Creative Industries Standards Authority names first ‘Trailblazers’

• CIISA names first organisations helping to bring its Standards to life
• Trailblazers across film, TV, music and theatre

Wednesday 27 August 2025: CIISA (Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) today announces the first organisations to ‘Trailblaze’ its industry-endorsed Standards.

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 and mark the first time clear, cross-sector expectations have been established to improve workplace behaviours and build safe and inclusive working environments. Since their launch the CIISA Standards have been embedded into the commissioning processes at the BBC and ITV, and are being integrated into the procurement processes of a number of key venues.

CIISA is now working closely with organisations across film, TV, music and theatre to put the Standards into practice in a variety of creative work spaces, aiming to create practical, sector-specific guidance to support their implementation more widely. Over the next 6-9 months CIISA is working closely with each Trailblazer to test the Standards in the context of specific organisations, projects and productions, supporting Trailblazers with resources and insight and inviting feedback.

The first CIISA ‘Trailblazing’ organisations are (in alphabetical order):

The BBC, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, ITV, Royal Albert Hall, Royal Shakespeare Company, Sadler’s Wells, Sky, Belfast and London-based production company Two Cities Television and Wales Millennium Centre. In addition to these, 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 undertake Trailblazing activity.

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.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “Everyone should be treated with fairness, dignity and respect in the workplace. 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.”

BBC Director-General Tim Davie said: “Creating an inclusive working environment focused on respect, diversity and free from bullying and harassment is mission critical at the BBC, so we are proud to be named as CIISA trailblazers. We are committed to upholding and improving standards of behaviour across the creative industries, and already require all TV production partners to align their respect at work policies with CIISA’s industry standards. We continue to support the development of CIISA’s work.”

Chris Snow, Head of Artist Services, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is pleased to be working with CIISA as part of their Trailblazers programme, to explore ways we can support the Fringe through the CIISA standards. We’re here to support venues, artists, industry and workers at the Fringe to have the best possible experience, and to know where they can access advice and support if they need it – we look forward to working with CIISA to support the festival to be trailblazing in its standards as well as on its stages.”

Ade Rawcliffe, Chief People and Inclusion Officer, ITV, said: “ITV is proud to be a CIISA Trailblazer organisation.  ITV is committed to ensuring that everyone we work with has a safe and positive experience and CIISA will now help ensure a clear, consistent and high level of conduct and behaviour across the creative industries.”

James Ainscough, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall, said: “We’re proud to be one of CIISA’s Trailblazers and to help lead positive change across the arts, creating a fair, safe and inclusive working environment for everyone. At the Hall, we’ve found the Trailblazers process hugely helpful already, in helping us to think through and develop our policies, and how to apply them practically.”

Britannia Morton, Co-CEO and Executive Director of Sadler’s Wells, said: “At Sadler’s Wells we fully support the roll-out of these important standards which will help ensure a healthy, productive and fair working environment for all employees and partners. We are proud to be ‘trailblazers’ for the dance sector in this new initiative.”

Stephen Wright, joint CEO of Two Cities Television with Michael Jackson, said: “Creating an inclusive, safe and positive workplace for our teams is incredibly important across all our productions, and we’re proud to support the work of CIISA as one of their ‘trailblazing’ organisations.”

Emma Evans, Head of Creative Experiences at Wales Millenium Centre, said: “Wales Millennium Centre is delighted to be a trailblazer, this is a great opportunity for us to improve our working practices and share learning and experience with a group of peers. Our team have already found the process insightful and beneficial. It’s so important that CIISA is able to work with industry as it develops to ensure it can be as effective as possible in its mission to enable safe and inclusive work environments for all.”

CIISA expects to add further Trailblazers in the coming months as it continues to develop and hone resources and tools to support the creative industries to make workplace bullying, harassment and discriminatory behaviour a thing of the past.