More Diverse, More Inclusive

RTÉ is committed to inspiring leadership in diversity and inclusion.

1. Training for Better

RTÉ teamed up with Screen Producers Ireland to hold an online unconscious bias training workshop in 2020, looking at the impacts of bias and how to take action to mitigate the potential negative effects within production crews. RTÉ also hosted workshops focused on inclusive hiring practices. Meanwhile, disability awareness training educated participants around core aspects of disability and related issues.

2. DiversiTea

The DiversiTea staff initiative created meaningful interactions between people from different backgrounds. Throughout October and November, guests included people who moved to Ireland from Lithuania, Zimbabwe, India, Hong Kong, Northern Macedonia, Ghana, Brazil, Egypt, Romania, Nigeria, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Afghanistan and Libya. The conversations, hosted by Graham Clifford from the Together Ireland Community Integration initiative, explored the topics of inclusion and diversity.

3. Herstory

RTÉ partnered with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Herstory, EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum, and Underground Films to bring Ireland’s greatest female trailblazers to our screens. HERSTORY: Ireland’s EPIC Women told the stories of some remarkable pioneers in the fields of business, politics, science, the arts, aviation and technology.

4. Blazing a Trail

To coincide with International Women’s Day, RTÉ hosted Blazing a Trail: Lives and Legacies of Irish Diaspora Women, an exhibition celebrating 21 pioneering Irish diaspora women of the 19th and 20th centuries in a wide range of fields. RTÉ also marked International Women’s Day with a range of campaigns, content and events, including a special staff event in Studio 5 hosted by RTÉ’s Claire Byrne and featuring a panel of respected contributors.

5. With Pride

RTÉ celebrated its partnership with Dublin Digital Pride and the 2020 #virtualprideparade by hosting a special Pride weekend, on air and online, which included two days of music, interviews and entertainment across RTÉ 2fm, and a special RTÉ Concert Orchestra performance. Internally, RTÉ hosted a range of staff events, including the Empowered Allies workshop, which looked at how we can challenge our assumptions and how celebrating diversity can make a workplace stronger. The content was informed by ShoutOut’s work with thousands of young people, offering all of us a fresh and vibrant perspective on the needs of LGBTQ+ folks today. Evgeny Shtorn – an LGBT activist, organiser, and researcher from Russia – spoke about LGBT people in Direct Provision.

6. Black and Irish

Presented by Femi Bankole, Leon Diop, Amanda Ade and Boni Odoemene, the Black and Irish podcast series looked at growing up as part of a minority, tackling issues of racism in Ireland and assessing how they might be changed. The podcast is an extension of the host’s already very successful Instagram account, @black_andIrish, which has amassed nearly 45,000 followers since its launch.

7. Public Sector Duty

Consistent with our core values, RTÉ is committed to meeting our obligations under the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act, 2014. Section 42 of that Act establishes a positive duty on public bodies to promote equality, prevent discrimination and protect the human rights of all those with whom they engage – staff, service users and stakeholders alike. In 2020, RTÉ established an inter-departmental working group to drive implementation of our Public Sector Duty. Arising from this, and forming an integral part of our strategic planning process, a draft Public Sector Duty Assessment and Action Plan is being completed and will be reported on in future annual reports.