The Hollywood Foreign Press Association is hiring two advisers to assist with implementation of its “sweeping plan” to add diversity to the Golden Globes.
Amid widespread criticism over the organization’s lack of diversity, late last week the HFPA announced it’d take steps to prove its commitment to “transformational change.”
In a statement released Saturday night, the nonprofit organization, which recently made headlines for having no Black members, said that it was going to hire an “independent expert in organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion to advise and guide us.”
On Tuesday, the press association announced the “hiring of two experienced, renowned advisors to assist” with its plans.
One hire, Dr. Shaun Harper is a leading expert on racial equity.
Harper, the provost professor in the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, and founder and executive director of the USC Race and Equity Center, was hired as the organization’s strategic diversity adviser for the next five years.
“Dr. Harper will conduct an audit and review of the Association’s bylaws, culture, and eligibility requirements to help us guard against any exclusionary practices and achieve a more diverse membership,” the group said.
“He will also create and conduct a series of anti-racism and unconscious bias training for our members, [and] also guide us in developing and implementing a comprehensive, multi-year diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy.”
A team of lawyers from prominent global law firm Ropes & Gray, which is headquartered in Boston will review the organization’s policies, “assess our membership process, operations, governance, and review our alignment with industry best practices in various areas.”
The announcement comes after viewership of the celebrity-studded award show sank to a 13-year low.
This year, the semi-virtual, bicoastal celebration of achievements in television and film hosted by Amy Poehler and Tina Fey captured around 6.9 million viewers, a 63% drop from last year, when 18.4 million people tuned in.
“We understand the importance of building a more inclusive organization and becoming more transparent in our operations, and these hires are an important first step,” the organization said.
“We remain committed to fostering an environment that better reflects our core values, affords us the opportunity to continue as valuable members of the entertainment community, and restores faith, trust, and confidence in our organization.”
