The Incident Response Team, launched in 2022, plays a key role in helping maintain a safe and welcoming space within the WordPress community. As part of ongoing efforts to support this mission, the team is now expanding and inviting new contributors to get involved.
What the Incident Response Team Does
The Incident Response Team exists to support the community when conduct falls short of the standards set by the WordPress Community Code of Conduct, as stated, “ The WordPress Community Code of Conduct outlines expected behavior within the WordPress Community. The primary purpose of the WordPress Incident Response Team (IRT) is to serve as a resource for the community when behavior within the WordPress project deviates from these standards. The team’s responsibility isn’t to actively monitor behavior, but to be available and responsive when needed.”
Their scope covers both virtual and in-person community spaces, as well as situations where someone officially represents WordPress, “ The Code of Conduct applies within all community spaces (virtual and in-person) and applies when an individual officially represents the community in public spaces.”
The IRT handles incident reports confidentially, aiming to respond within three days. Each report goes through an initial review, followed by an investigation if needed. The team then decides on appropriate action based on the Code of Conduct and informs the reporter of the outcome.
Each nominated member will go through a rigorous training process as highlighted, “ IRT members are nominated, vetted, and undergo a rigorous, cohort-based training. This training consists of an online IRT training course, followed by six synchronous sessions. All members participate in a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) training.”
The team does have a Slack channel #incident-response, and the applications will remain open until July 6, 2025.