Welcome to our 2026 Thrive survey aimed at employers and organisations in the creative industries
Our annual
Creative Access Thrive survey
aims to provide a snapshot of how the creative economy is progressing in terms of diversity, inclusion, equity and belonging from both the perspective of those working in the sector and employers.
The results of the survey play a critical role in helping us develop our services and further our mission to build a creative economy that reflects society.
Please support us by taking 5 minutes to complete this important survey by
Wednesday 6th May 2026
and
you could win a free place on one of our
upcoming diversity and inclusion workshops
.
Responses are anonymous (see our
Privacy Policy
for more information).
Part 1 - About your organisation
About your organisation
Organisation name (in full, no acronyms)
Sector
PR Marketing and Advertising
Architecture
Product design Graphic design and Fashion design
Film TV Radio and Audio production
Book Newspaper and Magazine publishing
Museums Galleries and Libraries
Music Theatre Dance and Visual Arts
Campaigning Government and Policy
Talent Management
Technology and Gaming
Other (please specify):
Other
Website
How many staff are employed by your organisation? (Full time equivalent)
49 or less
50 to 249
More than 250
About you
First name
Last name
Email
Job title
For which services have you engaged Creative Access in the past? (Please select all that apply)
Recruitment
Job listings
Training
Career support programmes
Mentoring
Other (please specify):
None of the above
Other
At this moment, where would you place your company in terms of DE&I action?
Choose a rating 1 to 5 from the list.
1. Playing catchup:
We’re more aware than we were & we’re thinking about it, but very much at the start of our DE&I journey.
2. It’s still early doors:
We have some initiatives and processes in place to do what is required but we are making very slow progress.
3.
Strategy underway:
We have a strategy/action plan, KPIs and objectives for employees. We track progress and hold each other to account for delivering.
4. Advanced action:
Our leadership is confident, proactive & proficient in DE&I. We use a conscious inclusion approach to all decisions for our workforce & outputs.
5. Where we lead, others follow:
DE&I is ideological & integral to our business. We are innovators & influencers and our actions encourage those we collaborate with to take action too.
Please tell us more about your answer
Which of the following statements is currently true for your organisation?
We have a dedicated DE&I team (greater than one individual)
We have a DE&I lead (one individual)
We had a DE&I lead and/or dedicated team previously but no longer have this role
We do not have a DE&I lead and/or dedicated team but are intending to hire in 2026
We do not have a DE&I lead and/or dedicated team and have no intention to hire into these roles this year
To what extent do you agree with the following statement: Our organisation has access to robust data to inform our DE&I strategy and measure progress against it.
1 -
Strongly Agree
2 -
Agree
3 -
Neither Agree nor Disagree
4 -
Disagree
5 -
Strongly Disagree
Please tell us more about your answer
Part 2 - Looking back over the last 12 months
In the last year, how has your workforce changed to include people from under-represented groups in your sector and become more representative of society as a whole?
Our workforce has become more representative in the last 12 months
Our workforce has become less representative in the last 12 months
The diversity of our workforce has not changed in the last 12 months
We don’t track this
Please tell us more about your answer
In the last year, which of following have you introduced to improve your practices with regards to recruitment and selection:
Already doing
Have introduced in last 12 months
Not doing yet
Checked all job adverts for use of inclusive languages
Provided diversity, equity and inclusion training for all staff involved in recruitment and selection
Taken positive action to increase number of applicants or interviewees from under-represented groups
Worked with an inclusive recruitment partner to widen pool of applicants
Taken part in outreach initiatives to boost the profile of the organisation and sector to under-represented groups
Please tell us more about your answer
In the last year, where have you made the most progress in driving increased representation and bringing in more diverse talent?
Entry-level
Mid
Senior
Executive or leadership
Trustees/non-exec directors
We’ve made equal progress in all of the above
In the last year, what progress have you made to ensure that staff are offered fair opportunities for progression and rewards (for example, internal promotions, or closing gender and/or ethnicity pay gaps):
The distribution of progression and rewards amongst our workforce has become more equitable in the last 12 months
The distribution of progression and rewards amongst our workforce has become less equitable in the last 12 months
The distribution of progression and rewards amongst our workforce has not changed in the last 12 months
We don’t track this
Please tell us more about your answer
In the last year, what action have you taken to ensure all staff feel welcome, valued and respected at your organisation:
Already doing
Have introduced in last 12 months
Not doing yet
Company values explicitly state our inclusion aspirations, routinely communicated across our business
Diversity, equity and inclusion strategy or action plan, progress routinely tracked against it
D
iversity,
equity
and inclus
i
on t
r
ai
ning provided for all staff
Workplace,
systems
and processes are accessible to all
Clear policies to support inclusion, applied transparently and fairly
Mental health and wellbeing training provided
Please tell us more about your answer
In the last year, what changes have you seen in your creative output?
Creative output has become more diverse and authentic
Creative output has become less diverse and authentic
Creative output has not changed in terms of diversity and authenticity
We don’t track this
Please tell us more about your answer
In the last year, has your spend on DE&I...
Increased
Decreased
Stayed the same
Not sure
Real Living Wage questions:
Does your organisation currently pay all entry-level roles at or above the UK Real Living Wage, as set by the Living Wage Foundation?
Yes, entry-level roles in our organisation are paid at or above a rate equivalent to Real Living Wage (i.e., £13.45 per hour across the UK, or £14.80 per hour in London)
No, entry-level roles in our organisation are paid at or above a rate equivalent to National Living Wage (i.e., £12.71 per hour across the UK)
Not sure
In the past 12 months, has your organisation taken steps to improve pay or align with the Real Living Wage?
Yes
No
Not sure
Over the next 12 months, do you plan to:
Gain or maintain a Living Wage accreditation
Increase pay for entry-level roles
Improve salary transparency
Review pay gaps (e.g. gender, ethnicity)
No planned changes
Other (please specify):
Other
Part 3 - Looking ahead
Over the next 12 months, at which level are you most focused on driving increased representation and bringing in more diverse talent?
Entry-level
Mid
Senior
Executive or leadership
Trustees / non-exec directors
All of the above
Regarding your future diversity and inclusion plans, where is your focus over the next two years?
Black, Asian and ethnically diverse employees
Employees of all genders
Deaf, disabled and neurodiverse employees
Employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds
Employees identifying as LGBTQI+
Older employees
Employees of all faiths
Part time and flexible workers
Employees returning to work after extended leave
Employees with mental health needs
Other (please specify):
Other
Are you currently using AI (artificial intelligence) in your organisation?
Yes
No, but we are intending to start in the next 12 months
No, and have no intention to start in the next 12 months
If your organisation does use AI or is intending to start in the next 12 months, which parts of your organisation’s work is being or will be impacted?
Administrative tasks
Creative work (e.g. writing, design, ideation)
Research
Client work
Strategy / decision-making
Other (please specify):
Other
Artificial Intelligence
Does your organisation offer training in using AI, including ‘Generative AI’ for employees?
Yes, my organisation offers extensive training in using AI, including ‘Generative AI’ for its employees
Yes, my organisation offers some training in using AI, including ‘Generative AI’ for its employees
No, my organisation does not offer training in using AI, but does encourage its employees to access training externally
No, my organisation does not offer training in using AI and does not encourage its employees to do so
Does your organisation have a budget allocated to train and support staff to use AI inclusively?
Yes, my organisation has allocated significant budget for training employees to use AI inclusively
Some, my organisation has allocated limited budget for training employees to use AI inclusively
No, my organisation has not allocated budget for training employees to use AI inclusively
Not sure
Do you have any concerns about the ethical or inclusion implications of using AI in your organisation or in the creative economy?
I have concerns about the ethical and inclusion implications of using AI
I don't have any concerns about AI
Please tell us more about your answer
Which of the following areas are you most interested in hearing more about from Creative Access? (please select all that apply)
Bespoke training on topics related to diversity, equity and inclusion
Bespoke training on topics related to neurodiversity, mental health and wellbeing
Bespoke training on topics related to AI and its uses and/or implications for the creative economy
Training workshops where you join individuals from other organisations
Paid internships
Bespoke recruitment at entry-level
Listing on our jobs board
Career development programmes for individuals from under-represented groups at entry level
Career development programmes for individuals from under-represented groups at mid-level
Career development programmes for individuals from under-represented groups at senior level
Mentoring programmes
Consultancy to support your DE&I journey
Free webinars on key DE&I topics
Other (please specify):
Other
Would you be prepared to be interviewed to provide more information about your experiences with Creative Access, and the experience of your organisation with regards to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion?
Yes
No
Contact Information