Hollywood heavyweights including Disney chairman/CEO Bob Iger, AMPAS CEO Dawn Hudson, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos are supporting a new Commission on Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace.
According to a statement, the commission will “lead the entertainment industry in achieving safer, fairer, more equitable and accountable workplaces - particularly for women and marginalised people”.
At the meeting, convened by Kathleen Kennedy, Maria Eitel, Nina Shaw and Freada Kapor Klein, top industry execs agreed to form and fund the commission.
It will be led by professor and attorney Anita Hill, who accused Supreme Court Justice nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment in 1991 during his Senate confirmation process.
Kennedy said: “The Commission will not seek just one solution, but a comprehensive strategy to address the complex and inter-related causes of the problems of parity and power. The fact that so many industry leaders—across film, television, music, digital, unions, agencies, ATA, AMPAS, television academy and guilds—came together, in one room, to explore solutions speaks to a new era.”
Anita Hill said: “We will be focusing on issues ranging from power disparity, equity and fairness, safety, sexual harassment guidelines, education and training, reporting and enforcement, ongoing research, and data collection. It is time to end the culture of silence. I’ve been at this work for 26 years. This moment presents us with an unprecedented opportunity to make real change.”
Other execs at the meeting included:
- Ari Emanuel, Co-Chair, William Morris Endeavor
- Bob Iger, Chairman/CEO, Disney
- Bryan Lourd, Co- Chairman, Creative Artists Agency
- Carol Lombardini, President, Alliance Motion Picture and Television Producers
- Chris Silbermann, Founding Partner, ICM Partners
- David Young, Executive Director, Writers Guild of America
- Dawn Hudson, CEO, Academy Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences
- Gabrielle Carteris, President, Screen Actors Guild / AFTRA
- Jeff Blackburn, SVP Business Development, Amazon
- Jeff Shell, Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group
- Jeremy Zimmer, CEO, United Talent Agency
- Jim Gianopulos, Chairman/CEO, Paramount
- Karen Stuart, Executive Director, Association of Talent Agents
- Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman/CEO, Warner Bros
- Maury McIntyre, President/COO, Television Academy
- Mike Miller, 4th International VP/Dept. Director, Motion Picture & TV Production/IATSE
- Russ Hollander, Executive Director, Directors Guild of America
- Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman/CEO, Universal Music Group
- Susan Sprung, Associate Executive Director, Producers Guild of America
- Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix
- Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman/CEO, Sony
- Julie Greenwald, Chairman/COO, Atlantic Records
- Leslie Moonves, Chairman/CEO. CBS Corp.
- Neil Portnow, President, Recording Academy NARAS
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