Mission Statement
The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) affirms the dignity, equality, and equity of all people. We recognize that all are not treated with respect, and we commit ourselves to working for justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging among both internal and external stakeholders. With this in mind, SIO and the SIO Health Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee (HEI&B) commit to the following core values:
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Uphold the inherent equality of persons of every race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, location, nationality, socioeconomic experience, and any other difference through respectful and kind interaction.
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Acknowledge that modern integrative oncology therapies have their roots in the health traditions of indigenous peoples of many nations, cultures, and ethnicities through the use of appropriate images, wording, and actions in all SIO activities and events.
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Practice inclusivity and belonging by inviting and welcoming members from underrepresented communities by supporting inclusion and belonging and identifying and eliminating barriers to participation.
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Create a system to continuously educate ourselves about cancer health inequities, their etiology, and how to dismantle the structural and systemic factors that sustain them. This includes exploring and monitoring our own biases and privileges.
The HEI&B Committee supports the SIO in being an inclusive, just, and diverse organization that promotes equity and belonging by taking the following actions:
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Assessing the makeup of SIO leadership and membership through demographic surveys.
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Promoting inclusion by identifying inequities within the SIO, including power inequities, and recommending changes to counter these inequities.
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Identifying justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion training and other resources for SIO members and requiring that Board members participate in such training.
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Conducting annual reviews of the SIO’s entity reports, surveys, and other assessments deemed appropriate.
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Developing and implementing a mechanism for SIO members to safely bring concerns about aggressions and microaggressions experienced within the Society.
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Supporting the SIO in creating a safe and compassionate space to work for justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
We also acknowledge the fluidity of our understanding and commit to adapting our language and actions to our intentions as we continue to learn. We recognize that the language of health equity continues to evolve over time as our society processes current and past events.
Land Acknowledgment Statement
The following land acknowledgment statement will be used at SIO events, both in-person and virtual, that are taking place on lands where there has been a history of colonialization. SIO members are also encouraged to acknowledge the land on which they are situated in their activities with the Society.
The Society for Integrative Oncology acknowledges that the land where many of us live is often the traditional and ancestral territory of Indigenous/Aboriginal/First Nations peoples and was often developed by enslaved Africans. We acknowledge the harm done to these peoples and communities through genocide, the violation of treaties, and sustained systemic discriminatory policies. We are grateful to have the opportunity to work and live on this land.
We commit to honoring the unique cultural heritages, healing traditions, and values of these communities as we pursue our mission to improve the lives of people with cancer through evidence-informed, equitable, and person-centered integrative cancer care. We understand that an acknowledgment is not decolonization and decolonization does not exist without the rematriation of Indigenous land and life.