CIISA appoints Baroness Helena Kennedy as its Chair

The Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority, CIISA, has announced that one of Britain’s most distinguished lawyers, Baroness Helena Kennedy, has been appointed as its Chair.

Dame Heather Rabbatts, Chair and Founder, TIME’S UP UK and founding Chair of CIISA and Barbara Broccoli, Director and Founder, TIME’S UP UK, say,

“Barbara Broccoli and I co-founded Time’s Up UK back in 2018, focused on making practical interventions to bring about change in the industry dealing specifically with bullying, harassment and abuse. The idea of creating a new standards authority started its journey with Time’s Up UK and has been in development with the creative industries round table and many other partners over these last few years. We are absolutely delighted that Baroness Helena Kennedy is our inaugural Chair to launch CIISA this year.”

Both government and leaders across the creative sector have endorsed the creation of CIISA, to play a crucial role in upholding and improving standards of behaviour across the creative industries, acknowledging the need for a dedicated, independent authority to combat bullying and harassment and bullying and harassment of a discriminatory nature. Baroness Kennedy’s appointment as Chair further cements this endorsement.

Helena Kennedy has spent her professional life giving voice to those who have least power within the system, championing civil liberties and promoting human rights. Significant skills and expertise that will help CIISA grow. She has used many public platforms – including the House of Lords, to which she was elevated in 1997 – to argue with passion, wit and humanity for social justice. Helena has been honoured by the Governments of France and Italy for her considerable work on women’s rights and education. In March 2024, Helena was appointed the Order of the Thistle, the greatest order of chivalry in Scotland in recognition of the importance of her public service, pioneering work in advancing human rights and social justice, both domestically and internationally.

Helena is a champion for law reform for women, especially relating to sexual and domestic violence and developed the defence of PTSD in the UK courts. She is recognised internationally as an authority on violence against women and children, and as one of the seminal forces in reforming the legal profession’s attitude to gender equality and minority access. In 2012 Helena led the Equality and Human Rights Commission Inquiry in Scotland addressing Human Trafficking; leading the recent Scottish Parliamentary Inquiry into Misogyny. In her international work, she has worked on sexual violence as a weapon of war and led an Inquiry into Gender Apartheid in 2023.

In 2021, when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, Baroness Kennedy evacuated 102 women judges and prosecutors who were on death lists by raising the funds, securing safe houses, chartering planes and resettling the women around the world. With husbands and children, in total 508 people were brought to safety. She is currently working for the President of Ukraine on war crimes and the recovery of thousands of children who have been abducted from Ukraine by Russian forces. She has also written and broadcast on a wide range of issues, from medical negligence to terrorism to the rights of women and children.

Baroness Helena Kennedy says:

“The creation of an Independent Standards Authority for the Creative Industries is a very important development. A high proportion of those working in the arts and in other cultural fields are self-employed and especially vulnerable to abusive and exploitative conduct. A carefully-wrought framework is essential to create fair and respectful treatment for everyone in these working environments. I also think the CIISA could provide a template for other sectors where such problems are also rife. This will be the ‘go-to’ body for anyone experiencing misconduct. I am looking forward to chairing the Board and helping in its establishment.

Caroline Norbury OBE, Chief Executive, Creative UK, says:

“As CIISA becomes operational we’re delighted to welcome Baroness Helena Kennedy as our brilliant new Chair. As one of our country’s foremost legal minds, she brings a wealth of expertise and experience as we establish CIISA’s services to eliminate bullying, harassment and discriminatory behaviour in the creative industries; ushering in a new climate of much needed cultural change.”

Jen Smith, CIISA interim CEO, says:

“Baroness Kennedy brings a wealth of expertise and a strong vision to CIISA. Her strategic leadership has been warmly welcomed across the whole of the creative industries and it will be an honour to work alongside her. I consider myself very privileged to have the opportunity to work closely with both Baroness Kennedy and Dame Heather on developing the unique proposition that is CIISA.”

Anita Hill, Board Chair & President, The Hollywood Commission says:

We are delighted to hear about the appointment of Baroness Helena Kennedy as the new Chair of CIISA. The Hollywood Commission has been working closely with the CIISA team sharing our insights and experience and we look forward to working together further as we continue to find ways to safeguard this industry.”

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