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New website home to industry Code of Conduct and other resources for creative community

Toronto, ON (June 10, 2018) — The Canadian Creative industries responsible for creating an industry-wide Code of Conduct have now launched a complimentary website – readthecode.ca – as a resource for industry members.

“On behalf of all the industry organizations that have contributed to this process and the launch of our Code, I am happy to announce this new resource as a next step in our industry’s goal to combat harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence within Canada’s creative sector,” said David Sparrow, ACTRA National president.

“I am also pleased to welcome 36 live and recorded music organizations that will soon become signatory to the Code of Conduct to ensure a healthy culture with zero tolerance to all forms of harassment within Canada’s music community.”

In addition to the Code, the website houses a list of Code signatories and their contact information, additional resources including downloadable, printable versions of the Code (in both English and French), and updates from two working groups on their progress. The Education, Training and Awareness Committee is producing multi-level, industry-wide education and training programs, and the Reporting Committee is creating safer and more effective reporting mechanisms. Updates from these two working groups will be made to this website as they become available.

The Code and this subsequent website are all a result of the round-table discussion that took place in November 2017 when a coalition of industry stakeholders gathered together to collaborate on an industry-wide response to harassment, discrimination, bullying, and violence of all kinds. The Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct was officially launched on March 8, 2018, and to date, over 60 organizations from within Canada’s creative community have now become signatory.

The website can be accessed through both readthecode.ca and canadiancreativeindustries.ca.

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Media Contact: Carol Taverner, ACTRA Public Relations Officer, tel: 416.644.1519, ctaverner@actra.ca

TORONTO, ON (le 8 mars 2018) – Un nouveau Code de conduite a été adopté par les industries canadiennes du divertissement et de la création pour renforcer la prévention et pour répondre au harcèlement incluant le harcèlement sexuel, la discrimination, l’intimidation et la violence.

Le Code de conduite témoigne de l’engagement et de la détermination des intervenants à faire changer les mentalités pour aborder et prévenir le harcèlement incluant le harcèlement sexuel, la discrimination, l’intimidation et la violence. Le Code vise aussi à assurer que la sécurité, le respect et le professionnalisme soient la norme dans chaque milieu de travail.

Le Code solidifie les concepts de tolérance zéro, de conséquences proportionnelles, d’interactions fondées sur le consentement et il souligne une politique de non-représailles. Il invite les signataires à encourager la dénonciation faite de bonne foi et les enquêtes ponctuelles. Le Code fait état de notre engagement à l’action et il est un document évolutif qui sera régulièrement informé par les meilleures pratiques.

Le Code de conduite découle d’une table ronde tenue l’année dernière en vue d’un plan d’intervention qui permettrait à l’ensemble de l’industrie d’aborder les questions de harcèlement, de discrimination, d’intimidation et de violence sous toutes ses formes. De plus, d’autres groupes du domaine de la création et du divertissement travaillent pour améliorer les mécanismes de dénonciation et mettre sur pied divers programmes d’éducation et de formation.

Les organisations suivantes se sont engagées à respecter le Code de conduite et d’autres organismes s’y joindront après en avoir révisé le contenu au sein de leurs propres organisations :

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Personne-ressource pour les médias : Carol Taverner, responsable des relations publiques ACTRA, tél. : 416.644.1519, ctaverner@actra.ca

TORONTO, ON (March 8, 2018) — A new Canadian Creative Industries Code of Conduct has been to help prevent and respond to harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence.

The Code represents a commitment by engaged stakeholders to shift the culture, to prevent and respond to harassment including sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence and to ensure every workplace is one where safety, respect and professionalism are the norm.

The Code reinforces the concepts of zero tolerance, proportional consequences, consent-based interactions and no retaliation. It calls on signatories to encourage good-faith reporting and timely investigations. The Code demonstrates our commitment to action and is intended to be a living document that will be regularly informed by best practice.

The Code follows from work launched last year at a creative industries round-table collaborating on an industry-wide response to harassment, discrimination, bullying, and violence of all kinds. In addition, other industry groups are working to create more effective reporting mechanisms, and on multi-level education and training programs.

The following organizations have agreed to the Code and others will join as they review the document within their own organizations:

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Media contact: Carol Taverner, ACTRA Public Relations Officer, tel: 416.644.1519, ctaverner@actra.ca

As representatives of the Canadian creative industry, we gathered together today to collaborate on an industry-wide response to sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, and violence.

We agree to zero tolerance for such behaviour. We recognize that increasing gender equality and diversity across our industry is an important part of the solution.

The first steps we are committed to include:

• Enacting an industry-wide code of conduct, clearly defining expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, enforcement and consequences.
• Creating more effective reporting mechanisms and supports, which ensure all individuals can report allegations without fear of judgement or retribution.
• Ensuring more effective enforcement of existing industry policies.
• Launching a multi-level education and training program, including an industry-wide awareness campaign designed to establish and strengthen a culture of safe workplaces.

This moment presents us all with an opportunity to focus a spotlight on the prevention of sexual harassment. We are committed to working in partnership to build solutions and will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Ad Standards*
Association of Canadian Advertisers (ACA)
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television (The Academy)
The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)
ACTRA Fraternal Benefit Society (AFBS)*
Associated Designers of Canada*
The Actors’ Fund of Canada (AFC)*
Canadian Actors’ Equity Association (Equity)
Canadian Media Guild
Casting Directors Society of Canada (CDC)
Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA)
CWA Canada
Director’s Guild of Canada (DGC)
Entertainment Industry Coalition (EIC)
Front des réalisateurs indépendants du Canada (FRIC)*
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)
Institute of Communication Agencies (ICA)
NABET 700-M Unifor
National Theatre School*
Talent Agents and Managers Association of Canada (TAMAC)
Teamsters Canada*
Theatre Ontario*
Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF)
Writers Guild of Canada (WGC)
Women in View

*Did not attend round table but signed on to statement

Media contact: Carol Taverner, Public Relations Officer, ACTRA, tel: 416.644.1519, ctaverner@actra.ca