Game Developers Conference (GDC) is part of the Informa Tech Division of Informa PLC

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DEI & Sustainability at GDC

Building a Better World Through Games

The Game Developers Conference (GDC) is committed to having a positive social and environmental impact on the game industry and the larger global community.

Code of Conduct

For nearly a decade, the GDC Code of Conduct has guided the expectations of attendee conduct at our events. Participation in GDC requires that all attendees be considerate and respectful of their peers and will not tolerate demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI)

GDC is dedicated to creating a safe space for all game developers. This includes uplifting underrepresented voices in the industry, making our conference more accessible, and providing a platform for the next generation of game makers.

Read below to learn more about our DEI initiatives. For more information on our partnerships and community programs, visit the Get Involved page, which will be available soon.

Sustainability at Informa Tech

Sustainability at GDC, and its parent company Informa Tech, has five key elements: people, communities, environment, customers, and governance. Being an ethical, sustainable business is central to how we behave, how we make decisions, and how we do business every day.

At Informa Tech, our evolution of producing sustainable events is fueled by insight, innovation, and collaboration. We are proud of our commitment to making a positive environmental and social impact on the communities and industries we work within.

DEI & Sustainability Initiatives at GDC

Sessions

Advocacy

GDC hosts hundreds of talks each year advocating for change in the industry to support diversity, accessibility, and sustainability. This includes the Thriving Players Workshop, which empowers the creation and sharing of best practices across game development.

Career Development

Alongside a week of career-focused content, Friday’s Game Career Seminar (GCS), and Student Day aim to help developers launch or advance their careers in games. To make these events accessible for professionals at any stage of their career, we offer a more affordable Friday Only Expo Pass.

Climate Resiliance

GDC hosts a variety of talks about climate issues and sustainability in the games industry. This includes the Climate Crisis Workshop, a full-day interactive workshop teaching developers how to integrate climate change and climate resilience messaging into their games.

Community

Partnerships

GDC collaborates with select organizations to empower and uplift game developers from marginalized communities, offering them opportunities to attend the event and a platform to showcase their work.

Pronoun Tags 

GDC supports the flourishing diversity in our community and does our best to foster a safe and inclusive space. Upon arrival, attendees can pick up pronoun tags to place on their event badges.

Invisible Disability Stickers

We understand that not all disabilities are visible from the outside. GDC has Yellow Sunflower stickers at our info booths, which attendees can place on their event badges if they have any type of hidden disability that may require extra help from staff or security.

Onsite Spaces

Quiet Room

Attendees can access our Quiet Room for prayer, meditation, or quiet reflection during conference hours, Monday through Friday, in room South 305.

Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

During the week of GDC, gender-neutral bathrooms are available within the convention center, and their locations will be marked for attendees.

Mamava Nursing Pods

Located at Moscone South Lower Mezzanine by Room 50, with one more on Level 2 of Moscone West by Room 2024. Caregivers are invited to bring their child’s milk to Room South 105 for storage.

‘GDC Kids’ Childcare

GDC has partnered with KiddieCorp to provide onsite childcare for parents and guardians who would not otherwise be able to attend GDC.

Reducing Impact

Renewable Energy Commitment

GDC is powered by renewable energy, with energy efficient lighting and equipment used throughout the event. These actions move us toward our goal of becoming a net zero carbon event.

No Aisle Carpet

Aisle carpet sometimes ends up in landfills despite efforts for reuse. Returned carpet undergoes cleaning with petroleum-based solutions, emitting pollutants during transport. GDC's shift away from aisle carpet aligns with its net zero commitment.

Digital Tote Bags

GDC has switched to digital event guides to reduce paper use. The contents of a normal GDC promotional tote bag are recreated in an exclusively digital format, ensuring longevity without waste.

Badge & Lanyard Recycling 

At the end of the event, attendees are asked to drop off their badges at registration, as GDC provides recycling for the full badge and lanyard. The bins for drop-off are in the South Upper and West Level 1 lobbies, indicated by signage. 

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Connecting the Global Game Development Community