Zero Tolerance of Harassment, Discrimination, and Malicious Behaviors

To assert that the pharmacy workforce has a right to expect and responsibility to ensure a profession in which all individuals are treated with respect and civility, with zero tolerance for all forms of harassment, discrimination, and malicious behaviors; further,

To commit to a culture of responsibility and accountability within the profession, and promote anti-retaliation policies and timely follow-up; further,

To foster the development of tools, education, and other resources to ensure such a culture.

Rationale

The Code of Ethics for Pharmacists states that “A pharmacist acts with honesty and integrity in professional relationships.” The ASHP Statement on Professionalism includes among the elements of professionalism pride in and service to the profession, conscience and trustworthiness, and ethically sound decision-making. All forms of discrimination (e.g., race, color, sex, national origin, religious, sexual orientation/identity, age, disability), harassment (including sexual harassment), and malicious behaviors such as bullying, intimidation, or exploitation go against the core beliefs of the profession. All members of the pharmacy workforce have a professional responsibility to create and sustain a culture of responsibility and accountability within the profession in which all individuals are treated with respect and civility, with zero tolerance of harassment and discrimination.

A culture of responsibility and accountability requires that employers and organizations establish mechanisms for retaliation-free reporting of harassment and discrimination, and that such reports receive timely follow-up. For such a culture to thrive, the pharmacy workforce must recognize its professional obligation to not only follow institutional policies regarding prevention, reporting, and consequences for such behaviors but to seek out ways to improve the effectiveness of those policies and procedures. This culture of responsibility and accountability includes the workplace and learning environments but extends even to such personal but quasi-public conduct as interactions on social media. As stated in the ASHP Statement on the Use of Social Media by Pharmacy Professionals, the “higher standards of conduct expected of professionals, even in personal behavior” imply that “[p]ostings on social media should be subject to the same professional standards and ethical considerations as other personal or public interactions.”

As stated in the ASHP Statement on Professionalism, “[o]ne of the fundamental services of a professional is recruiting, nurturing, and securing new practitioners to that profession’s ideals and mission.” Formal and informal mentorship relationships are fundamental to the growth and health of any profession, and abuses of those positions of trust are especially injurious to victims and the profession. These relationships should be subjected to the strictest scrutiny and oversight to ensure they are held to the highest standards of conduct.

To further the goal of creating and sustaining a culture of responsibility and accountability regarding harassment and discrimination, ASHP commits to developing tools, education, and other resources to help members, employers, and other organizations address these important issues.