Corus Entertainment, the parent company of Global News, is supporting a new initiative aimed at boosting diversity and addressing systemic racism in entertainment and media.

HireBIPOC is an online roster of professionals in roles across the industry including on-air, production, behind the scenes, marketing and communications. The database was created by the advocacy group BIPOC TV & FILM and Bell Media.

More than 500 Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) in the industry have already become members.

Corus Entertainment, along with Bell Media, CBC/Radio-Canada, and Rogers Sports & Media, are foundational sponsors of the project. Overall, more than 20 media organizations are collaborating on the unprecedented effort.

Corus, along with other broadcasters, has committed to using the hiring database a condition for green-lighting original programming.

“HireBIPOC is a transformational industry commitment that will drive real, sustainable change to ensure we are advancing diversity both on and off air,” said Doug Murphy, president and CEO of Corus Entertainment.

“This initiative complements our proactive and comprehensive approach to diversity and inclusiveness and we are confident it will have meaningful long term impact to our audiences, our people and our partners.”