Code Of Conduct:

We’ve been encouraged by how successful our networking and mentoring schemes have been.  While our industry can be informal and casual, we expect our 50:50 members and colleagues to observe professional boundaries and respect for one another.

• Producers should be aware of power disparity and how difficult it is to say no to anything at the early stages of your career. Writers are eager to make the right contacts and have their work read by industry professionals but that doesn’t mean they can be disrespected or exploited – writers are professionals and should be treated as such. 
• All communication should be via professional email, and not by text or social media.  If you wouldn’t say it under your company logo, you shouldn’t be saying it.
• Ideally, meetings should take place in a professional setting and within business hours. It’s not appropriate to ask a writer to meet at a producer’s home or hotel.  Or the writer’s home or hotel.
• Meeting for coffee or lunch is fine but don’t try to turn it into a (possibly unwelcome) social event.
• Meetings should be properly diarised and not arranged at the last minute so that the writer is able to have a degree of control and comfort.
• If the producer decides they are no longer interested in a writer or their work, they should have the courtesy to say so. 

If you are in a situation or chain of communication where you are thinking, ‘this is not ok’ it does not make you a trouble maker.  It is ok to create professional boundaries.  However, if you feel alone or need support in this you can get confidential advice from:

https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/we-can-help/support-line/?utm_source=ppc&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=support-line2019&utm_content=brandad&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxMm0j4Gq6wIVCbDtCh0HkASzEAAYASAAEgIY9vD_BwE

https://livecomedyassociation.co.uk/abuse-harassment

Equally, if you are seeking counselling, you can contact:

https://filmtvcharity.org.uk/we-can-help/community/

If a writer feels badly treated they can also approach the WGGB.

Writers can approach the WGGB in whatever way they feel comfortable; via the office or one of the regional or craft representatives – contact details are on their website. All reports will be treated in the strictest confidence and it doesn’t matter if the writer is a member. 

https://writersguild.org.uk/resources/