination, or any other action intended to punish or discourage participation in a protected activity.

Anyone who believes they have experienced or witnessed retaliation must report it promptly through the channels in Section 13. A report made in good faith is protected even if an investigation does not substantiate the underlying concern. Knowingly making a false report or intentionally providing false information is not protected and may result in corrective action.

15. Investigation and Corrective Action

The Organization will review concerns fairly, promptly, and as confidentially as practical. The person receiving a report will document and route it to an appropriate reviewer. The Organization may take interim steps to protect people, preserve information, prevent interference, or maintain a safe environment while a matter is reviewed.

• Investigations may include interviews, review of records and communications, consultation with advisors, and other appropriate fact-finding.
• Covered individuals are expected to cooperate honestly, preserve relevant information, and keep the matter private except as needed to obtain support, fulfill a legal duty, or participate in the review.
• The Organization will seek to give a person whose conduct is at issue a reasonable opportunity to respond to relevant information, consistent with safety, privacy, and the integrity of the review.
• When a violation is substantiated, corrective action may include coaching, training, a written warning, loss of duties or access, removal from an event or role, termination of employment or participation, contract action, or referral to law enforcement or another authority.
• Corrective action will be determined based on the facts, seriousness, pattern, impact, applicable law, and the person’s role. This Code does not guarantee a particular process or outcome.

16. No Contract of Employment or Guaranteed Participation

This Code states ethical and conduct expectations; it is not a contract of employment, a promise of employment, or a guarantee of volunteer, internship, ambassador, Board, contractor, or program participation. Nothing in this Code changes an at-will employment relationship where at-will employment applies, creates a right to continued service or assignment, or guarantees a specific shift, role, benefit, payment, or opportunity.

Participation with The Period Pantry may be ended or changed by the Organization or the covered individual, subject to applicable law and any written agreement that governs the relationship. Nothing in this section limits any right or protection that cannot lawfully be waived.

17. Administration and Review

The Board of Directors is responsible for approving this Code. The Executive Director is responsible for administering it, communicating it to covered individuals, maintaining acknowledgments, coordinating training and reports, and bringing significant matters to the Board as appropriate.

• The Organization will review this Code at least annually and sooner when legal, operational, programmatic, or community needs change.
• Updates require approval by the Board of Directors or an authorized representative under the Organization’s governing procedures.
• Covered individuals may be asked to review, acknowledge, and complete training on this Code and related policies at onboarding and periodically thereafter.
• The current approved version controls. The Organization will make reasonable efforts to communicate material changes before they apply to ongoing roles or activities.

18. Governing Law

This Code shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles, except to the extent that applicable federal law controls. If any provision is determined to be unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions will remain in effect to the fullest extent permitted by law.

19. Acknowledgment and Signatures

By signing below, each signer acknowledges that they have received, read, and understood this Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct; agree to follow it and related Organization policies; understand how to report a concern; and understand that the Code does not create a contract or guarantee of participation. A parent or guardian signature is required when the covered individual is a minor or when otherwise required by the Organization.