What is The Creative Industry Independent Authority (CIISA)?
CIISA is the acronym for The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority and is a new industry funded, independent body created to uphold and improve standards of behaviour across the creative industries. Its aim is to tackle all forms of bullying, discrimination and harassment, raising the standards across the industry to enable safe and inclusive working environments.
CIISA aims to provide an independent safe space where individuals can report instances of poor workplace behaviour without fear of repercussion, knowing that their concerns will be taken seriously.
The CIISA Standards
The CIISA Standards set out the minimum standards of behaviour expected across the UK’s creative industries and are scalable to any size of organisation, production or project. The Standards have been developed in collaboration with individuals and organisations in the industry and align to existing legal requirements for both individuals and organisations.
CIISA will monitor how creative industries are meeting the Standards and support organisations and individuals to achieve them through:
- Practical guidance
- Training
- The development of Accreditations
- Providing an independent reporting mechanism
- Data analysis across the sector
The four pillars of CIISA standards are:
Safe Working Environments – Ensuring all workplaces are free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
Inclusive Working Environments – Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion at every level.
Open and Accountable Reporting Mechanisms – Giving everyone confidence to speak up safely and be heard.
Responsive Learning Culture – Encouraging continuous improvement, reflection and accountability.
Additional CIISA resources:
Steps to achieve CIISA Compliance
Embedding the CIISA Standards within your organisation demonstrates your commitment to a fair and inclusive culture.
Key steps include to:
- Publicly adopt the CIISA Standards
- Review and align your policies and procedures in line with CIISA guidance
- Train your workforce at all levels to understand what constitutes harmful behaviour, how to report it, and what positive conduct looks like
- Provide safe and accessible reporting channels, including anonymous and confidential options, with protection against retaliation
- Act promptly on reports, ensuring fair and transparent outcomes
- Foster a feedback-driven culture, tracking trends and continuously improving policies
- Ensure compliance with relevant legislation such as the Equality Act, Worker Protection Act, and the forthcoming Employment Rights Bill
Culture Shift equips you with the tools to meet The CIISA Standards protect your people, and strengthen your workplace culture in one easy-to-use platform – We’d love to show you around!
Book your demo todayHow Culture Shift helps you comply with CIISA
Culture Shift provides a trusted, anonymous reporting platform that helps creative industry organisations meet CIISA’s requirements for open, accountable and safe reporting.
Our platform empowers your workforce, regardless of employment status, role or production setup, to report incidents or concerns confidentially. Whether you have an established HR team or operate across multiple projects, Culture Shift centralises reporting and case management in one secure place.
With Culture Shift, you can:
- Provide a safe, independent reporting channel for your entire workforce
- Manage and resolve cases efficiently, with centralised case management tools
- Communicate directly and safely with anonymous reporters through confidential two-way messaging
- Access a real-time data dashboard that surfaces trends, themes, and emerging risks, helping you make informed decisions and take early action
- Generate transparent reports that demonstrate compliance and accountability under CIISA standards
- Identify trends and risks early, using real-time data to inform prevention strategies
- Build a transparent, feedback-driven culture, demonstrating your commitment to continuous improvement
By partnering with Culture Shift, you’re not just complying with CIISA, you’re taking a proactive stand for dignity, respect and accountability in the creative industries.
