The newly-formed Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) has laid out the four standards that it will uphold to stamp out bullying in film and TV.
Drawn up after an eight-week industry consultation with more than 700 people, the framework aims to offer a consistent benchmark for anyone reporting or receiving concerns, by setting out the minimum expected standards of behaviour.
The four standards are:
Safe Working Environments – workers should be ‘free from exposure to psychological, sexual and physical harm’
Inclusive Working Environments – everyone should know what discriminatory behaviour looks like, and senior leaders and managers should ‘set the tone by promoting and embedding a culture of inclusivity
Open and Accountable Reporting Mechanisms – everyone should ‘feel confident that any concerns they raise will be taken seriously and resolved at the earliest opportunity without a fear of being victimised’
Responsive Learning Cultures - workers should be able ‘to see concerns raised as an opportunity not just to address harmful behaviour, but also to capture learning and to act on it’
CIISA intends to publisher practical tailored guidance on the standards, with illustrative examples, in due course and board chair Baroness Helena Kennedy said it will work with “trailblazing” organisations to apply them in practice.
It will also provide training on the standards and publish cross-industry reports on how they are being implemented.
Once CIISA becomes fully operational, it promises to act as an independent safe space for individuals to report experiences of harmful behaviour without fear of repercussion.
Companies will be expected to assess and update their own reporting policies in line with the standards.
The standards are detailed here and can be downloaded as a PDF.
CIISA is backed by all major UK broadcasters and industry organisations including Bafta, The Film and TV Charity, Pact and Bectu. It plans to launch fully later this year once a long-term funding model has been secured.
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy is considering making it mandatory for UK broadcasters to regularly fund the service.
