On Thu 14/Nov/2013 19:54:06 +0100 Brian E Carpenter wrote: > On 15/11/2013 03:20, Moriarty, Kathleen wrote: > ... >> I don't think it's the IETF's place to provide a policy back to >> companies on who to send or how many people can attend. This is >> a financial decision for many companies. The cost of the trip >> itself isn't the issue, but the person's time for the week may >> be. > > I completely agree. On the other hand, we could have a prominent > "equal opportunity" statement that would remind everybody, including > employers, that we want diversity among our participants. (And think > what fun we could have wordsmithing such a statement.) Me too. If improperly worded, Vegas-like ladies admission policies might carry the risk of inadvertently putting in some "What Happens Here Stays Here" slogan as well ;-) The other issue, involving small businesses, probably needs something more substantial than a policy. For a small business, the cost of the trip can be weighty in and of itself, let alone the person's time, e.g. [1]. Arrangements such as tax breaks or public subsidies are out of IETF reach, AFAIK. Could ISOC help here, maybe? Ale [1] Things that need discussion face to face? http://www.ietf.org/mail-archive/web/spfbis/current/msg01789.html