IndustryPeople Programme
The UNIC People Programme is an initiative launched by UNIC in June 2023. This new project aims to help the cinema industry maintain its position as an employer of choice, recognising that the ultimate competitive advantage of any organisation lies in its people. With new challenges emerging post-pandemic in particular in recruiting, developing, and investing in its workforce, the cinema industry must adapt to the ever-changing landscape of today's World. The programme strives to ensure that the industry remains well-placed to attract and retain top talent.
In addition to launching the programme, UNIC also announced its newly formed advisory board, chaired by Dee Vassili, Chief People Officer, Vue International. Additional appointments include: Phil Clapp, President UNIC and CEO UK Cinema Association (Vice-Chair); Katharina Phebey, Head of Marketing & Content, Member of the Management Board, Kinopolis; Nevena Brasanac, Booking & Exhibition Manager, Cineplexx International; Zarah Doyle, European Talent Director and People Director UKI at ODEON Cinemas Group.
Supporting the Programme is Gruvi who is joining as a Strategic Advisor.
The UNIC People Programme is pleased to announce the publication of a new toolkit designed to assist organisations in understanding and enhancing their internal culture. The newly-released toolkit aims to simplify the complexities of organisational culture, providing practical tips to benefit both businesses and their employees. Recognising that the multitude of factors influencing an organisation's culture can be overwhelming, the toolkit is designed to help companies identify the strengths of their current culture and pinpoint areas for improvement.
Listen to the UNIC People Programme Podcast Here!
Episode 5 with Clare Binns
This episode features Clare Binns, Managing Director of Picturehouse Cinemas & Picturehouse Entertainment. Clare shares her journey from starting as an usher to becoming a leading figure in the cinema industry. She discusses her views on leadership, highlighting the importance of passion, trust, and empowering teams. Claire also offers invaluable insights on how to motivate and inspire talent, handle conflict, and provide constructive feedback in a fast-paced, creative environment. Tune in to discover Clare’s leadership approach, the people who inspired her, and her advice for those looking to make a mark in the cinema industry.
Episode 4 with Monica Chadha
The fourth episode of the UNIC People Programme Podcast features Monica Chadha, a Senior media executive who serves on the boards of, or as an adviser to several privately held companies in the entertainment and technology sectors.
The youngest person to be appointed to the board of the British Association for Screen Entertainment at 24, Monica is also a coach, a leading force behind the UNIC mentoring scheme, and a nonexecutive director at the British Film Institute. Monica dreamt of being a doctor, pursued the arts and fell into media - she carved out a career by focusing on leadership.
Tune in to discover what makes a good leader, to collect some practical tips on your own leadership skills and to hear about her leader of choice.
Episode 3 with Lien Meuleman
The third episode of the UNIC People Programme Podcast features Lien Meuleman, Global HR Director of Talent, Leadership, and Organizational Development at Barco. Discover more about Barco's values - Impactful Innovation; Customer Orientation; Winning collaboration -, about what defines the company's culture and how to implement it in a multinational environment. Lien is clearly passionate about people and shares very practical advice.
Episode 2 with Jade Desumala and Anna Paprocka
Our second People Programme podcast episode is out! In this new episode, Mandy Kean and Kate Gerova from Mustard Studio have a captivating conversation with Jade Desumala and Anna Paprocka from Regent Street Cinema in London. They delve into the development of values, vision, and mission at Regent Street Cinema and explore how these elements underpin their brand story.
Additional Material from Mustard Studio:
Mustard Studio's Brand Culture Playbook
Episode 1 with Zarah Doyle and Nick Webb
Our host Laura Houlgatte, CEO of UNIC, is in conversation with Zarah Doyle, European Talent Director and People Director UKI at ODEON Cinemas Group and Nick Webb, Group Director of Talent and Culture at Vue International.
- What do we mean by internal culture and values?
- Do they vary depending on the location and the size of the company?
- Why does it matter?
- Where to start to create internal culture and values?
We recognise that the ultimate competitive advantage of any organisation lies in its people.
Our mission is to have the cinema industry remain an employer of choice.
The cinema industry is facing unique challenges in recruiting, developing, and investing in its workforce. In today's world, where volatility, unpredictability, and economic challenges prevail, it becomes crucial to attract and retain top talent while fostering a high-performing culture. By clearly addressing the challenges faced by both large and small operators, we aim to support and maintain a thriving environment that appeals to talented individuals seeking fulfilling employment.
The competitive landscape in the cinema industry demands even more so that we actively engage in the war for talent. With full employment in most markets, the cinema industry competes with other leisure, retail, and hospitality sectors to attract and retain skilled professionals.
The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a paradigm shift in the needs and expectations of employees. The pool that we recruit from has different expectations and values around work life balance, how they perceive potential employers and what they aspire to get out of work.
By effectively tackling these challenges, we establish a compelling employment proposition that ensures the cinema industry maintains its status as an employer of choice.
AND ACTION!
To achieve our mission, we have identified key work streams we will focus on.
• Awareness of employment opportunities
• Training and career progression
• Leadership skills
• Internal culture and values
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
By pursuing these work streams and continuously adapting to the needs of our employees and the industry, we aim to ensure that the cinema industry remains a premier destination that attracts and retains top talent.
Together, we can build a vibrant and inclusive community that celebrates the magic of cinema and offers fulfilling and rewarding roles.
The Programme was launched by UNIC at CineEurope 2023 in Barcelona.
UNIC LAUNCHES ITS PEOPLE PROGRAMME: ENSURING THE CINEMA INDUSTRY REMAINS AN ATTRACTIVE AND PREMIUM EMPLOYER
Barcelona, 19.06.2023 – The European Cinema trade grouping UNIC – representing national associations and cinema operators across 39 territories – today officially launched the UNIC People Programme, its five work streams for the year ahead, and its newly formed advisory board.
Initial objectives and focused work streams for the first year of the Programme were announced this morning during the CineEurope Business Sessions as part of a panel discussion titled "Driving Commercial Success through People".
This new initiative aims to help the cinema industry maintain its position as an employer of choice, recognising that the ultimate competitive advantage of any organisation lies in its people. With new challenges emerging post-pandemic in particular in recruiting, developing, and investing in its workforce, the cinema industry must adapt to the ever-changing landscape of today's World. The programme strives to ensure that the industry remains well-placed to attract and retain top talent.
To achieve its mission, the programme has identified five key work streams to ensure the industry is evolving to meet the needs of its employees and remains positioned as an attractive and premier employer that attracts and retains top talent:
• Awareness of employment opportunities
• Training and career progression
• Leadership skills
• Internal culture and values
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
In addition to launching the programme, UNIC also announced its newly formed advisory board, chaired by Dee Vassili, Chief People Officer, Vue International. Additional appointments include: Phil Clapp, President UNIC and CEO UK Cinema Association (Vice-Chair); Katharina Phebey, Head of Marketing & Content, Member of the Management Board, Kinopolis; Nevena Brasanac, Programming manager for SouthEast Europe, Cineplexx International; Zarah Doyle, European Talent Director and People Director UKI at ODEON Cinemas Group.
Dee Vassili, who led the panel discussion, said:
"We believe that investing in people is essential to the continued success and growth of the cinema industry. The UNIC People Programme aims to raise awareness, provide informed insights and share potential approaches on how to continue to attract and retain talent within the cinema industry, in a world where the only constant is change. "
Phil Clapp, CEO of the UK Cinema Association and Deputy Chair of the Advisory Board, emphasised the importance of the timing of today’s announcement, stating:
"Some may ask why, and maybe even more so, why now? The answer to both questions is that the UNIC People Programme aims to help address the particular challenges the cinema industry is facing at the moment. We need to do more to drive positive change and ensure that the cinema industry remains an attractive employer choice for future generations."
“In an increasingly competitive marketplace, the cinema industry must actively engage in the search for talent”, Laura Houlgatte, CEO at UNIC, stated. She further explained: “As markets experience full employment, the cinema industry is required to compete more than ever with other leisure, retail, and hospitality sectors for skilled professionals. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have brought about a paradigm shift in employee needs and expectations. Addressing these challenges, the UNIC People Programme seeks to renew an attractive employment proposition for the cinema industry. Through its focused work streams, the programme will create a vibrant and inclusive community that celebrates the magic of cinema while offering fulfilling and rewarding roles and careers."
About the UNIC People Programme: The UNIC People Programme is an initiative launched by the UNIC Advisory Board with the mission of making the cinema industry an employer of choice. By addressing the unique challenges faced by the industry and focusing on key work streams, the program aims to attract and retain top talent. For more information, visit https://www.unic-cinemas.org/en/industry/people-programme/
Supporting the new programme are two longstanding industry partners: Ferco Seating and Generation Media who will be joining as Strategic Advisors.
The UNIC People Programme is pleased to announce the publication of a new toolkit designed to assist organisations in understanding and enhancing their internal culture. Additionally, anticipation grows for the programme’s transition from a year dedicated to delving into Internal Culture and Values, to focus on its next workstream: Leadership Skills.
The newly-released toolkit aims to simplify the complexities of organisational culture, providing practical tips to benefit both businesses and their employees. Recognising that the multitude of factors influencing an organisation's culture can be overwhelming, the toolkit is designed to help companies identify the strengths of their current culture and pinpoint areas for improvement.
The toolkit was launched earlier today and will be presented thoroughly during the Focus Session on Wednesday, June 19 at CineEurope. The presentation of the toolkit will be led by Mandy Kean, Co-founder/CEO, Mustard Studio and Zarah Doyle, European Talent Director and PD UKI, ODEON Cinemas Group.
As the UNIC People Programme now shifts its focus to Leadership Skills, the importance of effective leadership within the cinema industry takes centre stage. The launchpad for the new topic was this morning’s presentation during CineEurope, led by Laura Houlgatte, CEO, UNIC, who was joined by Neil Pearse, Partner, McKinsey & Co. and Dee Vassili, Group Chief People Officer, Vue, both offering their expertise and insightful perspectives on this critical topic.
The discussion focused on the development of leadership skills and capabilities, and how we can help nurture future leaders who can drive innovation, inspire teams, and navigate the challenges of an evolving industry. This year’s upcoming events will feature insightful discussions on cultivating leadership capabilities, essential for the advancement and prosperity of the cinema sector.
Dee Vassili, Chair of the UNIC People Programme and Chief People Officer at Vue, shared her thoughts on the new focus:
“Leadership is both a huge and complex subject. There are many books and articles written about it and if you Google the word, you will get millions of results. What constitutes a “Leader” in today’s ever-changing world is constantly being examined and debated. The elusive “power of good leadership” is critical to the success of any business, including cinema, and should therefore be a critical subject matter on our radar.”
We are delighted to announce that Gruvi will be our Strategic Advisor for 2024/2025:
“The cinema industry's skills and talent requirements are changing to cater to an increasingly digital and discerning audience. Investing in and growing these skills requires new, diverse approaches alongside traditional methods to create a thriving environment where talent can flourish and the magic of cinema can continue to captivate audiences worldwide.” said Ben Johnson CEO, Gruvi.
We would like to thank Ferco Seating and Generation Media for their support throughout the first year of the Programme.
About the UNIC People Programme
The UNIC People Programme aims to make the cinema industry an employer of choice. We are dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by the industry through key work streams such as internal culture, training, leadership development, awareness of employment opportunities, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The initiative was officially launched at CineEurope in June 2023 with a panel featuring Dee Vassili (Chair of the Board) and Phil Clapp (Vice-Chair). More details about the launch and our mission statement can be found here.
UNIC People Programme Advisory Board
Dee Vassili (Chair) - Chief People Officer, Vue
Phil Clapp (Vice-Chair) - CEO, UK Cinema Association
Katharina Phebey - Head of Marketing and Content, Kinopolis
Nevena Brasanac - Programming Manager, Cineplexx International
Zarah Doyle - People Director, UK and Ireland, ODEON Cinemas Group
About UNIC People Programme´s Strategic Advisor
Supporting the Programme for the 2024/2025 edition is Gruvi. Why do people watch what they watch and how do they choose what to watch next? Gruvi interfaces between tech, agency & entertainment industries. We are passionate about audiences & understanding the relationship between their behaviours and the entertainment experiences they choose. We inspire our customers to think differently about the lifecycle of their digital audiences. We are about marketing across the user journey from finding out what it is, to when it’s on, where they can see it and what to watch next.
For more information, please contact communications@unic-cinemas.org
The UNIC People Programme will continue its efforts through planned panels, webinars, and podcasts, with an upcoming panel scheduled during the UNIC Cinema Days in Brussels in October and the publication of a toolkit in June 2024.
More details to come with a calendar of events to be published.
For more information, please contact:
Gruvi: Supporting the Programme for the 2024/2025 edition is Gruvi. Why do people watch what they watch and how do they choose what to watch next? Gruvi interfaces between tech, agency & entertainment industries. We are passionate about audiences & understanding the relationship between their behaviours and the entertainment experiences they choose. We inspire our customers to think differently about the lifecycle of their digital audiences. We are about marketing across the user journey from finding out what it is, to when it’s on, where they can see it and what to watch next.