The BBC, Sky and ITV are among the UK screen organisations that have signed on to put the UK’s Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority’s (CIISA) first set of standards to the test, under the label of CIISA ‘trailblazers’.
The CIISA standards, launched in February 2025, set clear expectations of behaviour for everyone working in the creative industries, from freelancers to employees, runners to senior leaders. The standards were developed and agreed through an industry-wide consultation. The four standards are: safe working environments, inclusive working environments, open and accountable reporting mechanisms and responsive learning cultures.
So far, the CIISA standards have been embedded into the commissioning processes at the BBC and ITV. CIISA is now working closely with organisations across film, TV, music and theatre to put the standards into practice in a variety of creative workspaces, aiming to create practical, sector-specific guidance to support their implementation more widely.
Over the next six-to-nine months CIISA is working closely with each ‘trailblazer’ to test the standards in the context of specific organisations, projects and productions.
Further organisations taking part are Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Shakespeare Company, Sadler’s Wells, Belfast and London-based production company Two Cities Television and Wales Millennium Centre.
CIISA is working with a post-production house in the north of England, and also with the Independent Cinema Office to identify film festivals and venues across the UK to be ‘trailblazers’.
CIISA is an industry-funded, not government-funded, body. The standards authority’s funding model is based on organisations and individuals paying an ongoing annual voluntary contribution, with no organisation expected to contribute more than 0.1% of annual UK turnover. But getting widespread, long-term creative sector buy-in is understood to still be a work-in-progress.
The UK government has not ruled out intervening in lieu of effective buy-in from the creative industries. The government said in a written response to the culture, media and sport committee’s recommendations earlier this year: “All parts of the creative industries under CIISA’s remit should commit to unconditional, long-term funding within six months. In the meantime, the government should explore all options for funding CIISA in case the industry does not deliver a voluntary solution.
“If linking eligibility for Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits with support for CIISA is too complex and will potentially deter inward investment, industries under CIISA’s remit could be subject to a levy to fund its work.”
Jen Smith, CEO of CIISA said: “The way CIISA’s Standards have been embraced has been fantastic and we know they are the foundation to building safer and more accountable work environments across the creative industries. More and more organisations, projects and productions will be required to align with the CIISA Standards and we couldn’t be more grateful to these Trailblazing partners who have demonstrated their leadership on this agenda, and whose generous support and investment of time will enable us to create practical guides and resources scalable to everyone’s needs.”
“Everyone should be treated with fairness, dignity and respect in the workplace,’ added culture secretary Lisa Nandy. “That’s why we continue to urge all in the sector to support the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to better protect those working in the creative industries.
“It is vital that CIISA has proper buy-in and support so that unacceptable behaviour and abuses of power are prevented from happening. It is encouraging to see so many influential organisations like the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Wales Millennium Centre and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society backing CIISA to help ensure a safe and supportive working environment for all.”
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