Fair Work

We have a commitment to building a respectful and inclusive environment, promoting equal opportunities, ensuring open communication, prioritising job security and fair compensation, and empowering professional growth and creativity. These principles guide our approach to workforce development and talent management, ensuring a supportive and fulfilling workplace for our team members. 

1 | Respect 

We are committed to ensuring that every member of our team is treated with respect and dignity, regardless of their background or identity. We maintain a work environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, and bias, and our policy strictly prohibits discrimination on the basis of skin color, gender, sexual identity, disability, or language background, including a person’s manner of speaking or accent. To support these commitments, we hold one to three discussions each year on respect and motivation, equality, diversity and inclusion, and accessibility. These sessions are led by team or board members with guidance from accessibility officers. We also promote the use of plain English in our communications, recognising that many of our team members and audiences are immigrants and that English is not their first language.

2 | Opportunity

We actively promote equal opportunities for all individuals, with a particular focus on supporting people from underrepresented groups. Our recruitment strategy is designed to attract diverse talent and create opportunities for individuals who may face barriers within the industry. We communicate this commitment through transparent job postings and targeted outreach to universities and organisations that support underrepresented communities. We also strongly advocate for leadership that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. This commitment is demonstrated by our team, which is composed of 90% migrants, primarily non-native English speakers, with 70% women, many of whom are primary caregivers requiring flexible working arrangements, and 44% identifying as LGBTQ+. Our board is made up entirely of women, including women of colour, ensuring that diversity is not only represented but also influential at the highest levels of decision-making. 

As part of our commitment to continuous growth and improvement, we have recently strengthened our board by welcoming Isabel Moura Mendes, Senior Relationship Manager at the British Council, who has supported IberoDocs since its inception in 2014. We are also in the process of appointing Rebeca Camacho, a Principal Management Consultant specialising in Strategy and Transformation Change, who has been a key supporter of the Festival Director for the past three years. In her new role, Rebeca will lead the implementation and advancement of Fair Work Principles, guiding discussions, facilitating training, and ensuring that our organisational practices continue to align with fair work standards.

3 |  Effective Voice 

We value open communication and actively encourage feedback from all team members, fostering constructive dialogue to continuously improve our working environment. Our approach to engagement and communication is set out in our team guidelines and reinforced through regular meetings and check-ins. As part of the induction process, all team members and volunteers receive an information pack outlining their rights and responsibilities, key internal and external communication tools and links to essential shared documents. 

To support effective collaboration and transparent task management, we use clear scheduling processes and monitor progress through regular one-to-one online meetings with the Festival Director, enabling us to respond flexibly to festival priorities and individual availability.

4 |  Security

At IberoDocs, we value job security and the personal wellbeing of our team members and volunteers. We support this commitment by providing clear job descriptions and fostering open discussions around mental health and wellbeing. We ensure fair compensation for all employees and freelancers, with wages and fees exceeding the Real Living Wage standards. In 2024, we implemented a 14% salary increase and provided fair compensation to 41 individuals, including freelancers, artists, and collaborators, contributing to a 43% reduction in volunteer hours. 

Volunteers are not expected to work more than 8–10 hours per week, and we cover transportation costs and provide catering for events lasting longer than four hours. We also promote flexible working arrangements to accommodate individual circumstances, including supporting single parents and providing additional staffing when team members are absent due to illness. Staff working hours are monitored to ensure no one exceeds their agreed hours. In addition, all team members and freelancers have access to legal, administrative, and payroll support ensuring they receive the guidance and assistance they need throughout their employment.

5 | Fulfilment

We are dedicated to fostering a fulfilling and meaningful work experience for all team members, encouraging them to find purpose, satisfaction, and opportunities for growth within their roles. We empower our team to bring creativity and innovation to their work, enabling them to contribute to our shared mission while developing their professional aspirations. This commitment is reinforced through regular discussions about career development and progression. In 2024, we introduced paid internships for two emerging filmmakers in programming and event management, who worked alongside the Festival Director over a 12-month period with flexible schedules tailored to both their availability and the festival’s needs. They received fair remuneration, developed valuable professional skills, and were provided with recommendation letters that supported their successful career progression. 

We also hold individual meetings with each team member to gather feedback on improving the festival, identify strengths and areas for development, and encourage new ideas for future editions. These conversations have led directly to expanded opportunities within the organisation, such as Marta Massa, who progressed from a Festival Assistant intern to a curator and will now collaborate with musician Giulia Drummond to lead the new “Women and the Sea” strand over the next three editions of IberoDocs. Recommendation letters are routinely provided to support career advancement, and with secured funding and a three-year programme in place, we aim to increase employee satisfaction and retention by 25%, creating greater opportunities for stable, long-term roles within the organisation.