Diversity Pledge

Click here for a list of the companies signed up to the CDN Diversity Pledge

The CDN’s challenge was to change the face of television, onscreen and off, by ensuring broadcast media accurately reflects Britain’s increasingly multicultural society. If broadcasting is to be more diverse, companies throughout our business must embrace the diversity challenge.

“If you’re interested in creativity – as everyone in the creative industries should be – then diversity matters. It matters not just for fairness, but for productivity. In a digital world, broadcasters ignore diversity at their peril.“
- Andy Duncan, C4 CEO

“The pledge is a wake up call to all of us and as a direct result of the launch Monkey has already set up a scheme with St Saviour’s & St Olave’s, an inner city girls school in Southwark. Pre-GCSE pupils and sixth formers will come to Monkey for work experience and holiday work and we are also going to be regularly sending production staff, executives and on screen talent to the school to talk to the girls and explain the wide range of options open to them in the media. I think the important thing is that we all (production companies) realise that it's not enough just to hire on productions from ethnic minorities – we need to be much more proactive and get out of our comfort zones and into the community.

TV as an industry is undergoing a period of uncertainty and change and if one of those changes is greater diversity both on and off screen – I say bring it on.“
- Fi Cotter Craig, Executive Producer Monkey Kingdom

What is the Diversity Pledge?

The Diversity Pledge is a public commitment by independent production companies, in-house producers and other suppliers to take measurable steps to improve diversity in the industry.

The CDN is pleased to launch the Diversity Pledge with PACT, and the support of the Broadcasting & Creative Industries Disability Network (BCIDN). The BCIDN helps promote real opportunities for disabled people on screen and in production.

The pledge is split into 4 sections covering different aspects of diversity with practical suggestions on how to improve representation. The approach is flexible – it’s up to individual companies to set their own agenda.

“ITV has made great progress on diversity. But for our content to remain relevant we - and our suppliers - must do more. We look forward to working with CDN to make our industry more creatively rich and diverse.”
- Michael Grade, Executive Chairman ITV

What do you sign up to?

1. Recruiting fairly and from as wide a base as possible and encouraging industry entrants and production staff from diverse backgrounds.
2. Encouraging diversity in output.
3. Encouraging diversity at senior decision-making levels.
4. Taking part in, or running, events that promote diversity.

Broadcasters are committed

“The Diversity Pledge demonstrates major broadcasters’ absolute commitment to diversity. We hope the Pledge encourages the UK independent production sector to produce more output that truly reflects the richness of modern Britain.”
- Mark Thompson, BBC Director General

Channel 4, BBC, Sky, ITV, Turner and Virgin Media Television expect their suppliers to sign up to the initiative and it’s anticipated other CDN members will do the same.

The Editorial Specification forms for Channel 4, BBC, ITV and Sky will ask if a company has signed up to the pledge.