Film Access organisations must ensure that some workers are not treated less favourably than others.
Gender Pay Gap
The gender pay gap exists because women earn significantly less than men over their careers. As women are still regarded as the primary care giver, their work choices can be limited to typically lower-paid and part-time roles. This also limits their opportunities to progress in the same way men can, which dilutes diversity at senior management levels.
Close the Gap’s pay gap toolkit provides a range of guidance and advice to help employers calculate their gender pay gap and identify actions to reduce it.
https://www.closeyourpaygap.org.uk/
Racial Inequality
Employment can play a major part in addressing racial inequality. The gap in employment rate for the minority ethnic population in Scotland is consistently and persistently high. Through fair working practices, minority ethnic workers will be able to access and sustain employment commensurate with their skills, experience and/or employment goals and in working environments that are diverse and inclusive.
Employers should use the Minority Ethnic Recruitment Toolkit to improve the diversity of their workforce by recruiting more people from minority ethnic backgrounds.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/minority-ethnic-recruitment-toolkit/
Disability
Disabled people also experience discrimination and a lack of access to opportunity. We need to ensure our workplaces are not designed or operating in ways that can create barriers and exclude disabled people. Fair and equal access, and the provision of appropriate support, can greatly improve disabled people’s chances, enabling access to jobs, job retention and career progression.
Information about employment issues for disabled people is available from Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE).
Recommendations
The above provide practical steps towards improvement in relation to three protected characteristics.
Below are some further steps relating which can lead to improvements in relation to the other protected characteristics:
- Recruitment, retention and promotion processes prevent bias and barriers, e.g. ‘blind’ recruitment; providing any additional support/adjustments at interviews; diversity in interview panels; exit interviews are used to understand why a person is leaving.
- Workers have opportunities to influence the organisation’s approach to workplace equality, including by sharing their own experiences.
- The organisation gathers data to understand its workforce diversity and has a plan in place to address under-representation.
- Refer to Stonewall’s best practice toolkits and resources for improvements on LGBT+ inclusion
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/best-practice-toolkits-and-resources - Governance structures are gender balanced and the organisation is working to ensure parity for minority ethnic, disabled and younger people.
- Workplace adjustments are made for disabled staff who need it, e.g. Access to Work.
- Flexible working is encouraged across the organisation, subject to business need.
- Enhanced maternity, parental and adoption leave and pay are available for all staff, and staff are supported to return to work through keep in touch days and refresher courses.
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/managing-pregnancy-and-maternity-workplace - Everyone has equal access to appropriate learning and development opportunities.
- All staff have opportunities to discuss their support needs with management.
- There are clear career pathways for women, with support for those returning to work after a career break and to help minority ethnic, disabled and older workers to progress.
- The organisation is a recognised Carer Positive employer.
https://www.carerpositive.org/about - Employers are able to provide safe spaces for workers to express their concerns and raise issues and where workers are confident that their concerns are dealt with appropriately by trained personnel.
Beyond Protected Characteristics
Protected characteristics are not an exhaustive list of characteristics that can act as barriers. Characteristics such as: caring responsibilities, neurodiversity, socioeconomic background and mental health are just a few additional examples.
Those characteristics should also be considered when looking to implement the above.
Further Reading
https://www.bfi.org.uk/inclusion-film-industry/bfi-diversity-standards
https://www.closeyourpaygap.org.uk/
https://www.gov.scot/publications/minority-ethnic-recruitment-toolkit/
https://www.stonewall.org.uk/best-practice-toolkits-and-resources
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/our-work/managing-pregnancy-and-maternity-workplace
https://www.carerpositive.org/about
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/cultural/projects/creative-majority
https://www.gov.scot/publications/trauma-informed-practice-toolkit-scotland/
https://umusic.co.uk/Creative-Differences-Handbook.pdf
https://www.gov.scot/publications/fair-work-first-guidance-support-implementation/pages/4/
Raising Films – Supporting parents and carers in the UK screen sector