Everyone at CCA should feel safe
Harassment of any kind is not tolerated at CCA. That applies to how we treat each other, how we treat creators and clients, and how they treat us. We take every concern seriously, we act on it, and nobody is punished for raising one honestly.
This applies to everyone who works with CCA: founders, employees, freelancers and anyone on placement.
It's about the effect, not the intention
Harassment is unwanted behaviour that violates someone's dignity, or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them. The law covers behaviour that is:
- of a sexual nature, or
- related to who someone is: their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
"It was only a joke" is not a defence. What matters is how it lands on the person. A single serious incident can be enough.
Bullying (persistent belittling, undermining or excluding someone) isn't always covered by the legal definition, but it's not acceptable at CCA either, and you can raise it in exactly the same way.
Remote doesn't mean it can't happen
Most of our work happens in messages and video calls, so that's where to look:
- Comments about someone's body, looks or love life, in a DM, a group chat or on a call
- Repeated messages or invitations after someone has said no, or hasn't replied
- Sexual jokes, images, memes or links, even in a "private" chat
- Mocking someone's accent, religion, age or disability
- Late-night personal messages that have nothing to do with work
- Deliberately leaving someone out of calls or chats
Clients, brands and creators too
The same standard applies when harassment comes from a client, a brand contact, a creator or anyone else we work with. If it happens to you, tell us. We'll back you, and that can include taking you off the account, raising it with the other company, or ending the relationship.
It works both ways: our creators must be able to trust us completely. Anything that crosses the line with a creator is treated just as seriously.
Talk to us. You choose how.
- Tell Edric or Reece, by message, email or call. If your concern is about one of them, go to the other.
- You can ask for it to be handled informally (a quiet word, the behaviour stops) or formally (a proper investigation). We'll talk it through with you first.
- Write down what happened, when, and who saw it, and keep screenshots if you can. It helps, but it's not required.
Confidential: we only share what's needed to deal with it. No comebacks: anyone who raises a concern honestly, or helps with one, is protected. Treating someone badly for speaking up is itself a serious disciplinary matter.
Want outside advice first? The Acas helpline gives free, confidential advice: 0300 123 1100.
What we'll do
- Listen, and agree next steps with you
- Look into it fairly, hearing from everyone involved
- Act: from a clear warning, up to ending someone's work with CCA or ending a client or creator relationship
- Keep you updated, and check in afterwards
If you see it happen to someone else, check in with them and tell us. You don't need to be sure it "counts".
When a creator is abused online
Health creators, and patient creators especially, can attract cruel comments and DMs. When it happens on a campaign we run:
- Check in with the creator first. Ask how they are and what they want to happen.
- Screenshot the worst of it, then report it to the platform.
- Tell Edric or Reece, and agree with the brand whether to limit or turn off comments.
- Threats of violence, or someone sharing the creator's private details, go to the police (101, or 999 if there's immediate danger).
The same applies if you're the one receiving abuse while running a campaign or account.
How we keep ourselves to this
- Timing: we'll reply within 2 working days of you raising something, and agree next steps with you within a week.
- Records: we keep a private note of every concern and what we did about it. Only Edric and Reece can see it. We use it, without names, to spot patterns and do better.
- Not happy with the outcome? Tell us in writing and the founder who wasn't involved will look at it again. Acas (0300 123 1100) can also advise you.
- Owner: Edric owns this policy. We review it every year, and after any complaint.
- This policy isn't part of anyone's contract, and we may update it. We'll tell you when we do.
Check what stuck
Questions are picked at random from a bigger set. If you don't pass, re-read the sections it names and try again: you'll get different questions.