source/pmc/responsibilities.md

---
title: PMC Responsibilities
tags: ["pmc","governance"]
---

The Project Management Committee (PMC) oversees the project, including
technical decisions, ensuring compliance with ASF standards, adding
new members, and approving releases.

{{% toc %}}

## Conducting Business

The PMC must conduct all business on the public developers' mailing list,
maintaining full community visibility.

Every PMC has a private@ list reserved for confidential matters such as
discussing proposed committers, potential PMC members, or security issues.
Do not use the private list to discuss features, roadmap discussions, or other
technical decisions, as this cuts the community out of the process.

The Board of Directors occasionally sends comments or queries, often
regarding your quarterly board report. Any PMC member can and should
respond to these inquiries -- don't wait for the Chair to handle them.

The PMC makes decisions about project direction and should incorporate
input from the broader community. However, when votes are taken, only
PMC votes are binding. Community members are encouraged to vote, but
their votes serve as advisory input only.

PMC members may veto technical decisions, such as proposed patches, but
must provide technical justification and engage in discussion to resolve
their objections.

For more information about voting procedures, see the [Foundation
website](https://www.apache.org/foundation/voting.html).

## Protecting your brand

Apache PMCs are directly responsible for promoting and protecting their
project's brand and trademarks while following Apache Trademark
policies. This is discussed in detail on the [trademarks
site](https://apache.org/foundation/marks/responsibility).

## Making a release

The process for releasing official Apache software artifacts is documented
on the [Infra website](https://infra.apache.org/release-publishing.html).
As a PMC member, you must read and understand this process.

When voting on a release, actually test the release candidate. In your vote
email, specify what you tested and on which platforms, rather than simply
voting +1 or -1.

## Ensuring Project Health

The PMC is individually and collectively responsible for ensuring the
project operates according to ASF policies and standards. In this role,
PMC members act as individuals, not as representatives of their employers
or other third-party interests. The reputation of both the project and the
ASF depends on PMC members fulfilling this responsibility.

Projects must [operate in a vendor-neutral
fashion](https://community.apache.org/projectIndependence.html). Every project
participant should have an equal voice, regardless of their employer or
employment status. Evidence that a project favors one company or organization
over another constitutes a serious violation. For example, if members of a
particular organization receive preferential treatment for committer status,
PMC membership, or patch acceptance, this indicates undue employer influence
over the project.

The PMC sets the tone for conduct and interactions within the project.
Members can and should address behavior that conflicts with ASF standards,
including bullying, discriminatory discussions, or other abusive behavior.
PMCs may adopt a specific Code of Conduct or follow the [ASF's general
Code of Conduct](https://apache.org/foundation/policies/conduct).

## Adding Community Members

The PMC ensures project sustainability by regularly [adding
committers](/pmc/adding-committers.html) and [new PMC
members](/pmc/adding-pmc-members.html). This responsibility extends beyond
the chair -- every PMC member should regularly evaluate project participants
and consider whether they should be invited to the next [level of the
contributor ladder](/contributor-ladder.html).