OUR POLICIES
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan 2025
Last reviewed 20 September 2024
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 here.
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.
We will be reinstating greater online activity through online screenings and access to pre-recorded conversations/performances to reconnect and build our audiences.
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 are increasing and improving our offerings of relaxed environments and quiet space provisions for our screenings and events.
Note: The statistics featured in this document are from 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024, except where noted.
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.
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.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
Reclaim The Frame is an LGBTQIA+-led organisation. 56% of the team and 43% of the Board identify as LGBTQIA+.
Our charity has a clear and firm stance against discrimination, including discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression. We reaffirm our commitment to the rights and fundamental freedoms of LGBTIA+ persons everywhere.
We regularly programme LGBTQIA+ films, curate seasons such as Queeriosities, and commission editorials to celebrate, affirm and #ReclaimTheFrame for LGBTQIA+ filmmakers.
Through our programming and efforts to create safe spaces for the community, the number of LGBTQIA+-identifying audiences and participants has increased to 40%. Moving forward, we will focus on engaging marginalised identities within the community, such as those who identify as QTIBPOC, trans, Deaf and Disabled.
Reclaim The Frame recognises that cinema continues to erase and suppress Trans filmmakers and devalues the importance of Trans stories being told by those with lived experience. Our expanded remit is to champion films by filmmakers of ‘marginalised genders’ (previously ‘women & non-binary’). This rephrasing enables us to support a greater diversity of gender identities.
We visibly and vocally express our solidarity for the Trans community and demonstrate our advocacy for the fundamental human right to self-identify. We stand against the weaponising of trans bodies.
In 2024, the Reclaim The Frame team and Board attended trans allyship training that addresses anti-transphobia and solidarity in the film industry. This training was delivered by Trans On Screen.
A feature of our trans inclusion advocacy work has been facilitating ‘Beyond the Binary: What Does Trans Allyship Look Like?’. During this period, and through collaboration with Women & Hollywood (USA) and BFI’s Diversity & Inclusion team (UK), we have convened three round tables with other women-led film organisations and industry bodies to create a safe space to talk about how we can all be better trans allies, and what a more progressive and trans-inclusive approach can offer.
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).
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.
Audience numbers (2023-24) *change from 2022-23 in parentheses
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%
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.
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
Update due: September 2025
Anti-Bullying, Harassment and Racism Policy
Last updated November 2022
Next review scheduled: November 2025
Point of contact:
Lisa Balderson, Trustee
&
Melanie Iredale, Director
1. About this Policy
1.1 Reclaim the Frame is committed to providing an environment free from bullying, harassment, racism or any other forms of discrimination.
Reclaim the Frame strives to ensure that everyone is treated, and treats others, with dignity and respect.
We have a duty of care to protect you and will make it our priority to support you if you experience problems with bullying or harassment or racism. If you have a problem with bullying or harassment or racism we encourage you to use the support available to try to resolve it as early as possible. We will investigate any complaint that you bring to our attention in a fair, independent and confidential way and, after considering all the facts, we will take prompt and appropriate action. Informal resolution is also a route available to you to deal with bullying or harassment or racism and will usually be offered as the first option in all cases.
1.2 This policy covers harassment or bullying or racism which occurs at work and out of the workplace, such as on business trips or at work-related events or social functions, as well as via telephone, email, text messages and online.
1.3 This policy applies to all employees (full-time and part-time), workers, consultants, contractors, trustees and volunteers, and also third parties such as audience members, partners, guests, speakers, and workshop participants.
1.4 This policy does not form part of any employee's contract of employment. We reserve the right to amend this policy at any time.
2. Policy Statement
2.1 Reclaim the Frame is committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory working environment which is free from harassment on the grounds of age; disability; sex; gender reassignment; sexual orientation; marital or civil partnership status; pregnancy, maternity, or paternity; race; religion or belief; (known as protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010) or socio-economic background.
2.2 You must at all times treat everyone with respect. Harassment, bullying, and racism are not acceptable and against our ethos and policies. All those working with us are expected to comply fully with the terms of this anti-bullying, harassment and racism policy.
2.3 Breaches of this policy will be thoroughly and promptly investigated whilst maintaining confidentiality insofar as it is possible. Where allegations are substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against anyone responsible where permitted.
3. Definitions
3.1 Harassment
Harassment is defined as unwanted conduct which is related to a protected characteristic of the Equality Act 2010 (age, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation), which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity, or creating for that person an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Actions or comments which you may consider to be harmless may not be appreciated by the recipient in the same light. The recipient might view such behaviour as demeaning and unacceptable. Harassment can be persistent and repeated, continuing after the person subjected to it makes it clear that they want it to stop. However, if sufficiently serious a single incident can also constitute harassment.
Harassment may take many different forms. It may be physical, verbal or some other form of communication including telephone calls or email, jokes or gestures. Unlawful harassment may also involve conduct of a sexual nature.
It is important to note that not all harassment is sexual but keep in mind that, with sexual harassment:
∙ A hug, kiss on the cheek, or casual touch is not necessarily sexual harassment. The key is whether the behaviour was unwanted or offensive.
∙ It does not matter if a person has sexual feelings towards the recipient, only that the behaviour is of a sexual nature and that it was unwanted and/or offensive
∙ Sexual harassment is gender neutral and orientation neutral. It can be perpetrated by any gender against any gender.
3. Definitions
3.2 Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour involving the misuse of power that can make a person feel vulnerable, upset, humiliated, undermined or threatened. Power does not always mean being in a position of authority but can include both personal strength and the power to coerce through fear or intimidation.
This includes ignoring or excluding someone, giving an individual unachievable tasks, spreading malicious rumours or gossip, humiliating somebody or making belittling remarks.
Legitimate, reasonable and constructive criticism of a worker's performance or behaviour, or reasonable instructions given to staff in the course of their employment, will not amount to bullying on their own.
Bullying and harassment can be:
● Intentional or unintentional, targeted at an individual or a group
● Not specifically targeted but have an overall impact that creates a negative work environment ● Repeated behaviour over a period of time, or one isolated incident
● Between workers and/or managers at the same or different levels in the organisation ● In the same or different departments or areas of work within or outside of the organisation
● Between employees, workers and external contractors and/or clients within or outside of the organisation
● Mobbing – when more than one person is involved
● Neglect or marginalisation
● During daily work activities, at work-organised events held on-site or off-site, inside and outside of working hours
● Face-to-face, over the telephone, by email, text messages and online, e.g. social media platforms.
3.3 Racism is a form of discrimination based on an individual’s race. It is one of the nine protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010.
The Equality Act 2010 defines race as your colour, or your nationality (including your citizenship). It can also mean your ethnic or national origins, which may not be the same as your current nationality. For example, you may have Chinese national origins and be living in Britain with a British passport.
Race also covers ethnic and racial groups. This means a group of people who all share the same protected characteristic of ethnicity or race.
A racial group can be made up of two or more distinct racial groups, for example black Britons, British Asians, British Sikhs, British Jews, Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers.
You may be discriminated against because of one or more aspects of your race, for example people born in Britain to Jamaican parents could be discriminated against because they are British citizens, or because of their Jamaican national origins.
There are four main types of race discrimination.
DIRECT DISCRIMINATION
This happens when someone treats you worse than another person in a similar situation because of your race.
INDIRECT DISCRIMINATION
This happens when an organisation has a particular policy or way of working that puts people of your racial group at a disadvantage.
HARASSMENT ON THE GROUNDS OF RACE
Harassment occurs when someone makes you feel humiliated, offended or degraded.
For example, a young British Asian man at work keeps being called a racist name by colleagues. His colleagues say it is just banter, but the employee is insulted and offended by it.
VICTIMISATION
This is when a person is treated badly because they have made or supported a complaint or raised a grievance or because they are suspected of doing so.
For example:
∙ the young man in the example above wants to make a formal complaint about his treatment. His manager threatens to sack him unless he drops the complaint.
There are some circumstances when being treated differently due to race is lawful. A difference in treatment may be lawful in employment situations if:
∙ belonging to a particular race is essential for the job. This is called an occupational requirement.
For example, an organisation wants to recruit a support worker for a domestic violence advice service for South Asian women. The organisation can say that it only wants to employ someone with South Asian origins
∙ an organisation is taking positive action to encourage or develop people in a racial group that is under-represented or disadvantaged in a role or activity. Positive action is a range of measures allowed under the Equality Act 2010 which can be lawfully taken to encourage and train people from under-represented groups to help them overcome disadvantages in competing with other applicants.
For example, a broadcaster gets hardly any applicants for its graduate recruitment programme from Black Caribbean candidates. It sets up a work experience and mentoring programme for Black Caribbean students to encourage them into the industry.
It is important to note that these types of discrimination can be applied to all of the characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010.
3.4 Examples of behaviour that is unacceptable include:
3.4.1 Insults, offensive, derogatory or patronising comments, name calling, mimicry, ridicule, gestures, pranks or “jokes” made on discriminatory grounds.
3.4.2 Unwelcome sexual attention or physical contact
3.4.3 Threat of dismissal or loss of promotion on discriminatory grounds
3.4.4 Requests for sexual favours
3.4.5 Lewd, suggestive or over familiar behaviour, comments or innuendos
3.4.6 Display or circulation of material which is offensive on discriminatory grounds (this may include pictures, memes, gifs, magazines, leaflets)
3.4.7 Threats or actual violence
3.4.8 Verbal abuse
3.4.9 Exclusion from conversations, activities or social events.
3.4.10 Provocative behaviour e.g. wearing of discriminatory slogans or attire.
3.5 Anyone who is found to have breached this policy may be subject to disciplinary action under our disciplinary procedures where permitted. Such behaviour may be treated as gross misconduct and could lead to summary dismissal.
3.6 Line managers who are aware of potential breaches of this policy but have taken no action to respond to it may also be subject to disciplinary action.
4. REPORTING COMPLAINTS
4.1 All allegations of discrimination, bullying, harassment, defamation or victimisation will be dealt with seriously, confidentially and speedily. We will not ignore or treat these grievances or complaints lightly.
INFORMAL PROCESS
4.2 While we encourage staff who believe they are being harassed or bullied to raise the problem informally with the person responsible, we recognise that actual or perceived power and status may make this too difficult or embarrassing. If appropriate, you can speak to your line manager who can provide confidential advice and assistance in resolving the issue informally.
To address a complaint informally, you should speak to anyone involved in the situation about how their behaviour is affecting you. It can be helpful to describe particular instances of this behaviour, including times, places, events or conversations in order to clearly illustrate your point. You should use the opportunity to ask the person to change or stop their behaviour
FORMAL PROCESS
4.3 If informal steps are not appropriate, or have not been successful, you should follow the following steps:
4.3.1 Report the incident in writing to the Director. If the incident involves that person or is of the most serious nature, then you may report the incident in writing directly to the Trustees who will nominate an appropriate person to manage the formal procedure. All such reports should be made promptly so that investigation may proceed, and any action taken quickly.
4.3.2 The allegation will be promptly investigated by someone with appropriate experience and (where possible) with no prior involvement in the complaint. As part of the investigatory process, you will be interviewed and asked to provide a witness statement detailing your complaint.
Confidentiality will be maintained during the investigatory process to the extent that this is practical and appropriate in the circumstances. In order to effectively investigate an allegation, Reclaim the Frame must determine the scope of the investigation and the individuals who should be informed of or interviewed about the complaint. We will consider whether any steps are necessary to manage any ongoing relationship between you and the person accused during the investigation.
4.3.3 Once the investigation has been completed, you will be informed of the outcome and of Reclaim the Frame’s conclusions. If we consider you have been harassed or bullied by a member of staff the matter will be dealt with under the relevant disciplinary procedures as a case of possible misconduct or gross misconduct. If the harasser or bully is a third party such as a supplier or other visitor, we will consider what action would be appropriate to deal with the problem. Whether or not your complaint is upheld, we will consider how best to manage any ongoing working relationship between you and the person concerned.
4.3.4 If you are not satisfied with the outcome you may appeal in writing to the Trustees, within one week of receiving the outcome. The Trustees will appoint someone who has not previously been involved in the complaint to hold an appeal meeting with you and impartially reconsider the complaint. Their final decision will be notified to you in writing, usually within one week of the appeal meeting. This is the end of the procedure and there is no further appeal.
4.3.5 What to do if you witness bullying or harassment or racism.
At Reclaim the Frame, we all share responsibility for ensuring a safe working environment for ourselves and others. You may not have experienced bullying or harassment directly but have witnessed someone else being bullied or harassed. If this has occurred, you should raise your concerns in order to protect the safety and wellbeing of the other person.
We understand you may feel worried about getting involved in a situation that does not directly affect you. We will support you in raising your concerns in an informal or formal way, so the bullying or harassment can stop. We will not victimise, unfairly treat or discipline you for raising a genuine concern.
If you decide to raise a formal complaint, we ask you to send this in writing to the Director, or if the complaint is about them, to a Trustee as soon as possible after the time of the incident. A formal complaint will be investigated in accordance with the process outlined above.
4.4 Reclaim the Frame is committed to taking appropriate action with respect to all complaints of discrimination, harassment or bullying which are upheld. You will not be victimised for raising a complaint, even if it is not upheld. Anyone found to have retaliated against or victimised someone in this way will be subject to disciplinary action under our disciplinary procedures.
4.5 However, if your complaint is found to be both untrue and made in bad faith it will also be dealt with under our disciplinary procedures.
4.6 Information about a complaint by or about an employee may be placed on the employee's personnel file, along with a record of the outcome and of any notes or other documents compiled during the process. These will be processed in accordance with our Data Protection Policy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGEMENT
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
MONITORING
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.
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.
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.
We will maintain information on staff who have been involved in certain key policies: Disciplinary, Grievance and Bullying & Harassment.
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.
The information collected for monitoring purposes will be treated as confidential and it will not be used for any other purpose.
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.
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.
REVIEW
The effectiveness of this policy and associated arrangements will be reviewed annually under the direct supervision of the Director.
Last reviewed September 2024
Public Feedback and Complaints Policy
Policy reviewed November 2024
We are committed to continually improving our work and our impact at Reclaim The Frame. Integral to this process is taking on board feedback, which we welcome. Whether you’ve had a positive experience with us, a negative one, or a suggestion for next time, we want to hear it. It all helps to inform how we can grow our impact, and the safe and accessible spaces we aim to create.
If you have a complaint, please contact us with the details by email. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman (via the address below).
What will happen next?
1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our Director, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
3. Our Director will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. They will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
4. Within three days of the meeting, our Director will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions they have agreed with you.
5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, our Director will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including their suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for someone unconnected with the matter outside of the organisation to review the decision, or appropriate alternative such as another mediator to review the decision.
7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
8. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ about your complaint. Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within six years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).
For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on:
0300 555 0333 or at: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.
Environmental Sustainability Policy
2025
We are committed to ongoing action to minimise the impact of our activities on the environment.
Last reviewed November 2024
Commitments
Reclaim The Frame is committed to running an environmentally sustainable charity. We aim to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible through sound, credible and measurable practices across all aspects of the charity by integrating the consideration of environmental concerns and impacts into all of our decision making and activities. We are continually managing our carbon footprint and improving our environmental impact.
In 2014 we evolved into a year-round agency campaigning for gender equality in film - spotlighting and celebrating films created by marginalised genders, and supporting marginalised genders working in film through training and events.
Even though we are a small charity with three full-time employees and four part-time employees, we are very aware of the impact running a company has on the environment and are committed to working towards long-term solutions. We believe in contributing more than we take out. We recognise that action is needed now to achieve the aims of the UN Paris Agreement. We are committed to applying sustainable development goals to limit global warming to below 2°C. We are using environmentally responsible principles to achieve the lowest possible environmental impact. We intend to keep our carbon footprint as low as possible through sound practices across all aspects of the charity.
Actions
With the advice and support of Julie’s Bicycle, an organisation that supports arts organisations to put environmental ambition and responsibility at the centre of their governance who, we are continuing to learn and make progress. Even small changes, if done consistently, makes a big difference.
Staff culture
Reclaim The Frame management and board of trustees are committed to reducing the organisation’s carbon footprint creating an environmentally conscious culture.
We have given up our permanent office space in Vauxhall Gardens Community Centre in favour of a flexible and sustainable office space at 3Space International House: part of a BuyGiveWork initiative where space is given away when space is bought. Their solution makes better, more productive and efficient use of property assets to deliver social and economic impact: “75% of the carbon emitted during a building’s life cycle comes from its construction and demolition, just 25% from its operations.” This means that reusing and repurposing existing buildings provides improved environmental outcomes, specifically with regards to embodied carbon, compared to new construction. Existing buildings are also better suited to providing affordable and diverse types of space and they can be operated and fitted out at significantly lower costs than new ones. The lower operating costs means there is the potential to deliver high public value and greater benefits for the community.
Within the office/our operations, we will continue to operate our policy of ethical consumerism, purchase only second hand hardware, fix, reuse, recycle, and eco-friendly cleaning products. If printing is 100% necessary, we’ll continue using recycled (FSC certified) paper and non-toxic photocopy cartridges - and recycle both.
We have used the Co-operative Bank since 2002 because of its ethical principles: the only high street bank that did not have a direct relationship with apartheid-era South Africa. In 2023, they were rated as the UK's best Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) high street bank by Sustainalytics.
Our pension provider NEST, the National Employment Savings Trust, is the no. 1 pension provider according to the Ethical Consumer Guide and Good With Money.
We are looking to switch to an eco-hosting server like Solve and Host Presto. They securely host hundreds of websites to keep their client’s carbon footprint down by using 100% renewable energy.
Events, Marketing, Training
A number of the films we have programmed over the years have explored climate justice as a topic; COW by Andrea Arnold, GUNDA, THE FEVER by Maya Da-Rin, VEINS OF THE WORLD, by Byambasuren Davaa. HERE FOR LIFE by Andrea Luka Zimmerman, Banel & Adama by Ramata-Toulaye Sy while many more have responded to themes of justice more broadly. We will continue to support titles like these in the future, whenever possible.
We also plan to publicise the green credentials of the films we support where they have green credentials.
We ask cinemas to print our surveys (double-sided/B&W) only when we know what to reasonably expect from occupancy so we don’t overprint.
We have reduced the amount of printed marketing materials we order.
When catering for training programmes or screening events, we commit to using local catering companies who use sustainable, ethically sourced, plant based ingredients, from suppliers that make a positive impact, not only environmentally but socially, including training young people and other charitable works.
We have also built environmental sustainability into our training programmes for filmmakers. Our CPD course in 2023/2024 had a session on sustainable filmmaking and we will continue this in any future programmes.
At events, we ask cinemas to provide glasses of tap water rather than plastic bottles.
We ask cinemas to print our surveys (double-sided/B&W) only when we know what to reasonably expect from occupancy so we don’t overprint.
We have reduced the amount of printed marketing materials we order.
When catering for training programmes or screening events, we commit to using local catering companies who use sustainable, ethically sourced, plant based ingredients, from suppliers that make a positive impact, not only environmentally but socially, including training young people and other charitable works.
We have also built environmental sustainability into our training programmes for filmmakers. Our CPD course in Jan 2023 and Jan 2024 had a session with BAFTA albert, called ‘Planting Sustainability in Your Production’. In this session, we explored our responsibility as storytellers to be proactive in sustainable and carbon-conscious film production.
At events, we ask cinemas to provide glasses of tap water rather than plastic bottles.
Travel
Our UK-wide travel has greatly decreased since our core team established a hybrid model of working, and since the introduction of Impact Producers with whom we work across the UK, in the sixteen towns and cities where our partner cinemas are based, who lead on the delivery of Reclaim The Frame events.
Whenever possible, we use local speakers on our panel to avoid excess travel. Where we do travel within mainland UK, we never drive or fly. None of our hybrid-workforce own or drive a motor vehicle. We use public transport, walk or cycle. When flying outside the UK, carbon offsets can be purchased for all air travel.
Our work involves some travel across the country. For the majority of our events we only travel one member of staff and one filmmaker/speaker.
Whenever a speaker or member of staff works late, and we need to take taxis, we use electric taxis.
Community
Communicate our environmental commitment to clients, and the public and encourage them to support it.
Collaborate with local and national initiatives in the cinema, arts, sustainability and local authority sectors to share knowledge, problem solve and champion best practices.
Further plans
Through Julie’s Bicycle, a pioneering non-profit, mobilising the arts and culture to take action on the climate, nature and justice crisis, we will regularly measure, monitor and improve performance.
Use circular economy ethics to underpin our decision making for product sourcing and waste management.
Maintain and, where possible, exceed regulation.
Work with suppliers and contractors with similar environmental ethics.
Embed methods and processes through thorough regular staff training and communication in order that our team becomes advocates for a cleaner future. All employees must ensure that they minimise their individual environmental impact.
Be aware of Greenwashing.
Our Environmental Policy is reviewed annually.
Last reviewed December 2024
Privacy Policy
Registered Office:
3Space International House
6 Canterbury Crescent
Brixton
London
SW9 7QD
This privacy statement was last updated on 23/11/2024.
Privacy Statement
Preservation of your privacy is important to Reclaim the Frame and we are committed to letting you know how we use your personal information and to making only responsible use of your data.
References to “we”, “us”, “you” or “our” in this privacy statement are references to Reclaim the Frame, a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales, registered company number: 4851498; and a charity registered in England and Wales, registered charity number: 1105226.
This statement relates to the various contact types associated with Reclaim the Frame including members, individual contacts of members, supporters, mentors and mentees.
What will happen next?
What personal data we collect
Reclaim the Frame is a membership organisation and as a result, we collect details about you when you register as a member. In addition, we also ask for some basic personal information from you as an individual, in the following situations:
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As the contact of Reclaim the Frame, you are registering as a member.
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If you sign up as a supporter of Reclaim the Frame.
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If you sign up to become a mentor for the Reclaim the Frame.
This information will include your full name, job title, email address and phone number. We also may ask for some non-personal data (e.g. how you heard about Reclaim the Frame or the services you are interested in).
You are responsible for making sure you give us accurate and up to date information. If you provide information on behalf of another person, you will need to tell them how to find this privacy statement and make sure they agree to us using their information for the purposes set out in it.
We will also collect personal data when you access the services we offer. Depending on the service you use, the way we collect data is including but not limited to the following:
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Downloadable resources - name and email address.
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Support line – name, email address, organisation, job title and query details.
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Event sign up – name, email address, job title, organisation, photographs and payment details (for paid events only).
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Mentee sign-up - name, email address, job title, organisation and query details.
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Online feedback or research surveys – name, organisation and email address.
In all instances where we collect the data from individuals it’s in order to deliver our charitable services.
How we use your personal data
We use your personal information to manage your membership account on our customer relationship management system and/or to provide the services you have requested from us. We never share your information with third parties, unless it is necessary to deliver the service you have requested from us. Primary examples of this include, but are not limited, to:
Sharing data with our event venues for security and safety purposes, or to ensure our accessibility obligations are met.
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Sharing data with our external event staff or volunteers, including our trainers.
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Sharing data with your mentor if you have signed up for the mentoring programme.
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Sharing your data with an expert referral partner if you have contacted our support line.
We never share your information with third parties for marketing purposes without asking for specific, unambiguous consent. For example, some of our events are delivered alongside a relevant partner (e.g. community voluntary service organisations). On some occasions, we might ask you if we can share those details with the partner. This will be very clear on the event sign up form. If in any case, this consent is not received then your data will not be shared.
From time-to-time, we may use your feedback and attribute it to you (e.g. by quoting a name and organisation alongside the feedback). We take this information from the surveys you are asked to complete and we do so to talk about our services publicly or demonstrate the impact of the charity to key stakeholders e.g. funders. We never share your information without asking for specific, unambiguous consent. This will be very clear on the relevant forms you complete. If in any case, this consent is not received then your data will not be shared.
Member communications
As a member of Reclaim the Frame, you will receive regular, relevant communications from us (e.g. a monthly digest and an events bulletin). Signing up as a member, supporter or mentor includes automatic subscription to these communication channels. From time to time, we may also contact you to ask you to engage with various campaigns we run on behalf of Reclaim the Frame.
You have the right to withdraw your consent from receiving our communications at any time. For more information, see section 4 below. You can unsubscribe from communication channels without affecting your membership status with Reclaim the Frame.
Your rights to be informed
To update your data
If you wish to access or rectify personal data that has been collected (see section 1 for examples) or if you wish to receive any personal data we hold on you, please contact mail@reclaimtheframe.org and we will respond to your request within one calendar month.
To delete your data
If you wish to have your data removed entirely from our records, please contact mail@reclaimtheframe.org and we will respond to your request within one calendar month.
Please note that for legal reasons we are required to keep financial/transactional records for a minimum period of six years from the end of the financial year in which the transaction was made.
To move your data
If you wish to have your data transferred from the Small Charities Coalition to another organisation, please contact mail@reclaimtheframe.org and we will respond to your request within one calendar month.
To withdraw your consent
If you wish to withdraw your consent from receiving our email communications, this can be done by clicking ‘update your preferences’ or ‘unsubscribe’ at the bottom of an email you receive from us.
Please note that this does not apply to emails sent by the Reclaim the Frame team which relate directly to the service you have requested or purchased, these emails may not have an unsubscribe function. However you can reply to these emails at any time with any concern or questions about your personal data.
To object to, or restrict data processing
If you object to the processing of your personal data, or wish to restrict the way in which it is processed by us, please contact mail@reclaimtheframe.org and we will respond as soon as possible. Please note that this may affect our ability to deliver our services to you.
How long we retain your data
We retain your personal data for as long as is considered necessary for the purpose for which it was collected (including as required by applicable law or regulation, typically 6 years). In addition, personal data may be securely archived with restricted access (and other appropriate safeguards) where there is a need to continue to retain it.
We will ask you on a regular basis to update your membership details with Reclaim the Frame.
Financial records, including those of event payments and refunds, will be retained for a minimum period of six years from the end of the financial year in which the booking was made in order to comply with statutory obligations.
Questions or complaints
If you have questions or a complaint about the way your personal data has been processed by Reclaim the Frame, please email mail@reclaimtheframe.org and we will look into this for you as a matter of priority.
If you wish to take your complaint further, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is the independent regulatory authority who exists to uphold information rights in the UK. For more information, visit their website or call their helpline on 0303 123 1113.
Changes to our privacy statement
Updates to this privacy statement will appear on this website.
Criteria, Curation & Selection Policy
Last updated on Dec 2024
Criteria
We support films by filmmakers of marginalised genders. We define ‘by’ as directed /co-directed, written / co-written, or creatively produced by.
We take an inclusive view on what defines marginalised genders, including those who identify as women, non-binary, trans, intersex, and agender. And an intersectional approach through championing the work of global majority, LGBTQIA+, disabled, working class and otherwise doubly minoritized filmmakers of all ages and from across the UK, all over the world, and in all languages.
Any film we support must have a UK distributor in place, or have already screened/have plans to screen at a UK film festival. If a film doesn’t have a UK release/festival premiere in the works we cannot support it yet.
Supported films include fiction, nonfiction, and those that play with boundaries. Any genre, and those which are genre-defying.
We challenge the idea that people of marginalised genders can only tell ‘women’s stories’ or make gender ‘issues’ films – instead we’re interested in broader perspectives on the world and the human condition.
Curation
We’re interested in supporting films with something important to say or themes to explore. They needn’t offer answers, and in fact can leave us with more questions. The films we support offer interesting conversation starters for us to engage and discuss with an audience and our #ReclaimTheFrame community as part of our events.
Films needn’t be female or non-binary-centered in terms of characters necessarily, and we challenge the idea that people of marginalised genders can only tell ‘women’s stories’ or make gender ‘issues’ films – instead we’re interested in broader perspectives on the world and the human condition.
Furthermore we consider our role to champion films which challenge cinema’s dominant gaze, instead offering a broad vista of voices, representations and perspectives. Given that conventional cinema narratives are largely patriarchal formulas, we take seriously our responsibility to support films that depart from, or defy, convention, in line with our Filmonomics training programme which supports filmmakers to make films in the way they want to make them.
Selection
On viewing a submissions, we prioritise collective discussion within the team. When our own lived experience is lacking, we involve external film professionals.
We avoid ‘likes’ and ‘dislikes’ and other binary terms in order to encourage us to articulate better what we felt the film was trying to do and how successful it was in doing that.
Through our year-round activities, we aim to support a broad slate of films in terms of intersectional perspectives, internationalism in country of production and audience appeal as well as language, subject, tone and form.
These films are selected on the belief that we are the most appropriate organisation to do the work, that we feel we have a fresh perspective to bring to the conversation, and that we can make a difference to the success of the film by bringing bigger and broader audiences and greater attention to each title we support.