Inspiring Diversity, Banishing Boxes.
21/02/2012
On January 27th 2012 ,over a year on from the introduction of The Equality Act, Pact partnered with C4, BBC, ITV and Sky to finance and devise a free indie/pan-broadcaster event to tackle head on how the Act would impact on diversity, recruitment and editorial decisions within our industry and to debate key questions:
- What are the key legal obligations of the Equality Act?
- What lessons can be learnt from recent legal cases?
- How can you guarantee that you are implementing the Act on-screen and off?
- What can television do to create equal opportunities for all?
How can programme-makers create commercial advantage by engaging more diverse audiences?
The aim- by bringing together commissioners, employment law experts and programme makers was to give a deeper and richer understanding of how the legislation can affect editorial decisions, and why embracing diversity can improve business opportunities.
Channel 4 hosted over 250 people comprising programme makers, MDs, Heads of Production, diversity experts and freelancers to hear and interact with 4 panels of invited guests debating and exploring issues such as: Gender, age, ethnicity, disability and class.
Speakers consisted of a cross-section of leading industry figures including - Henry Normal-MD Baby Cow, Baroness Floella Benjamin, Angela Griffin, Bella Lambourne-Global head of HR, Endemol, Alison Walsh- Disability Adviser Channel 4, Steve November-ITV Commissioning Editor Drama, Lucy Lumsden-Head of Comedy Sky, John Stapleton, Paul Blake-Maroon Prods, Kieran Smith-Creative Director Love Prods and Kate Kinninmont-WIFTV with Cerrie Burnell (CBeebies) expertly chairing the day’s proceedings.
With lively panels and an even livelier audience who put forward their own views and questions via twitter there was no shortage of debate. The event ended up trending as one of the top 10 topics in London that day
Sets by two diverse comedians- Laurence Clark and Chris McCausland ensured that there were also hilarious and anarchic twists to the themes.
Many took advantage of the free legal surgery with employment law experts Lewis Silkin to discuss any specific issues or stayed to enjoy the networking later. But all left with an in depth guide to the Equality Act produced by Pact, with the help of the broadcast partners, detailing some of the more intricate legal issues with case studies, resources and a contact list.
