Michael B. Jordan and Warner Bros. parent company partner for diversity and inclusion initiative

WarnerMedia, which owns Warner Bros., HBO, Turner, and more, has partnered with Michael B. Jordan to improve diversity in film, reports the Los Angeles Times.

“The WarnerMedia family has introduced an approach that accomplishes our shared objectives, and I applaud them for taking this enormous step forward,” Jordan said in a statement.

Jordan announced right after the 2018 Oscars that he and his own company, Outlier Society, would be adopting the inclusion rider, a document that ensures diversity in talent searches for ongoing productions. His upcoming film Just Mercy will be the first WarnerMedia project to enact the new inclusion initiative.

“Inclusivity has always been a no-brainer for me, especially as a black man in this business,” Jordan said. “[But] it wasn’t until Frances McDormand spoke the two words that set the industry on fire — inclusion rider — that I realized we could standardize this practice. It allowed me to formally pledge my production company, Outlier Society, to a way of doing business.”

"It is essential that our content and creative partners reflect the diversity of our society and the world around us," WarnerMedia said in the official statement, as published by the L.A. Times. "Together with other production companies, networks, guilds, unions, talent agencies and others in the industry, we all must ensure there is greater inclusion of women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, those with disabilities and other underrepresented groups in greater numbers both in front of and behind the camera."

You can read the full statement of WarnerMedia's commitment to diversity (including annual progress reports) below:

WarnerMedia companies, Warner Bros., HBO and Turner, have long been committed to diversity and inclusion as moral and business imperatives. It is essential that our content and creative partners reflect the diversity of our society and the world around us. Together with other production companies, networks, guilds, unions, talent agencies and others in the industry, we all must ensure there is greater inclusion of women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, those with disabilities and other underrepresented groups in greater numbers both in front of and behind the camera.

For our part, WarnerMedia pledges to use our best efforts to ensure that diverse actors and crew members are considered for film, television and other projects, and to work with directors and producers who also seek to promote greater diversity and inclusion in our industry. To that end, in the early stages of the production process, we will engage with our writers, producers and directors to create a plan for implementing this commitment to diversity and inclusion on our projects, with the goal of providing opportunities for individuals from under-represented groups at all levels. And, we will issue an annual report on our progress.

The companies of WarnerMedia have a historic and proven commitment to diversity and inclusion. But there is much more we can do, and we believe real progress can be made in the industry. We will work with our partners in the entertainment community to make this commitment a reality.

“I’m proud that Warner Bros., and our sister companies HBO and Turner, are willing to state unequivocally that this is where we stand on diversity and inclusion,” added Kevin Tsujihara, Warner Bros.’ chairman and CEO.

h/t L.A. Times