Talpa Studios Production Protocol

Etiquette during productions

Together we must ensure a pleasant and creative working environment where everyone feels welcome, can be themselves and feels safe. That is Talpa Studios.

Aspects

1. Point of departure
2. Definition of undesirable behaviour
3. Briefing
4. Etiquette
5. Production involving underage participants
6. Reporting undesirable behaviour

1.             Point of departure

Talpa Studios wants everyone who works within our company to be able to be themselves and feel that they are being treated with respect. We therefore consider it important that everyone who works at Talpa Studios complies with our code of conduct and our standards and values. Inclusive behaviour is essential in our organisation, both internally and externally, and we do not tolerate any discrimination or inequality. In a safe and pleasant working environment, everyone can be themselves and therefore gets the opportunity to get the most out of themselves as well.

We are also aware that the pressure of work and speed at which things have to be done influence how we interact with each other in the context of productions and live recordings. This may mean that people communicate with each other in a direct or critical manner in order to achieve the best results.

Inappropriate behaviour does not belong, nor is it tolerated, in such an environment. If necessary, inappropriate behaviour can and will lead to disciplinary measures, which may extend to instant dismissal and the incident being reported to the police.

For whom
This production protocol is intended for all people who work within Talpa Studios, or who are involved in a production (internal and external, permanent and temporary*). We expect everyone who works with us, or who is involved in the production of a programme, including (permanent and temporary) members of staff, freelancers/self-employed persons, contractors and their operational members of staff, trainees, jury members, presenters, or volunteers, to act respectfully and with integrity.

*Although the code of conduct is intended for everyone who works within Talpa Studios, or who is involved in a production via another (external) role, the code of conduct is presented from the perspective of the role of employer and employee. For those who are not directly employed by Talpa Studios, for example self-employed people or trainees, the term ’employer’ stands for ‘client’, the term ’employee’ stands for ‘contractor’ and the term ‘manager’ is, in such instances, ‘the contact person acting on behalf of the client’.

2.             Definition of undesirable behaviour

Undesirable behaviour is not permitted within our company and we do everything we can to prevent it.

We interpret the term ‘undesirable behaviour’ as meaning:

• Bullying in the workplace: for example excluding someone, spreading rumours, socially isolating someone and gossiping, ignoring and imitating at the expense of someone else.
• (Sexual) intimidation: both verbal, non-verbal and physical. This means, among other things, sexually charged comments, comments about clothing or appearance, the sending of sexually charged messages, touching and assaulting. This also includes, among other things, publicly reprimanding someone, creating a hostile working environment, deliberately making someone feel uncomfortable and threatening someone.
• Aggression and violence: verbal, psychological and physical aggression and violence, such as shouting, threatening, intimidating, publicly reprimanding, swearing, stamping of feet, pushing, kicking and hitting.
• Discrimination: the making of statements of any kind about, the performance of actions in relation to, or the taking of decisions about, people that are offensive for those people due to their race, religion, gender, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation, skin colour, age, disability, origin or nationality, or the making of any distinction on the basis of these factors.
• Abuse of power: the emphasising of a position of power in order to cause distress to other people under someone’s responsibility. This includes abusing a power relation.
• Creating an unsafe working environment: and any other behaviour that causes an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, or unreasonably hinders personal performance at work.

Undesirable behaviour may appear to be desirable behaviour. Although undesirable behaviour often occurs in the context of unequal power relations, that is not always the case. If someone puts their arm around your shoulders when you are finding things difficult, that may be desirable and suitable in the context of the contact between the two people. However, in a different situation that behaviour may be experienced as extremely undesirable. The main thing is how you experience that behaviour and not how the other person intended it. It is up to you to determine whether behaviour is desirable because, often, it will not be black and white. That is why it is important to set your own limits and defend them and to call each other to account as regards undesirable behaviour.

3.             Briefing

Members of staff will be informed in good time about this protocol of conduct, wherever possible before they first collaborate on a production. Consequently this protocol will, for example, be sent out with their contract and/or the script or call sheet.

In the case of productions with underage participants and other productions whereby Talpa Studios consider this necessary, we will provide an additional verbal explanation/briefing about the production protocol to everyone involved in the production before the first rehearsal before camera and/or recording. Talpa Studios will aim to give this verbal instruction before or on the first day of operations.

4.             Etiquette

Productions and live recordings take place in situations where there is significant pressure (of work), with everything having to be done at a fast pace. It may therefore be the case that people communicate with each other directly or in a critical way during productions. This may be necessary in order to achieve the best result. However, this way of working may come across to some people as very direct.

Our programmes also frequently feature participants. In this context the most important principle is that we treat our participants as we would like to treat each other. We must take participants seriously, respect them and create a safe environment so that they enjoy participating in our programmes.

We must be attentive to undesirable behaviour between members of staff and/or third parties, including participants and emphasise that physical contact between members of staff and/or third parties must be avoided during production, unless that is necessary for the production itself. It is also important that everyone realises that participants are (or may be) in a vulnerable position. Direct personal contact and the exchanging of personal (contact) details with participants, as well as the use of such contact details from participants will only occur if it is necessary for the production.

5.             Production involving underage participants

In addition to the above-mentioned rules of etiquette, the following points apply to productions involving underage participants:

• Members of staff will never segregate underage participants on a one-to-one basis and will ensure that they are never alone in a room with an underage participant. The four-eye principle applies during the production, meaning that at least two members of staff must be present in the same room as an underage participant.
• The point of departure in respect of underage participants is that there is no physical contact between them and members of staff, other than is necessary, for example in the context of make-up, styling and miking up. Underage participants are to be comforted without physical contact, for example by means of a conversation. Hugging, for example, is not permitted.
• All members of staff who work directly with underage participants must have submitted a certificate of conduct before they start their work.
• Members of staff must be mindful, at all times, of their use of language in the presence of underage participants. As necessary, members of staff must call each other to account in this regard so that not only underage participants but also members of staff know that rude and inappropriate language is not tolerated.

6.             Reporting undesirable behaviour

If, despite this protocol, our code of conduct and our standards and values as a company, you nevertheless end up in a situation during your work at Talpa Studios in which you are confronted by undesirable behaviour, or see this happening to someone else, it is very important to discuss and/or report it. There are various ways of doing this (anonymously), as shown in the roadmap below:

6.1     Reporting procedure

It is very important to know that you are always in control of your report and that you decide which follow-up steps you want to take. If you report something to your manager/HR or the confidential adviser, any decision about follow-up will be taken in consultation with you. For example the reporting procedure or the (formal) complaints procedure can then be initiated. If you report something, your intention will be that the problem can be discussed and resolved internally. A complaint is more official in nature and should be submitted to the complaints committee. In contrast to reporting something, you can only submit a complaint if it relates to yourself and it cannot be submitted anonymously. Details of the reporting and complaints procedures can be found on Talpa Inside.

Your manager and the confidential advisers will always take your report seriously and treat it as confidential. Remember that it is extremely important to report undesirable behaviour in order to keep our working environment safe and this includes situations in which you see someone displaying undesirable behaviour around you. If you find it difficult to report undesirable behaviour yourself, you can also ask a colleague to do it on your behalf. Calling each other to account, or reporting undesirable behaviour yourself (anonymously), or on behalf of a colleague, will enable us to maintain a safe and enjoyable place of work for everyone.

6.2     Confidential advisers

There are two external, independent confidential advisers who you can always contact (anonymously) if you have experienced, or wish to report, undesirable behaviour by colleagues, including managers. The confidential adviser is there to provide initial assistance. This means you will be able to tell them your story and ask questions. This will enable them to help you and advise you on how to resolve the issue. If necessary, the confidential adviser can accompany you to a meeting with your manager or, in consultation with you, contact the manager in question or HR themselves. This can only be done with your permission. You can always ask the confidential adviser to provide non-binding advice.

You can contact the confidential advisers even if you do not want to take any action (yet). They will not tell anyone who they have had contact with and confidentiality is guaranteed because they have a duty of confidentiality. This means, therefore, that the confidential adviser will not provide Talpa Studios with any feedback relating to you reporting undesirable behaviour. All the confidential advisers will do is draw up an anonymous report in which they refer to recurring reports, or alarming signals within the organisation. Confidential advisers are only legally obliged to report an incident to the authorities if they find out about very serious offences. The confidential advisers will only otherwise break their duty of confidentiality if the person reporting has given permission.

The following are our external (independent) confidential advisers:

• Ada Hendriks (+31 (0)6 19 02 21 36 – adahendriks@adalante.nl)
• Gerard Dijkstra (+31 (0)6 55 18 33 68 – info@konfidi.nl)

If you have the feeling that you cannot (or have no desire to) report undesirable behaviour to your manager, the HR department, or the confidential advisers, you can also contact Stichting Mores, which is the independent disclosure office for undesirable behaviour in the Dutch cultural and creative sector: www.mores.online.

Last amended: September 2023