On Jan. 29, SAG-AFTRA announced a major milestone in its ongoing work to promote the on-set safety and dignity of its members.

SAG-AFTRA’s new “Standards and Protocols for the Use of Intimacy Coordinators” provides a framework for the use of professional, skilled intimacy coordinators – professionals who help performers and productions navigate highly sensitive scenes that feature nudity and simulated sex – throughout the entire production process. SAG-AFTRA believes that implementation of these standards and protocols will allow productions to run more efficiently, provide a safety net for performers and establish specialized support that empowers both cast and crew.

“It has been powerful to collaborate with our industry partners as we work to standardize the protocols for industry coordinators,” SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris said. “These protocols and guidelines will help to normalize and encourage the use of intimacy coordinators in productions therefore ensuring the safety and security of SAG-AFTRA members while they work. Intimacy coordinators play a unique role by advocating for performers’ safety and ensuring that a production’s creative needs are met.”

The standards and protocols were developed in collaboration with SAG-AFTRA member leaders and a community of experienced intimacy coordinators, including representatives from Intimacy Directors International and Intimacy Professionals Association.

“It is our hope that this process can be widely adopted for an effective and reasonable path for productions to work with a trained intimacy coordinator,” said Alicia Rodis, associate director and co-founder of the Intimacy Professionals Association. “With these protocols already field-tested by an ever-growing number of productions and studios, we believe we can make important and welcome industry changes.”

For information, visit sagaftra.org. To view the full standards and protocols document, visit sagaftra.org/contracts-industry-resources/workplace-harassment/intimacy-coordinator-standards-protocols.