Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
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Last reviewed 20 September 2024
INTRODUCTION
Reclaim The Frame is a film charity led by our core values and beliefs; these values are central to our work, the way we work, and our decision-making.
You can read more about our Organisational Values.
Our equality, diversity, and inclusion policy is in line with the Equality Act 2010 and manifests our values into actions to hold Reclaim The Frame accountable within the charity and with our external relationships. You can read about how it is embedded within our Curatorial Framework.
The information below outlines our work towards supporting and championing marginalised gender filmmakers, adopting an intersectional and holistic framework in our approach. We hope that by providing transparency, this document will demonstrate our continuous, genuine efforts to learn and do better and enable us to be held accountable for our commitment to inclusivity.
Note: The statistics featured in this document are from 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024, except where noted.
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Intersectional Feminism
Reclaim The Frame is an intersectional feminist organisation, and this is demonstrated across our charity: in our leadership as a women-led charity at the Board and staff levels, in the work we do to champion marginalised gender perspectives in film, and in our values-led approach to our work.
We address systemic misogyny and challenge patriarchal views through our programming and through the spaces we create.
Intersectionality is integral to our approach - and we integrate this through our programming, where we strive to promote a worldview that is anti-colonial, anti-ableist, and anti-gender binary.
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Anti-Racism
Reclaim The Frame is an anti-racist organisation that strives to actively challenge the colonial gaze and systemic racial oppression in cinema and deconstruct the intersecting barriers for filmmakers of colour in the industry and in society at large.
Over the history of Reclaim The Frame, our film programming has increasingly featured and supported racially diverse films and filmmakers from Global Majority backgrounds, committed to prioritising the Global South in cinema, which is grossly under-represented in the UK release calendar. In our 2023-24 programme, this was 52%.
Our training programmes continue to support racially diverse filmmakers. In 2023-24, global majority participants accounted for 39% of our cohort.
Reclaim The Frame collaborates with cinemas in the most diverse cities in the UK. The diversity of our UK-wide team is crucial to supporting our charity to reach diverse audiences. 37% of our current team members are from Global Majority backgrounds.
Where we lack lived experience, we strive to form partnerships and work with organisations that can bring valuable experiences, knowledge, and insights to our programming and community engagement.
Our surveying demonstrates that over a quarter of our audiences are ethnically diverse. We aim to reach over 33% of Global Majority audiences across the UK by 2028, with this statistic split between 40% of audiences in London and 30% outside of London.
The majority of the Reclaim The Frame staff and Board is white, consisting of 40% of staff and 44% of freelancers. 43% of Trustees are Black and people of colour.
We continue to tackle unconscious bias through training, and the Reclaim The Frame team and Board attended anti-racism training in 2024, delivered by Donna Carty.
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Socio-Economic Status and Working Class Identity
We acknowledge that working-class identities are complex, and socioeconomic backgrounds and classism remain barriers for many to access film events and careers within the film industry.
We recognise that programming consideration is essential to engaging audiences from working-class backgrounds and on lower incomes and ensuring cinema spaces are actively welcoming for them. We also acknowledge the current cost of living and socioeconomic barriers across the film exhibition sector, such as high ticket costs, as well as other costs to consider, such as transport. For our Reclaim The Frame events, we have limited free tickets that we can offer.
69% of the Reclaim The Frame team and 66% of the Board were state-educated. 50% of the team and 37% of the Board are from a working-class background.
18% of our audiences consider themselves to be from a disadvantaged background in 2022. Over the next two years, we will be deploying a different metric - the Approximate Social Grade (ASG) categories used by the UK government and civil service - to help us determine how to better serve and to grow working class audiences (ASG DE: semi-skilled and unskilled manual occupations, unemployed and lowest grade occupations).
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Disability Inclusion & Accessibility
We recognise that ”disabled” is an umbrella term and identity that incorporates a vast diversity of experiences of disability. When we mention “disability”, we also include those who identify as neurodivergent and those who are Deaf and hard of hearing. We practise the social model of disability and use identity-first language. We recognise that disability and access needs are a vast spectrum and that language and accessibility developments are constantly evolving. We strive to ensure that our screenings, workshops and internal practice are as inclusive and accessible as possible.
Reclaim The Frame will strive to platform disabled voices and demonstrate allyship and solidarity in efforts towards anti-ableism actions.
Reclaim The Frame aims to use an intersectional and holistic disability justice approach to access. We continue to embed accessible practices into our activities, including team training, curatorial practice and audience development.
30% of our team and 37% of our Board have lived experience of disability and/or neurodivergence.
Our dedicated Access & Inclusion Consultant continually trains the team in best practices for film exhibition accessibility.
Our Director has undergone training in disability awareness, mental health first aid, and unconscious bias. This also applies to all team members with hiring and line management responsibilities. Our team and Board have committed to undergoing disability awareness training.
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Audience numbers (2023-24)
Female
70%
Non-binary
5% (+30%)
Under 30
34% (-20%)
Under 24
11%
Global Majority
28% (-10%)
LGBTQIA+
37% (-7%)
Deaf or Disabled
52% (+75%)
Working Class
9%
*change from 2022-23 in parentheses
We continue to demonstrate demand for audio description and descriptive subtitles, advocating for distributors to provide and for cinemas to use these materials.
Where these materials aren’t available, we co-fund the production of high-quality access materials within English-speaking territories, ensuring those files are returned to the distributor and/or sales agent and shared on Sidecard for further usage.
We practice accessible marketing as a standard and encourage our partner cinemas to do the same.
We aim to present over 80% of our titles with descriptive subtitles and/or audio description and to ensure that all descriptive subtitled screenings have live captions for any post-screening activities, such as Q&As.
We will be reinstating greater online activity through online screenings and access to pre-recorded conversations/performances to reconnect and build our audiences.
We are increasing and improving our offerings of relaxed environments and quiet space provisions for our screenings and events.
Religious Inclusion
Reclaim The Frame is inclusive of all religious denominations, and we respect all people’s religious beliefs. We strongly believe that no one should live in fear or danger due to their religious belief, faith or spirituality, and we want everyone to feel welcomed at our events regardless of their religious denomination. 23% of our audience identify as religious, and our curating criteria are inclusive of all faiths, religions and denominations.
Summary
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Reclaim The Frame takes an intersectional, feminist approach through which we promote a worldview that is anti-colonial, anti-ableist, and anti-gender binary.
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Reclaim The Frame is an anti-racist organisation, and we strive to deconstruct the intersecting barriers for filmmakers of colour in the industry. Reclaim The Frame staff and Board attended anti-racism training in 2024
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Reclaim The Frame supports and champions LGBTQIA+ filmmakers and champions, and we stand in allyship and solidarity with the Trans community
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Reclaim The Frame now champions the work of marginalised genders (formerly women and non-binary) to expand our remit to include a great diversity of gender identities. Reclaim The Frame staff and Board attended trans allyship training in 2024
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Reclaim The Frame recognises socioeconomic barriers within the sector, and we make free tickets available for our events
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Reclaim The Frame is an anti-ableist organisation, and we strive to support and platform disabled voices in our work and demonstrate solidarity with disabled filmmakers and audiences
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Reclaim The Frame is active in actions towards standardised, reliable, high-quality, accessible and inclusive practices
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Reclaim The Frame is inclusive and welcoming of all faiths, religions, and denominations
Through this EDI Action Plan, Reclaim The Frame affirms our commitment to supporting marginalised communities through our programming, events, and governance. We commit to reviewing and reassessing this document annually to ensure our objectives are being met and to remain accountable to the charity, our partners, and our audiences.
Update due: September 2025
Our Equal opportunities Commitment
Reclaim the Frame recognises that discrimination and victimisation is unacceptable and that it is in the interests of the Charity and its employees to utilise the skills of the total workforce. It is the aim of the Charity to ensure that no employee or job applicant receives less favourable facilities or treatment (either directly or indirectly) in recruitment or employment on grounds of age, disability, gender / gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregnancy / maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation (the protected characteristics.
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Our aim is that our workforce will be truly representative of all sections of society and each employee feels respected and able to give their best.
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We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination or victimisation. To that end the purpose of this policy is to provide equality and fairness for all in our employment.
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All employees, whether part-time, full-time or temporary, will be treated fairly and with respect. Selection for employment, promotion, training or any other benefit will be on the basis of aptitude and ability. All employees will be helped and encouraged to develop their full potential and the talents and resources of the workforce will be fully utilised to maximise the efficiency of the organisation.
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Our staff will not discriminate directly or indirectly, or harass customers or clients because of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation in the provision of the Charity’s goods and services.
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This policy and the associated arrangements shall operate in accordance with statutory requirements. In addition, full account will be taken of any guidance or Codes of Practice issued by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, any Government Departments, and any other statutory bodies.
To create an environment in which individual differences and the contributions of all our staff are recognised and valued.
​Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity and respect to all. No form of intimidation, bullying or harassment will be tolerated.
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​Training, development and progression opportunities are available to all staff.
To promote equality in the workplace which we believe is good management practice and makes sound business sense.
​We will review all our employment practises and procedures to ensure fairness.
Breaches of our equality policy will be regarded as misconduct and could lead to disciplinary proceedings.
​This policy is fully supported by senior management.
​The policy will be monitored and reviewed regularly.
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT
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Responsibility for ensuring the effective implementation and operation of the arrangements will rest with the Director / Managers will ensure that they and their staff operate within this policy and arrangements, and that all reasonable and practical steps are taken to avoid discrimination. Each manager will ensure that:
All staff are aware of the policy and the arrangements, and the reasons for the policy; grievances concerning discrimination are dealt with properly, fairly and as quickly as possible;
Proper records are maintained.
We will be responsible for monitoring the operation of the policy in respect of employees and job applicants, including periodic departmental audits.
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RESPONSIBILITIES OF STAFF
Responsibility for ensuring that there is no unlawful discrimination rests with all staff and the attitudes of staff are crucial to the successful operation of fair employment practices. In particular, all members of staff should:
Comply with the policy and arrangements;
Not discriminate in their day to day activities or induce others to do so;
Not victimise, harass or intimidate other staff or groups who have, or are perceived to have one of the protected characteristics.
Ensure no individual is discriminated against or harassed because of their association with another individual who has a protected characteristic.
Inform their manager if they become aware of any discriminatory practice.
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THIRD PARTIES
Third-party harassment occurs where Reclaim the Frame employee is harassed, and the harassment is related to a protected characteristic, by third parties such as clients or customers. Reclaim the Frame will not tolerate such actions against its staff, and the employee concerned should inform their manager / supervisor at once that this has occurred. The Charity will fully investigate and take all reasonable steps to ensure such harassment does not happen again.
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RELATED POLICIES AND ARRANGEMENTS
​All employment policies and arrangements have a bearing on equality of opportunity. The Charity policies will be reviewed regularly and any identified discriminatory elements removed.
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RIGHTS OF DISABLED PEOPLE
The Charity attaches particular importance to the needs of disabled people.
Under the terms of this policy, managers are required to:
Make reasonable adjustments to maintain the services of an employee who becomes disabled, for example, training, provision of special equipment, reduced working hours. (NB: managers are expected to seek advice and guidance from external agencies where appropriate to maintain disabled people in employment);
Include disabled people in training/development programmes;
Give full and proper consideration to disabled people who apply for jobs, having regard to making reasonable adjustments for their particular aptitudes and abilities to allow them to be able to do the job.
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EQUALITY TRAINING
​A series of regular briefing sessions will be held for staff on equality issues. These will be repeated as necessary. Equality information is also included in induction programmes.
Training will be provided for managers on this policy and the associated arrangements. All managers who have an involvement in the recruitment and selection process will receive training.
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MONITORING
​3Space International House
6 Canterbury Crescent
London, SW9 7QD
Charity number: 105226
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The Charity deems it appropriate to state its intention not to discriminate and assumes that this will be translated into practice consistently across the organisation as a whole. Accordingly, a monitoring system will be introduced to measure the effectiveness of the policy and arrangements.
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The system will involve the routine collection and analysis of information on employees by gender, marital status, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, religion / beliefs, grade and length of service in current grade. Information regarding the number of staff who declare themselves as disabled will also be maintained.
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There will also be regular assessments to measure the extent to which recruitment to first appointment, internal promotion and access to training/development opportunities affect equal opportunities for all groups.
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We will maintain information on staff who have been involved in certain key policies: Disciplinary, Grievance and Bullying & Harassment.
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Where appropriate equality impact assessments will be carried out on the results of monitoring to ascertain the effect of the Charity's policies and our services / products may have on those who experience them.
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The information collected for monitoring purposes will be treated as confidential and it will not be used for any other purpose.
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If monitoring shows that the Charity, or areas within it, are not representative, or that sections of our workforce are not progressing properly within the Charity, then an action plan will be developed to address these issues. This will include a review of recruitment and selection procedures, Charity's policies and practises as well as consideration of taking legal Positive Action.
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GRIEVANCES/DISCIPLINE
​Employees have a right to pursue a complaint concerning discrimination or victimisation via the Charity Grievance or Harassment Procedures.
​Discrimination and victimisation will be treated as disciplinary offences and they will be dealt with under the Charity Disciplinary Procedure.
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REVIEW
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The effectiveness of this policy and associated arrangements will be reviewed annually under the direct supervision of the Director.
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Last reviewed September 2024
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