Notes From the Q&A on External Mediation and Support

The TYPO3 Association is taking a significant step forward in evolving its culture of mutual support, safety, and respect. Starting 1 September 2026, a fully independent and confidential external mediation service, operated by the professional consultancy Inmedio, will be available to all community members.

Following the initial announcement, Rachel Foucard and Mathias Bolt Lesniak hosted a live conversation with Bernd Fechler and Elisa Anna Katharina Kassin from Inmedio on 26 August 2026. The recording is now available and this article contains a comprehensive summary.

While the internal TYPO3 Ombudsperson Committee remains fully active and available, an external resource provides a neutral alternative. It ensures that anyone who feels uncomfortable discussing sensitive matters within the community has a safe place to turn in situations where

• Internal contacts might face a conflict of interest.
• Internal contacts have close personal relationships with the parties involved.
• Individuals in leadership positions are involved.
• You feel uncomfortable discussing the topic with people from inside the community.

Selected through a competitive tender process, Inmedio has no prior connection to the TYPO3 ecosystem, ensuring absolute neutrality. Based in Berlin and Frankfurt, Germany, their core team for TYPO3 includes Elisa Anna Katharina Kassin, Bernd Fechler, Kimberly Alder, and Frederick Wartman. They bring over 30 years of experience in conflict resolution, organizational consulting, and addressing highly sensitive topics such as power abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination.

• Open to Everyone: The service is completely free of charge for users and is accessible to anyone participating in the TYPO3 community, including contributors who are not formal members of the TYPO3 Association.
• Witnesses are Supported: The service is not restricted to those directly targeted by an incident. Witnesses who feel uneasy about problematic behaviors they have observed are highly encouraged to reach out.
• Focus Areas: The service is designated for serious interpersonal communication, behavioral, and conflict issues (aligned with the Code of Conduct), rather than technical disagreements or trivial disputes over code.

• Initial Contact: You can reach out via a dedicated email address: typo3@inmedio.de.
• Response Times: The team aims to respond within 24 hours on workdays (24 to 48 hours overall) to schedule a consultation.
• Meeting Flexibility: Initial meetings are scheduled within 3 days and can be held online with or without video, or even conducted entirely via written communication, depending on the user's comfort level. The initial session focuses on emotional first aid.
• Languages: Support is primarily provided in English and German, but the team has international capabilities and can assist in other languages, such as Russian and French.

• User Control: You have complete control over the process when you contact the service. There is absolutely no obligation to take further action after the initial consultation, and Inmedio has no external stakes in the outcomes.
• Anonymity: Names and specific case details are never shared with the TYPO3 Association. Inmedio only provides anonymous, quarterly statistical reports on usage volume to help the association monitor overall community health.
• Emergency Exceptions: The sole exception to confidentiality is imminent danger to life (such as severe threats to self or others), where the mediators are ethically and legally mandated to contact relevant authorities.

Inmedio does not have the authority to decide on Code of Conduct violations or to impose sanctions. Their role is to facilitate communication, provide coaching, and help individuals clarify if a violation occurred. Formal internal processes and consequences remain the responsibility of the TYPO3 Ombudsperson committee.

You do not need to prove or even be certain that a formal Code of Conduct violation has occurred before seeking help. If you experience an uneasy gut feeling, an irritation, or a conflict that compromises your safety or well-being, that is a valid reason to reach out for a confidential conversation.

The TYPO3 community should be a safe, inclusive, and transparent environment for all contributors. Whether you choose to utilize the internal Ombudsperson Committee or prefer the absolute neutrality of the external partners at Inmedio, please remember that you are never alone when facing difficult situations.

Starting 1 September 2026, you can reach out directly to the external mediation team to schedule your private consultation or seek advice.

Read the Code of Conduct: Feel free to check out the official reporting processes and community standards in the TYPO3 Code of Conduct.