Inclusion & Diversity
There is a clear moral, social and economic case for why equality and diversity matter. Knowing your community and responding to its diverse needs is at the heart of effective public service delivery.
Diversity in TV, the media – and the United Kingdom as a whole – is a top priority for us at Channel 4. A key part of our remit is to appeal to people whatever their culture, nationality, religious persuasion, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, gender, race or age.
From 'Desmond's', the first black sitcom first broadcast by Channel 4 in 1989, to our groundbreaking coverage of the Paralympic Games, Channel 4 has brought previously neglected experiences and perspectives into the mainstream. Today, the story continues.
Our inclusion and diversity strategy
Our vision is to build on our heritage as a trailblazer in diversity, with an emphasis on achieving greater inclusion; to be a beacon to the UK industry of what an inclusive, diverse and creative culture can look like; and to give Channel 4 a creative and competitive edge.
There are three main 'pillars' to our Inclusion & Diversity strategy:
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To instil a culture where the power of the diverse workforce is celebrated, and people recognise that diversity of thought generates richer ideas – inclusion and diversity is one of our four key 'Anti-Values', which are the bedrock of our culture as an organisation
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To shift focus to authentic portrayal and representation, allowing audiences to recognise themselves on screen
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To be a driving force and pioneer in the industry on inclusion and diversity
“We all have the power to challenge the status quo and to help level the playing fields to create a more inclusive culture in our workplaces and across the UK.”
Our commitments
Our ambition is that, by 2023, our workforce is composed of no less than:
• Ethnically Diverse: 20%
• Disability: 12%
• LGBT+: 6%
And within our top 100 paid:
• Gender: 50/50 split
• Ethnically Diverse: 20%
We are proud to be a part of Diamond, the single online system used by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky to obtain consistent diversity data on the programmes we commission.
Our commitment also extends to helping our partners and suppliers become more confident in inclusion and diversity. For example, we have launched a guide for the TV sector on employing disabled talent, to provide indies and other partners with a one-stop-shop on the business case through to the practicalities.
And we have also published a whitepaper providing 14 insights into inclusion and diversity, pulling together some of the lessons and insights that we've learned about inclusion and diversity.
The Black to Front Project
The Black to Front Project is part of Channel 4’s ongoing commitment to improve Black representation on-screen and more widely in the TV industry. The purpose of the project is two-fold: firstly, to challenge us all to see our content differently, and secondly, to leave a lasting legacy in terms of increased Black representation both on- and off-screen.
Find out everything you need to know about Channel 4’s Black to Front Project
Channel 4's employee networks
4Inclusion builds on Channel 4’s remit, purpose and values, aiming to create an organisation that is ‘the iconic inclusive employer’.
Find out about our employee networks here.
Introductory guides to hiring, including and progressing disabled production talent
In November 2021, we published three introductory guides to support indies when hiring, including and progressing disabled employees and freelancers.
You can find the guides linked below.