ScreenSkills, the only dedicated skills body for the UK’s screen industries, has published a Diversity and Inclusion (“D&I”) Playbook in association with the University of Glasgow. The Playbook brings together current practice in the sector; defines key terms and principles and, makes recommendations that could help to create, support and retain a more inclusive workforce.
“A diverse and inclusive workforce is the cornerstone for a successful and creative screen sector. Diversity of thought, views and lived experiences are vital, making for a richer, more relevant experience not only for the audience but for those who work behind the camera,” commented Seetha Kumar, Chief Executive, ScreenSkills. “Building on previous cross-sector collaboration, this Playbook offers the screen industries a further opportunity to work together to provide a unified approach, common language, consistent measurement and defined accountability that will help to attract and retain the very best, most promising talent.”
The Playbook has been informed by ScreenSkills’ D&I Target Review, commissioned in summer 2021. This in-depth research was undertaken by independent researchers from the Universities of Glasgow and Warwick.
The Review found that the screen industries were generally ahead of other sectors but did identify specific areas for improvement relating to clarity of language relating to D&I targets; consistency of target-setting data; greater transparency on target setting; and disseminating learning and good practice.
D&I targets are vital for delivering on strategic priorities for diversity and inclusion. A D&I target is an explicitly stated, actionable and time sensitive outcome that improves diversity and inclusion. A target can refer to a share of people within an identifiable group; budget invested specifically in D&I activity; recruitment and data collection. D&I targets can be confused with quotas (a minimum share of people with a specific characteristic) but D&I targets are much broader than quotas. Targets drive attention to many aspects of diversity and inclusion that we want to improve – who gets to work in the screen industries, how they experience their work, how our organisation run and what outputs we produce.
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