Aardman Equality, Diversity & Inclusion update, August 2026

Progress made in the previous six months (March – August 2026): 

The below correlates to the priorities we set ourselves in our previous Equality, Diversity & Inclusion update  in February 2026: 

Since joining Aardman in January 2026, Chief People Officer Helen Beard has taken time to build a deeper understanding of the studio and our people priorities. In the last six months, we have worked to further weave in our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion priorities within the wider People and Culture Strategy and Aardman's long-term studio strategy through to 2030. This approach will ensure that EDI remains fully integrated into how we grow and develop as a studio. 

In this next period, we will continue gathering employee feedback and insights before finalising the 2026-2030 EDI strategy. A staff survey planned for September will provide an important opportunity for colleagues to share their experiences and priorities, helping to shape the strategy. 

While publication has been delayed, this decision has been taken to ensure the strategy is meaningful and aligned with Aardman's wider studio strategy. We will look to finalise and roll-out the EDI strategy before the next EDI update.  

To mark International Women's Day in March, we organised several initiatives celebrating the contribution of women across Aardman as well as creating opportunities for learning and discussions: 

Additional EDI work: 

Priorities for the coming six months (September 2026 – February 2027): 

Our primary focus over the next six months will be to finalise our 2026-2030 Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy and ensure it is fully aligned with Aardman's wider People Strategy and long-term studio vision through to 2030. 

As part of this process, we will gather additional employee feedback, including insights from our September staff survey. We will also explore opportunities for greater executive-level ownership of EDI priorities with board members selected to champion the strategy across the business. 

Lastly, we will continue building our outreach programme by working with more schools, community groups and organisations across the South West. In addition to increasing activity levels, we want to develop longer-term partnerships that create sustained opportunities for engagement rather than one-off interactions.  

As we move into the next phase of our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, we remain committed to learning and improving. While there is still more work to do, we are encouraged by the progress made over the past six months and remain focused on creating a studio where everyone feels seen.  

If you would like to know more about the above, or are a partner who would like to support one of our initiatives, please contact Pauline Mallam, our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, at Pauline.Mallam@aardman.com.