Non-agressive
No one wants aggro in their lives. We're not just talking about violence here; we're also including any kind of behaviour or communication that makes your blood boil or steam come out of your ears. Power-plays, hatespeech, trolling, vitriolic diatribes - we're having none of it, thanks.
Equal
This one has two meanings; firstly, it refers to equal rights for women, minorities, or any marginalized groups. But it also means that the responsibility for having a good time is shared equally amongst all members of the social group. Your responsibility is not only to look after your own behaviour, but also to help or seek help if you see anyone behaving badly. The bystander mentality doesn't help anyone. We've all got to step up if we're going to see any meaningful societal change.
Safe
This is pretty self-explanatory; just remember that safety includes both mental and physical well-being – for all. Everyone has the right to feel safe from physical harm or mental abuse, even if they've just spoiled the party by breaking The Code. It also means you should only take action if you feel safe doing so.
Trusting
This is where consent comes in - trusting the people in your group not to engage in any behaviour that hasn't been explicitly consented to. In creating a trusting environment, everyone has a clear understanding of what's expected of them, a sense of security, and assuredness that someone's got their back in case anyone breaks that trust.
Why "nest"?
Not only does the word "nest" lend itself to a handy acronym, but it also embodies a safe place where chicks can gather ;-). Seriously though, it does represent a safe place where individuals can co-exist in harmony, while also having the idea of a "guardian" (mama/papa bird) ensuring that everything in the nest is going OK. It also represents a domestic rather than commercial space, as the origins of our Social Code of Conduct were about informal gatherings rather than official policies.
"NEST" can also act as a form of shorthand or code word: it's a lot shorter and easier to use this single word than "our social code of conduct" when discussing things with your social group. It may sound a bit less threatening to say "remember NEST?" when trying to address a breach of The Code.