In the screen sector, ‘sharing a concern’ can mean a lot of different things. It can range from a freelancer flagging a day-to-day issue on set, to a worker blowing the whistle on a major safety hazard in the public interest.
Your business should be able to recognise what kind of concern is being raised so you can respond correctly and provide open and accountable mechanisms for sharing concerns. Empowering those around you to know how to share concerns builds a safer, fairer workplace for everyone.
Here is a quick breakdown to help you navigate our model documents and understand when they apply:
| If the person is... | ….and if it’s a general complaint (Dissatisfaction about services, decisions, or non-escalated work interactions) | …and it’s a whistleblowing concern (Suspected wrongdoing, misconduct or potential risks or dangers that affect your business) |
|---|---|---|
An Employee | Internal: To HR or a Line Manager via your Grievance Procedure (governed by the ACAS Code). External: The Police, industry regulators, or independent advice bodies. | Internal: To the Senior Executive via your Whistleblowing Policy. External: The Police, specialised regulators, or independent advice bodies. |
A Worker, Freelancer, Contractor, Volunteer, or Intern | Internal: To the business via your Complaints Procedure. External: The Police, industry regulators, or independent advice bodies. | Internal: To the Senior Executive via your Whistleblowing Policy. External: The Police, specialised regulators, or independent advice bodies. |
A Member of the Public / External Stakeholder | Internal: To the business via your Complaints Procedure. External: The Police, industry regulators, or independent advice bodies. | N/A. |
For guidance on managing complaints, see our article: Managing Complaints About Past Misconduct by Members of Your Workforce.
For guidance on managing workplace whistleblowing, see our article here: Workplace Whistleblowing: What It Means and How Employers Should Respond.
Final note: Our other policies, such as our Anti-Bullying Policy and Dignity at Work Policy also discuss how to raise and report specific concerns. Our model policies can be found in our Compliance Library.