The Talk, which originally aired on Channel 4 in August 2020 and is currently being promoted as part of Black History Month, is being used by Sainsbury’s as part of its training scheme – Let’s Talk about Race.
Co-funded by production company Whisper and co-produced by Whisper and Cardiff Productions, The Talk is a one-hour doc featuring a range of well-known Black Britons, including Rochelle & Marvin Humes, Ade Adepitan, Lennie James, Emeli Sandé and Ashley & Jordan Banjo talking about the continuing impact of racism on their daily lives.
The film is being used by Sainsbury’s, across all its brands, to expand resources around the theme of diversity and inclusion and to help colleagues understand why change is so important.
Steven Brooke, Talent Delivery Manager at Sainsbury’s, said: “The Talk is a great asset for setting the scene and helping managers to understand why we are undertaking our Let’s Talk about Race training sessions.
“It provides an absorbing raw, honest and open insight as to how our actions may inadvertently affect others daily and why it’s so important to promote positive inclusion as we move forwards.”
Production company Whisper is delighted with the decision, having stepped in to co-fund the documentary earlier this year, knowing such an important message needed to be heard. Whisper co-funded The Talk with Channel 4, as well as co-producing. It was the first time a production company has co-funded a documentary with a UK broadcaster.
Sunil Patel Whisper CEO explained: “We wanted to use our position as a television production company to generate meaningful change. It was frustrating that brands weren’t coming forwards to support films about race, so we stepped up and funded half of the film, as well as producing it to make it happen and to ensure the right messages were being seen.
“We believe in generating positive change and co-funding The Talk has been one way we have tried to do this.
“We were overwhelmed with the online reaction to the film when it first went out, and it’s great that a company like Sainsbury’s has recognised the film’s value as an educational tool to promote change. We think it would be great to show it in schools up and down the country.”
The Talk can be viewed now on All4.
