Month: May 2023

Film set health and safety may seem like it doesn’t apply to you. But it’s not only the major production sets that need to think about health and safety. You also need to address it for smaller film productions, such as shooting a TikTok, Instagram Reel, or YouTube short. The last thing you want is for someone to get hurt while filming something for your company or to have a location that harms one of your workers.  

In our webinar moderated by Alizabeth Aramowicz Smith, Senior Consultant and Health & Safety Practice Leader, Alanna Garrison, CSP, CIH, CIT, CHMM, Strategic Safety Consulting Service Line Leader; Michael Fuller, Environmental Project Manager; and Tina Cox, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Senior Manager, discuss one of the most important parts of film production health and safety: location.  

You may think you have the perfect location, but it may need some work. Older structures may be impacted by building hazardous materials such as lead paint or asbestos. Indoor air quality may be less than desirable, water intrusion or neglect may have resulted in structural damage or mold growth, and abandoned structures also provide a safe haven for a wide variety of undesirable animal AND human activity. This webinar tackles how to manage all of these things and find the perfect, safe spot to film. 

If you missed it, check out the full webinar on-demand below.  

Watch On-Demand

What to Consider When Planning 

When you want to film, planning is your best friend. But, there are many different information points you need to gather together before you can adequately identify and assess potential risks. For example, some locations may take a ton of time, effort, and money to prepare for filming. Sometimes, your budget doesn’t cover that, and it doesn’t make sense to actually film at that location. So, even when you think it’ll be perfect, sometimes you have to move onto another, safer location. 

You can break down the risk assessment planning process into some key steps, starting with targeted information gathering. These initial data points will help with high-level go-no-go decisions on a selected location. 

It’s not just the on-screen talent and famous directors that we need to protect – everyone involved in a production needs to be assured a safe working environment. Each property should be objectively evaluated for risk, regardless of whether you are planning to shoot for one hour, or for three months. 

Set the scene with some context. Understand the anticipated use of each new location. Will you be filming inside or out? Or, will you be in a specific room, or using the whole structure?  And most importantly, what is the end use of the property? Is it being returned as-is to an owner? 

These context elements will specifically tie into how we evaluate any potential remedial options. 

How to Start Planning for a Film Location 

Through some detailed understanding of the property’s intended use, ​identify the production team’s intended footprint within building interiors as well as exteriors, for both on-camera and support activities, such as lighting, electrical and other needs.​ 

What type of manipulation might need to happen through construction activities? ​Aside from the obvious step of assuring you can legally use a location, there might be limitations that affect your use of the property – these limits can drastically impact your ability to both test for and remedy any potential EHS impacts, as well as compress your timeframe for getting the location camera-ready. That’s why it’s important to carefully check to see if there are limitations that specify the extent to which a building can be altered.  ​ 

Next, think about expected versus actual schedules – does filming need to occur in a short timeframe? Is there a tight construction schedule? Understanding a production’s anticipated schedule helps you to evaluate if a potential location is even viable, depending on what may need to be done to control risks and make it safe for occupancy. ​ 

You also need to determine if the owner doesn’t want any alterations made to their property if there are renters there or squatters present, and who makes up your crew. For example, identify if there will be children present on the set, animals, or if either are nearby.  

You must also determine how long you’ll be using that location. Take into account:  

Prep Construction Art department/set dressing Filming  Tear down 

Other concerns often arise regarding HVAC functionality, mold, drinking water contaminants, and other building toxins that may be present; this can make for some tense landlord negotiations and uncomfortable production teams if these things are not carefully assessed and addressed ahead of time. Also, does the property have a history of contamination? Are there areas that should not be entered?  

While that’s a lot to consider upfront, the more information you can ascertain at the beginning of the process, the less painful the next steps will be! 

The Risk Assessment Process 

Now, it’s time to start putting the initial data collection information together to fill data gaps and evaluate whether controls are needed.  If you are familiar with traditional risk assessments, you know that they look at tasks, associated hazards, risk of negative outcomes, and controls that are in place or can be implemented to reduce risk. 

Here, we put a little spin on the traditional approach, by looking at the desired end point (our intended use, bringing the artistic vision to light), evaluating our other data points to determine if any controls would be required, and how to best implement the most appropriate controls. 

Some corrective actions are fast fixes. Some require significant effort and investment with appropriately licensed professionals. 

Consider all the factors: 

How much does it cost to fix? How long will it take? How key is the location? Does this fit our schedule and budget? 

Sometimes the risks are significant, or the controls available will not adequately reduce the risk for a location, so you can’t be afraid of a no-go. These considerations don’t just apply to film sets. 

Event Health and Safety 

Similar to film production locations, where you host your next workplace gathering, investor meeting, or specialty team event should also be assessed for risk. Whether indoors or outside, on-location events spaces should be evaluated via a similar lens from an EHS standpoint keeping the following in mind: 

Evaluate all of the risks and severity of those risks. Eliminate risks where possible and evaluate appropriate controls that you can implement for temporary use of a particular space. Develop an appropriate safety plan to manage risks that cannot be eliminated. 

Things to watch out for at your event location include building capacity, whether special permit approvals are needed, biological risks (animals, insects, allergens), how flat or uneven the terrain is for people with disabilities or mobility issues, weather predictability, and power, lighting, and electrical capacity for your event.  

It is important to evaluate these with the venue owner ahead of deciding on the facility to host your event to eliminate some of the issues that may arise. ​

That’s a Wrap! 

Bottom line, whether it’s an event space or a film production location you’re looking at, hopefully by now you’re seeing the need for pre-planning. Always ask yourself throughout the process, does this location make sense to use? 

Make sure you are comfortable with walking away from the “perfect location” if the time or costs to make the space safe don’t fit into your budget. It’s better to walk away and find an alternate space, versus putting people at risk.   

Looking for help with your film location? Reach out to Antea Group and our Event and Production EHS Support team for help making your film debut.

About Antea Group

Antea®Group is an environment, health, safety, and sustainability consulting firm. By combining strategic thinking with technical expertise, we do more than effectively solve client challenges; we deliver sustainable results for a better future. We work in partnership with and advise many of the world’s most sustainable companies to address ESG-business challenges in a way that fits their pace and unique objectives. Our consultants equip organizations to better understand threats, capture opportunities and find their position of strength. Lastly, we maintain a global perspective on ESG issues through not only our work with multinational clients, but also through our sister organizations in Europe, Asia, and Latin America and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance. Learn more at us.anteagroup.com.  

Originally published on May 5, 2023

Lana Hill, who is a trusted advisor to many young Indigenous people in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, holds her own teenage daughter closer each time the name of another missing Indigenous person is released. Joy Flett is the knowledge keeper for her close and extended relatives, but pieces of her family tree have been stolen, and she feels a heartache that is shared by countless other Indigenous families across Canada. Both women will be wearing red on May 5.

Also known as Red Dress Day, May 5 marks a day to honour, remember and create awareness and action for Missing, Murdered and Exploited Indigenous Peoples (MMEIP) in Canada. The statistics are startling —Indigenous women in Canada today are seven times more likely than non-Indigenous women to be a murder victim, and three times more likely to be violently or sexually assaulted.

Lana, originally from Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan, and Joy, from the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Alberta, are part of Suncor’s Indigenous and Community Relations team in Fort McMurray, Alta. They both agree that more action is needed to end the MMEIP crisis.

“Since the time of residential schools and everything leading to today, we’ve been stripped of our names, our languages, our hair. To be able to take back our power and voice, we need to keep speaking out against what is happening,” says Joy. “There are so many Indigenous people who’ve gone missing or have been murdered in our own city. We need to continue to say their names. They are important to somebody. We can all play a role in ending the violence.”

One of the national organizations helping to move the needle with this progress is the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC). For almost 50 years NWAC has played a lead role in advocating for the rights of Indigenous women, girls, two-spirit, transgender and gender-diverse people, which includes critical advocacy on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG2S+) and reconciliation. The organization has been pressing the federal government to act since the National Inquiry issued the 231 Calls for Justice in 2019.

When reflecting on Red Dress Day, NWAC urges Canadians to consider the many aspects of colonization that continue to affect Indigenous people. NWAC’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Groulx, believes that a critical component to reconciliation is acknowledging the past.

“We invite everyone across the country to play an active role in reconciliation through education and raising awareness, as well as learning about Indigenous knowledge systems and the impacts of colonialism and racism that face many Indigenous people,” says Lynne. “We have taken urgent and significant action to increase awareness and address the 231 Calls for Justice and have been working hard to implement our own MMIWG2S+ Action Plan.”

NWAC’s Action Plan includes 66 concrete actions they will take to help end the MMEIP. Last year NWAC reported progress on over 85 per cent of the proposed actions. This includes the Safe Passage Platform – a national reporting tool that maps cases of MMIWG2S+ and provides information on resources and services available across the country.

Lynne also suggests reading books, listening to podcasts or participating in educational programs created by Indigenous authors and media to see the world through their lens. She also encourages people to help amplify messages and initiatives from Indigenous voices to ensure they are being heard.

On May 5 and beyond, both Lana and Joy will be found honouring and remembering – the missing, murdered and exploited Indigenous peoples – in their own way of healing and active support.

“Through my mom’s experience growing up of being called a dirty Indian, to now my 15-year-old daughter who is able to stand proud and march to the beat of her own drum, we can see there has been a lot of progress for Indigenous people to feel seen and accepted,” says Lana. “But we also must acknowledge the pain and trauma that is still prevalent today. We are not victims, we are survivors.”

In 2007, Brasil was announced as the host country for the 2014 World Cup. At the time, the nation was growing toward 200 million residents and had doubled its GDP since 2000. Two years later, Brasil was then awarded the 2016 Olympics, the first South American nation to host the games. With its advancing economy and the future host of two global sporting events, historical urban mobility limitations became more pressing. Host cities throughout Brasil recognized the opportunity to push investments required to build the transportation infrastructure needed to provide all citizens (and visitors) with mobility access.

To meet the demand, Brasil embraced Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a public transportation system first leveraged in Curitiba, Brasil, one of the most sustainability-minded cities in the country. Today, BRT systems deliver fast, comfortable, and cost-effective services for cities, often in 1/3 of the time to implement them and less than half the budget of rail-based solutions.

For Rio de Janeiro, host city for the Olympics, the rapid expansion of BRT enabled the city to provide transportation needed for the games while providing valuable, long-term infrastructure for residents. Throughout Brasil, the World Cup also fostered similar impacts to a greater or lesser extent.

This wasn’t a simple task. Since public transit is often fare-funded within Brasilian communities, each bus system operated differently, from the types of buses purchased, to rider communications, to the use of technology to improve reliability, service, and convenience. Feedback from riders and government entities was highly anecdotal and didn’t often provide actions agencies could take to improve service.

FedEx, too, faced a similar issue of many Brasilian transit agencies – how do we raise the quality of our service across all our systems and create a common language and toolkit to make improvements. Out of this need was born Quality Driven Management (QDM), the FedEx process for improving quality across the entire enterprise. I believe the quote from our Chairman Fred Smith said it best:

“QDM will give us common ways to improve quality across our entire enterprise. For the first time, we will all use the same language, tools, and metrics to analyze the causes of problems and plan corrective actions. QDM is the way FedEx will manage our business to drive quality and brand loyalty to new heights.” – FedEx Founder & Chairman, Fred Smith

In 2012, two years before the World Cup, WRI and FedEx created the “Fellows” program. The goal was to identify emerging professionals within WRI’s transportation group who could benefit from FedEx’s expertise in customer service, operational efficiencies, marketing, driver safety, maintenance, purchasing of more efficient vehicles, and more. Six WRI fellows were identified and traveled to Memphis HQ to participate in a week of trainings with executives from the company.

One of the Fellows that year was Cristina Albuquerque, now the Manager of Urban Mobility for WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities in Brasil. Cristina understood the QDM principles and processes could be applied to a challenge bus transit systems were facing, improving the quality of service in a methodology that will work across all agencies throughout the country. Each agency used different metrics, methodologies, and processes for making system improvements, hindering their ability to learn from other cities and to have a common language across the country.

QualiOnibus was started the same year (2012) with seven Brasilian cities first participating. Their goal was to create a QDM-like framework for bus transit agencies throughout Brasil. Within a year, WRI had developed a toolkit to drive consistent service improvement processes. Today, the organization has helped raise the quality of the customer experience, identified operational and safety improvements, highlighted best practices in different cities, and provide an on-going platform for learning, knowledge sharing, and professional development.

Today, QualiOnibus includes 30 Brasilian bus-transit agencies with a waiting list! The various agencies have different systems, routes, and service demands, but they now consistently work toward improving bus transit along quality factors, such as:

Reliability – Did I board by bus and arrive at my destination on schedule?Access – Can I easily access transit and circulate through stations?Travel Times – Am I saving time riding public transit versus a car?Comfort – Do bus stops include waiting areas? Are buses scheduled to prevent overcrowding?Safety – Are bus stops well illuminated? Do riders feel safe on the transit system?Information – Are there good maps, communications, and wayfinding to navigate the system?

The work of QualiOnibus not only improves transit for Brasilians, but it also reflects how companies like FedEx can work alongside groups like WRI to influence investment and positive impacts to the social, financial, and environmental factors in growing global cities.

“The collaboration with FedEx over the past ten years has continued to deliver value for WRI and the bus transit agencies we support,” shares Cristina Albuquerque of WRI. “We greatly appreciate the company’s willingness to share their resources and best practices to improve transportation in our most congested cities.” In the end, less people in cars results in less cars on the road, reducing the amount of time commuters (and delivery drivers) must waste in traffic.

When companies, NGOs, and communities can come together to create impacts, we are reaching the goal of creating shared value, both for shareowners at FedEx and stakeholders in the communities where we deliver and employ team members. We are thankful for the collaboration with WRI and look forward to what we will accomplish together in the next decade.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 11, 2023 /3BL Media/ – Today Bath & Body Works announces its inclusion on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity.

The publication partnered with market research firm Statista to create their sixth annual list. To determine the rankings, Statista surveyed more than 45,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. Participants were asked to anonymously rate their organizations based on criteria such as age, gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBTQ+ equality, as well as general diversity.

Respondents belonging to underrepresented groups were also asked to recommend businesses other than their own. In addition, each company’s diversity-related best practices—such as the presence of employee resource groups, the publication of diversity data and the percentage of women in board and executive roles—were reviewed and incorporated into the rankings. The top 500 companies made the final list.

“We’re honored to be recognized as one of the greatest workplaces in America for diversity,” says Kelie Charles, Bath & Body Works Chief Diversity Officer. “At Bath & Body Works, we believe a culture where everyone feels a sense of belonging, has a chance to be heard and is valued and treated with respect makes us a smarter, stronger brand. Diversity, equity and inclusion make us stronger, and we strive every day to infuse this core value into our inclusive culture, equitable business processes and support of diverse communities.”

In addition to making Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers for Diversity, Bath & Body Works recently has been recognized in several other ways including:

America’s Best Workplaces for Women by NewsweekAmerica’s Greatest Workplaces for LGBTQ+ individuals by NewsweekMost Trustworthy Companies in America by NewsweekDiversity in Business Award by Columbus Business FirstForbes List of America’s Best Large EmployersA Diversity First Top 50 Company by the Diversity Research Institute

For more information about Bath & Body Works’ DEI efforts, visit bbwinc.com.

ABOUT BATH & BODY WORKS

Home of America’s Favorite Fragrances®, Bath & Body Works is a global leader in personal care and home fragrance, including top-selling collections for fine fragrance mist, body lotion and body cream, 3-wick candles, home fragrance diffusers and liquid hand soap. Powered by agility and innovation, the company’s predominantly U.S.-based supply chain enables the company to deliver quality, on-trend luxuries at affordable prices. Bath & Body Works serves and delights customers however and wherever they want to shop, from welcoming, in-store experiences at more than 1,800 company-operated Bath & Body Works locations in the U.S. and Canada and more than 425 international franchised locations to an online storefront at BathandBodyWorks.com.

For more information, please contact:

Bath & Body Works, Inc.: 
Media Relations 
Emmy Beach 
Communications@bbw.com