Sky is to ask all freelancers working on its shows to complete an exit questionnaire to raise concerns or suggestions about bullying and harassment on set.
In the wake of recent allegations of unacceptable behaviour – including the charges levelled at Noel Clarke, star of now-axed Sky 1 drama Bulletproof – the broadcaster has written to suppliers to outline a range of strengthened safeguarding measures that will apply across all commissions and Sky Studios productions.
Each production will be assigned a safeguarding representative and all cast and crew will have to complete an online ‘respect in the workplace’ training module and all managers must now complete a ScreenSkills leadership training course – initially for scripted shows, but with unscripted to follow.
Contact details of the representative as well as contact details for services such as Sky’s confidential hotline Sky Listens an the Film & TV Charity’s support line, must now be displayed prominently across canteens, break spaces, toilets and trailers.
Managing director of content Zai Bennett and Sky Studios chief content officer Jane Millichip said suppliers must “uphold and exemplify” the broadcaster’s expectation that every member of cast and crew is working in a safe and supportive environment.
“Now is the time for all of us to take a firm stand,” they declared, adding that the policies are designed to “ensure there is no ambiguity about behaviours, work culture and the professional standards we expect on our productions”.
At present Sky has a confidential hotline, Sky Listens; “strongly encourages” senior leaders on scripted productions to undertake ScreenSkills leadership and management training course and has oversight of anti-harassment policies from its production partners.
The letter concluded: “As those responsible for the on-the-ground delivery of our content, we require all our production partners to model, uphold, and exemplify these standards of behaviour.”
Sky's safeguarding policies in full:
Safeguarding representative
Every Sky production must have a named safeguarding representative to support the production with information on policies and routes to report ideas. This can be an existing member of crew who has had safeguarding and bullying and harassment training.
Mandatory respect in the workplace training
All cast and crew on a Sky production must complete an online respect in the workplace training module.
All managers on scripted shows must complete a ScreenSkills leadership training course, with unscripted expected to follow suit.
Clear information on how to raise concerns
Details of how to report incidents must now be prominent displayed in private spaces such a toilets and trailers and public spaces such as canteens and break spaces. This should detail services such as Sky Listens and the Film and TV Charity’s support line, as well as how to contact the on-set safeguarding representative.
Anonymous exit questionnaires
Everyone finishing a production will be given an exit questionnaire in which they can raise any concerns or provide suggestions for how to make improvements on future productions.
