HFPA Commits to 'Transformational Change' to Overcome Diversity Problems

Among the actions they plan to implement are reaching out to “Black and other underrepresented professionals” for membership

HFPA

Hollywood Foreign Press Association has laid out plans for changes following backlash it received earlier this year when it was revealed the organization didn’t have a single Black member.

“We at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association are committed to transformational change. Effective immediately, the Board – in consultation with outside advisors – will oversee reforms and be accountable for the change,” the Golden Globes organization said in a release Saturday.

Among the immediate action actions in the works we are:

• Hiring an independent expert in organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion to advise and guide us. Among other important tasks, this expert will audit our bylaws and membership requirements to help us guard against any exclusionary practices and achieve a more diverse membership. We are also mandating annual anti-racism and unconscious bias education and sexual harassment training for every member of the HFPA.

• Engaging in outreach with a specific focus on adding Black and other underrepresented professionals to our organization.

• Hiring a third-party, independent law firm to review the HFPA policies to ensure we are aligned the with and exceed industry best practices in other critical areas.

• Working with that law firm to ensure a robust process by which any individuals (members, partners, vendors, and artists) can confidentially report any potential violation of our ethical standards or code of conduct with the confidence that it will be fully and fairly investigated and will have clear and serious consequences for those in violation.

• Improving our efforts to create transparency into our operations, voting, process, eligibility, and membership.

• Increasing our support of internship, mentorship, and scholarship programs for Black and other underrepresented students interested in international journalism.

More to come…

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