The TV Collective has presented the results of its latest survey conducted in June and July this year, which set out to identify the Best Places to Work in the UK Entertainment and media production industries for People of Colour (POC).
The study aimed to reveal not only, The Best Production company, Best Broadcaster and The Company you would recommend to your friend, conducted by Dr Dunkley Gyimah Cardiff University and Lewis Silkin LLP, but it also set out to identify the organisations where “voices are heard, culture is thriving, and all employees -no matter their background, are engaged.”
The study surveyed those working full-time and part-time across these industries, including both freelancers and those with staff jobs, as well as those just starting out to those in senior roles, who helped reveal that “more and more media and production companies in the UK have since established clear diversity statements within their organisations, and there appears to be more commitment from senior leaders on this issue.”
The study also reports that over half of these companies also provided clear Black Lives Matter statements last year and that 50% of respondents believe they have been effective. The survey also indicates that people are feeling “more valued and are able to bring their true selves to work to discuss issues pertaining to their ethnic identity.”
Whilst ITV and All3Media came out on top for the best companies to work for, with ITV in particular revealed as the company respondents would most recommend to a friend, the survey reports 65% of respondents didn’t feel comfortable naming the companies they worked for. The survey also reveals that 77% of black, Asian and ethnic minorities have experienced microaggressions at work and only 20% felt comfortable enough to raise any work-related concerns.
On the subject of career progression, the report reveals that the vast majority of senior and creative development teams still had none, a small number or one person of colour working in them. There was also clear evidence of the ‘frozen middle’ with less than a quarter of black, Asian and ethnic minorities having had a pay rise in the last 3 years, whilst 48% didn’t know if they were paid the same as their white peers doing the same job. And although, 50% of Black, Asian, and other minority ethnics respondents had worked in the industry for more than 10 years, only 20% have had a promotion in the last three years.
However, the survey identified that 65% of respondents felt there was buy-in from senior management, and 50% felt the commitment was demonstrated throughout the whole of the company particularly on matters important to them such as diversity and inclusion.
Simone Pennant MBE and Founder of TVC, says: What this study has shown is that the best places to work were recognised by respondents as having people of colour in senior roles across development, HR and crucially at board level. This was not the case for the majority of companies where in 2021 respondents of colour were too afraid to name their place of work for fear of identification and possible reprisals. This report sets out a clear message that it takes diverse leaders to attract and create diverse staff teams, which in turn leads to happier employees, better content and ultimately bigger profits as these two companies have demonstrated. It will be interesting to what changes we see in Best Places 2022.”
Sara Geater, All3Media Chief Operating Officer, adds: “We are very pleased to have been recognised in The TV Collective survey and we are very aware, as confirmed by the results, that there’s still a great deal of work to do in the area of diversity. We want to have a company where all people feel comfortable and proud to work, to achieve this means constantly challenging and improving our working practices, attitudes, and behaviours – all of which is crucially important to the TV industry.”
Ade Rawcliffe, Group Director of Diversity and Inclusion at ITV says, “We are very pleased to receive this recognition for our work to improve inclusion of People of Colour (POC) at ITV, but also acknowledge we still have work to do, particularly at senior levels and within our production teams. Through our Diversity Acceleration Plan, we will continue to build an inclusive workplace culture, where colleagues and managers are equipped with the tools to drive equality and inclusion with actions like Race Fluency, inclusion training and our Speaking Up Policy. We would also like to acknowledge the important role that our five staff Networks play in supporting and helping us to embed these changes. Through our Production Principles process, ITV Rise and Step Up 60, we will continue to create opportunities for POC and other underrepresented backgrounds to progress their careers. We believe everyone at ITV has a role to play in creating an inclusive culture and that it is essential for ITV’s continued and future success that we continue to attract the best talent from the widest range of backgrounds, so our workforce represents the rich diversity of contemporary British society.”
Jon Creamer
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