“Codes of conduct are for those who voluntarily choose to adopt them,” said Farid Zahran, head of the Egyptian Publishers Association and chair of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, in an interview with Al Manassa.
His remarks come in response to the Bussiness Ethics and Code of Conduct announced by the association two days ago.
The code outlines three key pillars: ethics and conduct in the publishing profession; general occupational health and safety policies; and environmental protection alongside anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.
According to the document, the code applies to the association's leadership, members, suppliers, publishers, and all parties engaged in professional relations with it. It adds that any breach of its policies “is subject to disciplinary procedures, up to and including termination of service.”
Zahran emphasized that the association's role was limited to drafting the code with input from experts and specialists who worked on it for several months. “The board has already approved the code and presented it to the publishers’ general assembly. Anyone who wishes to sign it is welcome to do so. It’s entirely voluntary—we don’t have the authority to enforce it,” he said.
“Still, publishers who adopt the code gain a moral advantage over others—especially in light of growing international concern around issues like harassment, discrimination, and the environment. These are now direct business requirements. Many institutions worldwide prioritize working with organizations committed to such ethical frameworks,” he added.
Complaint process missing
Addressing the absence of complaint and investigation procedures within the code, particularly in cases of harassment and discrimination, Zahran clarified that the association is not a legally empowered body to investigate such cases.
"If a publisher is robbed, they can’t file a complaint with the association because we’re not authorized to investigate anything with a criminal nature," he explained.
“It’s the same with harassment complaints. We don’t have the legal authority, tools, or resources to conduct investigations. If harassment were to occur at a publishing house, it’s the responsibility of that institution to investigate and hold the offender accountable under its internal code. The association has no such mechanism,” he added.
Zahran described the association's role as advisory. “We provided a model code that publishers can use to inform their internal regulations. Any publisher who adopts it is committing to higher standards than what the law requires—such as enforcing protections for women in the workplace under Egypt’s Labor Law No. 12 of 2003.”
In July, the Egyptian literary scene witnessed a high-profile sexual harassment case involving the owner of a Cairo publishing house. Several women writers shared their accounts publicly on Facebook. In response, an informal committee of three feminist legal professionals was formed and confirmed the credibility of the allegations.
Experts welcome move
Zeinab Khair, a consultant on labor legislation and gender, welcomed the Publishers Association's announcement of the code. “It’s a positive step toward protecting women working in the cultural sector from violence and discrimination,” she told Al Manassa.
She added that the code would help protect women workers who hesitate to file complaints, whether due to difficulties proving the offense within the legal system or fear of social stigma and being labeled as “causing a scandal.”
Khair noted that the code includes articles aligned with Egypt’s new labor law, particularly those addressing anti-harassment and anti-discrimination. “It’s a good, preemptive step by the association,” she said.
She added that each publishing house should translate the general code into its own internal policy and define clear implementation tools. “This is called a protection policy—the specific mechanism by which each institution enforces the code,” she explained.
She also emphasized the importance of visibly posting protection policies and complaints procedures in workplaces. “Employees should sign off on them when signing their employment contracts—they should be integrated into the internal bylaws,” she said.
Article 4 of Egypt’s new labor law states that “coerced or forced labor is prohibited, as are harassment, bullying, or verbal, physical, or psychological violence against workers. Internal regulations must specify disciplinary penalties for such acts.”
Article 5 adds that“any act or behavior that creates discrimination in hiring, training, job conditions, or rights and obligations arising from an employment contract—based on religion, belief, gender, race, language, disability, political views, social class, or any other factor that undermines equality—is strictly prohibited.”
