SPA Celebrates 1 Year of Empowering Respectful Workplaces – Screen Producers Australia (SPA) today marked a significant milestone as it reached the first anniversary of its groundbreaking e-learning course, Respectful Workplaces. Launched in December 2022, this crucial initiative is designed to foster a culture of respect and inclusion while reducing instances of harassment, discrimination, and bullying within the dynamic screen industry.
In the wake of relaunching the National Guidelines for Screen Safety in 2021, SPA embarked on a mission to create a safer industry that attracts and retains top talent. The Respectful Workplaces e-learning course has been a cornerstone of this endeavour, breaking down barriers based on cultural diversity, sexual orientation, and more. Its core mission is cultivating trust and respect within the screen workplaces, reinforcing the industry’s commitment to safeguarding its workforce.
Over the past year, SPA has made significant strides in furthering its commitment to a more inclusive and respectful industry. To date, over 1,200 personnel from SPA member companies have enrolled in the training, marking an impressive and growing collective dedication to ensuring safe and respectful workplaces. Leading production companies, including Ambience Entertainment, Goalpost Pictures, Fremantle Australia, Princess Pictures, and Prospero Productions, have adopted the training as part of their production personnel onboarding, leading to safer, more respectful workplaces.
Looking ahead, SPA is working towards launching a supporting database lookup tool that will enable tracking of course completion. This will pave the way for an industry accreditation system, setting the stage for the development of additional e-learning modules to further enhance industry standards.
SPA CEO Matthew Deaner underscored the enduring importance of these efforts, stating,
“The provision and receipt of regular and ongoing training about what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviour sets a clear expectation and a common benchmark for everybody, making it easier for employers, employees, and contractors alike. This is the foundation for what SPA anticipates will be a range of important e-learning modules provided for the industry.”
As an initiative led by SPA, Respectful Workplaces aligns with broader industry goals and creates an industry where diversity and inclusion are valued, benefiting both its dedicated workforce and the quality of productions generated by the Australian screen industry.
As SPA prepares to roll out mandatory training to its membership in the coming year, the number of enrolled personnel is set to skyrocket. This signifies a powerful collective commitment to ensuring the highest standards of respect, safety, and inclusivity within the screen industry.
For more information about Respectful Workplaces, visit SPA’s Respectful Workplaces website.
Media Release – SPA
Link to SPA HERE
SPA Celebrates 1 Year of Empowering Respectful Workplaces
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