Proposed Services

Advice and assessment

People wishing to report a concern to CIISA can do so via a confidential advice line or by using our secure web-based contact form. Employers seeking advice on a specific matter can also contact our staff or make an enquiry using these channels. A skilled case worker will assess the concerns raised and offer the best possible route forward.

We will provide advice and support to ensure the individual raising a concern gets expert, tailored advice on next steps, which may include a referral to a partner organisation. This can include information on how to access existing HR or legal avenues, access to a relevant trade union, or support lines or charities focused on specific areas of the creative industries (for example, The Film and TV Charity Support Line or Help Musicians).

Our skilled advice and assessment staff will be experts in active listening ensuing the issues are managed with sensitivity and with a focus on providing support in a safe, confidential environment.

Early dispute resolution

As part of CIISA’s advice and assessment stage, our staff will be trained in using dispute resolution techniques to seek a quick resolution to an emerging issue wherever possible.

Resolving emerging concerns early through facilitation has many benefits. It gives both parties more say on how to resolve their problem. It can be more satisfying for each party to decide on the outcome and can bring closure to on-going disputes. It can help repair damaged relationships and allow the parties involved to work well together again. This is particularly important when all parties involved need to communicate closely in a creative workplace setting.

Through early dialogue, the CIISA advice and assessment team look to identify cases where facilitated resolution may offer the most effective option.

Mediation

CIISA will also offer a mediation service to help resolve issues without the need for an investigation.

CIISA will ensure that our mediators are representative of the workforce that we serve, and experienced and empathetic in leading mediations that may involve discriminatory behaviours.

As mediations can only take place with the consent of all parties, our staff will engage with all to see if they are happy to use this service. Mediation will be a confidential process aimed at bringing the parties together to seek a solution. Sessions will be held with a trained, neutral mediator who will facilitate constructive dialogue. CIISA will seek to conduct mediations in a meaningful timeframe, understanding the pace of the creative industries.

Support navigating the criminal justice system

CIISA will give professional advice to individuals who are taking their concerns to the police or through the criminal justice system as we are aware that it can be daunting to navigate without support.

We will provide expert advice and support to individuals in such cases. This may include getting free support from CIISA’s Head of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Head of Anti-Discrimination.

Our advice and assessment team will be trained to identify potential legal matters and will assist wherever possible. We will work closely with the police and other stakeholders to ensure the right advice and support is given and refer any matters that require an existing legal or criminal solution to the right place. CIISA will never run parallel processes to any existing legal or criminal proceedings.

Influence and advocacy

CIISA will work with expert partners on specific issues such as establishing a legal definition of bullying, preventing the misuse of NDAs, advocating for better advice and protections for freelancers, promoting inclusivity such as wider adoption of the Anti-Racism Code, which is being developed by Black Lives in Music (BLim) – strategic partners and in principle supporters of CIISA.

Data and Insight

CIISA will provide insight and learning from investigations, trends and data, and cross sector expertise. CIISA will build and share knowledge and best practice, which will support more consistent decision making and outcomes to become normalised across the creative industries.

Enquiries from an employer or company

Our advice and assessment team will also be on hand to assist employers with any query or request for support when dealing with relevant issues – including advice to HR teams on investigating or resolving concerns. Our unique position will allow CIISA to commission an independent, expert investigation or mediation led by trained staff that addresses the issues and captures learning at a case level, as well as a systemic learning that would benefit the wider sector/industry.

What CIISA will not do

We will not intervene in cases where an individual already has access to an HR process or other local process that can investigate their concerns, unless CIISA is asked to investigate by the relevant company. Our Advice and Assessment team will give advice on how that person can access their relevant HR process and can get support.

We will not review or conduct already existing HR investigations unless the company asks us to do so. This is a service that our principal supporters have asked CIISA to provide.

CIISA investigations at the request of an employer

There are two types of investigation that CIISA will offer. Adjudication panel investigations for the most serious and complex cases, where no other process is in place and CIISA led investigations on behalf of an employer, but only at their request.

In our consultation to date, employers across the creative industries have asked CIISA to have the capacity to investigate on their behalf. The terms of this investigation will be agreed between the employer and CIISA, but CIISA would be operating independently in terms of its investigation processes and recommendations which would be presented back to the employer.

CIISA adjudication panel investigations

Adjudication panel investigations would be for CIISA to determine whether the evidence presented met CIISA’s threshold at serious and complex and would be a matter of last resort where no other process was in place.

Adjudication panel procedures

CIISA’s adjudication panel procedures are based on an existing regulatory framework, that is different to how HR investigations are conducted. The adjudication panel will comprise three highly skilled and experienced legal, regulatory and creative industry experts drawn from a potential pool of 20, with a legal adviser present. Panel members will be carefully appointed to ensure there are no conflicts of interest.

What support will all parties receive?

All parties who are participating in an adjudication panel investigation will have access to 24/7 wellbeing support and counselling.

What recommendations will CIISA make?

CIISA will make individual recommendations based on the investigation which will be appropriate and proportionate to the findings. The recommendations will be subject to further consultation, but could include a range of measures such as training, removal of a credit and recommending membership from key industry bodies is ceased.