Telefilm Canada

Goal setting

Question 1

Has your organization set goals (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years) for recruiting and promoting Indigenous peoples and Black and other racialized people?

• My organization has set recruitment goals for:
  • Indigenous peoples
  • Black people
  • Racialized people

Please provide details and/or examples, including what your organization is using to set its goals (e.g., operational priorities, labour market availability [LMA], population data, workforce availability [WFA]), and how these goals are communicated to employees, if applicable. What has been the most helpful in advancing towards the goals you have set? What challenges, if any, have you encountered?

The 2022-2024 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan was launched in November 2022 and is made up of 25 commitments supported by the following four (4) pillars:

1. Strengthen Telefilm Canada's culture of inclusion by providing more equitable access to all programs, as well as a representative portfolio.
2. Develop a decision-making process based on equity, diversity and inclusion, taking into account industry data and business intelligence.
3. Strengthen, amplify and empower as the industry's ally of choice.
4. Support a strong sense of belonging within Telefilm Canada through responsible and accountable leadership.

Telefilm Canada is committed to a diverse workforce that is reflective of Canadian society. To this end, it will actively monitor corporate objectives, the progress of staff and the key performance indicators for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI):

• Build on the momentum of the original commitment to a minimum of 50% representation of new hires and a minimum of 30% representation of new management hires across Telefilm from under-represented groups by 2023. Telefilm’s targets are in accordance with Canada’s Employment Equity Act, which designates the following four priority groups: visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and women.  
  • More precisely, Telefilm is committed to ensuring that 25% representation of all new hires will be Indigenous persons, Black people, or People of Colour, at all levels, sectors and functions, by pursuing dedicated talent acquisition initiatives.   
• Begin to implement the Universal Accessibility Action Plan.
• Continue EDI training at all levels and in all departments, and integrate EDI training into the onboarding process for all new Telefilm staff.  

The representation of racialized people increased from 23.5% in 2021 to 27% in 2022. Telefilm thus maintained its positive variance over market availability. This positive result is mainly attributable to the organization’s inclusive staffing practices and manager training. In fact, 44% of the new hires were from this group.

Nevertheless, the organization recognizes that efforts are needed in terms of the representation of racialized professionals compared to market availability. This category saw a negative variance of 0.4% below the market.

Indigenous

Telefilm recorded a slight decline of 0.1% compared to 2021, down from 1.5% to 1.4%. This put the representation of Indigenous people at Telefilm marginally below the market availability of 1.7%.

The decrease is due to the departure of an employee from this group. The organization has intensified and varied its attraction and retention practices for the designated groups, including those self-identifying as Indigenous. 

Question 2

Has your organization set goals to foster greater inclusion (for fiscal year 2023-2024 or future fiscal years)?

• My organization has set goals to foster greater inclusion.

Please provide details and/or examples, including which metrics or data your organization is using, if applicable (e.g., your Public Service Employee Survey results, pulse surveys, exit interviews, human resources administrative data).

2022-2024 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan

Support a strong sense of belonging at Telefilm Canada through responsible and accountable leadership

Telefilm Canada is committed to a diverse workforce that is reflective of Canadian society. To this end, it will actively monitor corporate objectives, the progress of staff and the key performance indicators for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

• Establish corporate objectives and key performance indicators for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion initiatives. 
• Build on momentum of the original commitment to a minimum of 50% representation of new hires and a minimum of 30% representation of new management hires across Telefilm from under-represented groups by 2023. Telefilm’s targets are in accordance with Canada’s Employment Equity Act, which designates the following four priority groups: visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and women. 
  • More precisely, Telefilm is committed to ensuring that 25% representation of all new hires will be Indigenous persons, Black people, or People of Colour, at all levels, sectors and functions, by pursuing dedicated talent acquisition initiatives.   
  • Telefilm will prioritize gender parity and a balanced representation of gender identities.
  • Telefilm will enhance the self-identification process to increase the hiring and promotion of people living with disabilities.  
• Create development opportunities through various initiatives such as mentoring programs. 
• Begin to implement the Universal Accessibility Action Plan. 
• Continue EDI training at all levels and in all departments, and integrate EDI training into the onboarding process for all new Telefilm staff.

Staff survey results

In an in-house survey conducted in February 2023, Telefilm measured the sense of inclusion within the organization. Based on the data collected, 83% of staff considers that Telefilm actively values staff diversity and fosters the inclusion of all individuals. Telefilm will rely on its action plan to pursue its EDI efforts.

Measuring progress

Question 3

Has your organization developed an approach for measuring progress towards your established goals? 

How is the approach being implemented within your organization (e.g., how is it communicated to employees? What are the roles of executive team members including the Chief Data Officer and Head of Audit and Evaluation and regional management if applicable? How are you reporting on results and outcomes both internally and externally?)?

An annual employment equity report is published each year. This report is published internally and is available on Telefilm's website.

Telefilm Canada adopted its very first Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan in 2020. The engagements in this plan involved all departments: the Portfolio and Promotion programs team, Information Technology (IT), Communications, Government Relations and Human Resources, to name but a few.

Prior to this Action Plan, Telefilm Canada had also set up working groups to listen to under-represented groups, and implement structured and lasting actions, both internally and externally.

One of the most structuring actions was to implement a brand new data collection system and a self-identification questionnaire to better understand and support Canada’s audiovisual industry. Collecting data allows us to gain greater insight into the members of our community and their projects. It also plays a key role in creating a more equitable industry.

In the meantime, we also put several other changes in place: creating new programs, revising our guidelines to make them more accessible, supporting EDI research in the audiovisual community, etc.

But above all, our EDI Action Plan meant that we could set 18-month, 3-year and 5-year goals, and identify the tools to be implemented to reach them. An accessibility plan was also implemented in December 2022, affecting all internal sectors and many external communications.

Two years later, we adopted our most recent 2022-2024 EDI Action Plan, which took developments into account and incorporated new quantitative and qualitative objectives.

Our new plan is based on four (4) pillars with 25 inter-connected engagements, developed in collaboration with all Telefilm departments.

Additionally, the aim of one of the pillars of the EDI Action Plan is to expand informed decision-making, based on industry intelligence and data. By prioritizing data collection, the particular aim of this pillar is to develop strategies for improving the participation rate for Telefilm’s self-identification questionnaire and to build EDI benchmarks with other audiovisual institutions in Canada.

With the fourth pillar of the EDI Action Plan, our goal is to develop a strong sense of belonging at Telefilm Canada. To do so, we will pursue our original commitment to a minimum 50% representation of new recruits and a minimum of 30% representation of new management recruits across Telefilm from under-represented groups, an objective that we have already attained. 

A new objective of our new plan is to guarantee that 25% of all new hires will be Indigenous persons, Black People or People of Colour, at all levels, sectors and functions.

The attraction strategies put in place to diversify the pool of candidates have had the impact of increasing the representation of several designated groups. For example, the hiring rate for women increased from 56% in 2020 to 81% in 2022. For racialized groups, the hiring rate has risen from 36% to 50%.

On the other hand, the recruitment rate for Indigenous people and people with disabilities has remained stable, prompting the organization to implement targeted action plans to address the attraction issues observed for these groups.

Consequential accountability

Question 4

How is your organization using performance management and/or talent management processes to establish accountability for results?

• Work has not yet started to develop approaches to establish accountability for results in either of these processes.

Please provide details about how performance management and/or talent management processes are being used to establish accountability for results.

N/A

Specific, tangible actions outlined in the forward direction of the Call to Action

Question 5

Have you, as head of your organization, and/or your executive teams sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles?

• Neither I nor my executive team have sponsored at least two Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees to prepare them for leadership roles.

Please provide details about the nature of sponsorship that you and/or your executive team have provided, along with other programs, such as mentorship or leadership development, if applicable.  

N/A

Question 6

Have you, as head of your organization, personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees?

• I have not personally endorsed at least one recruitment campaign for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees.

Please provide details.

N/A

Question 7

Has your organization prioritized official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement?

• My organization has not prioritized official language training for Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are ready for advancement.

How is your organization prioritizing official language training?

Provisions in the continuing education policy allow staff members to register, on a voluntary basis, for external courses, with costs covered by Telefilm. Each year, Telefilm also pays for private language courses for staff members for whom both official languages are a requirement of their current job. An individual learning needs analysis is conducted with the learner, learning advisor and manager to identify the various appropriate learning methods, ranging from learning with a tutor to learning opportunities in the workplace. As stipulated in the policy, the manager must be informed of the learning project in order to support the staff member in incorporating the concepts learned into his or her work environment.

Language training applications are analyzed on an individual basis and they are encouraged to support the professional development of all staff. Each year, the staff will see posts on the intranet site promoting online learning tools and the provisions in the internal education policy. Awareness-raising training sessions on official languages, prepared by the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages, are also showcased and Telefilm encourages its staff members to take part.

Does your organization offer access to Indigenous language training or have plans to offer access? Please provide details. 

No programs are planned at the present time.

Question 8

Has your organization provided support and/or invested resources for organizational employee networks and communities?

• Material supports are provided for employee networks and communities (e.g., dedicated funding, FTE support, allowing time to engage in activities).

Please provide additional detail about how your organization engages with and supports employee networks and communities.

Members of the internal EDI committee are released from their duties to attend one-hour working meetings every two weeks.

A number of initiatives are organized by an organizing committee made up of staff members. Here are a few examples of events that took place in 2023.

Inclusion initiatives: events

In order to promote the values of inclusion within Telefilm and to open up a space for constructive dialogue and exchange on the various issues related to diversity and inclusion, a calendar of events has been drawn up to highlight the days/months dedicated to different events throughout the year.

These events are intended to bring people together and they offer an opportunity to diversify the means used to encourage learning, openness and awareness.

Staff members had the opportunity to attend a number of activities, including:

• A virtual exchange with Anna Binta Diallo, multidisciplinary artist, and Diane Gistal, consultant, cultural producer and art curator.
• In May 2023, the organization marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia with a workshop led by a speaker from Fondation Émergence.
• National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day. In June 2023, National Indigenous History Month was celebrated through in-house publications and the sharing of literature from Indigenous culture.
• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30). Telefilm launched its action plan for reconciliation in mid-October. In so doing, the company continues and strengthens its commitments to the country's Indigenous filmmakers and talent.  
• Asian Heritage Month. In May 2023, Telefilm staff members wrote several articles for the occasion. Cooking recipes were shared and media content recommendations were published.
• International Women's Rights Day. On March 8, 2023, staff members attended a conference by Anik Salas, President of Réalisatrices Équitables (RÉ). This conference provided an overview of the gender parity situation, both past and present, in the film industry, backed by figures, including a discussion about the gender parity measures put in place and their results.
• Neurodiversity Month. In April 2023, a webinar workshop was organized for all staff members to mark Autism and Neurodiversity Acceptance Month. 
• Latin American Heritage Month. In October, an article was published to highlight the contribution of the Latin American community to Canadian society.
• Official Languages Day. On September 8, a publication was released to promote our official languages and celebrate our rich linguistic heritage across the country.
• 2023 Spencer Awards. Each year, Telefilm recognizes the contributions of outstanding staff members. We celebrate individuals who have reached 5 years of service or more, in 5-year increments.

Question 9

Has anti-racism, equity and inclusion work been embedded in your organization’s integrated business plan and/or mental health plan?

• Anti-racism, equity and inclusion work has been embedded in the organizational plan.

Question 10

Does your organization have a calendar to avoid holding major meetings and events during significant religious, spiritual, and cultural periods?

• Work has not yet started to develop this calendar for my organization.

If the calendar already exists, please provide additional details on how this calendar is communicated or promoted within your organization.  

N/A

Additional information about your organization’s ongoing initiatives 

Question 11

What are two or three specific barriers that you have faced in advancing work on the Call to Action?

Please provide two or three examples.

• While Telefilm started collecting data and communicating results on the gender and Indigenous identity of key creative personnel in 2017, and on the racial and ethnic identity of key creative personnel in 2020, fiscal 2022-2023 marks the beginning of a new approach that collects the self-identification data directly from individuals. Telefilm aims to create a data collection process that builds trust with members of the industry and that puts people at its core. This method of collecting data directly from individuals ensures a more authentic and personal gathering of information. Nevertheless, it does present certain additional challenges:
  • Data comparability: The implementation of this new data collection method means that the 2022-2023 results are not directly comparable with those of previous fiscal years.
  • Confidentiality: Telefilm uses a disclosure threshold of three (3) observations. Results cannot be communicated publicly when under this threshold. This can sometimes impact our ability to publicly report on smaller groups, including on intersectional identities.
  • Non-response bias: The shift to data collection at the individual level raises the issue of non-response and non-completion of the questionnaire. This can lead to a potential bias if people with a specific characteristic tend to systematically answer less or more to the questionnaire. After one year of data collection, it is difficult to determine whether or not this bias is present and, if so, to what extent it may be skewing Telefilm’s results.
  • Rate of participation in the questionnaire: The key personnel associated with 548 projects submitted for production funding were invited to complete a questionnaire on a voluntary basis. The overall response rate in production was 79%. Telefilm is pleased with this year’s response rate. However, we intend to continue and step up our efforts to increase individual participation so as to obtain the most accurate picture possible of our portfolio.
• In terms of recruitment, we observe difficulties in attracting and retaining Indigenous peoples as well as persons with disabilities.

Question 12

Recognizing that employees often have multiple identities, what actions is your organization undertaking to support Indigenous employees and Black and other racialized employees who are also members of other communities, such as persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and religious minorities who face compounding barriers of discrimination?

Please provide details.

Telefilm pays close attention to intersectional identities, notably with regard to the situation of Black Women and Women of Colour, and that of Indigenous Women.

In our 2023 EDI report, we presented the intersectional results of these groups by categorizing them into five results below, in the following order:

1. Number and percentage of funded projects for all programs combined, by key role.  
2. Amount and percentage of funding for all programs combined, by key role.
3. Comparison of the share of submitted projects (demand) and funded projects for all programs combined, by key role.
4. Comparison of the share of funded projects by language for all programs combined, by key role (In this document, the English language also includes diverse and Indigenous languages).
5. Comparison of the share of funded projects by program and by key role.

Internally, specific measures to take consideration of intersectionality have not yet been put in place. However, reflections should begin.

Question 13

In your first year of implementing the forward direction of the Call to Action, what impact has this work had on the culture of your organization?

Please provide the two or three most important impacts. 

• Initiatives, measures and policies take into account the inclusion of people from the designated groups.
• Awareness-raising sessions are organized internally on a regular basis to share best practices and raise awareness. Participation in these initiatives is highly satisfactory.