The BBC has published a report on career progression and culture for staff from a black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background at the corporation.

It was  produced by a team of staff from across the BBC, working with project sponsor Tim Davie (Chief Executive Officer, BBC Studios) and programme director Tunde Ogungbesan (BBC Head of Diversity and Inclusion, pictured).

The recommendations are

    1.    By the end of 2020 the Executive Committee and Divisional Senior Leadership teams to each have at least two BAME members.
    2.    Introduce a policy that ensures shortlists for all jobs at band E and above include at least one BAME person.
    3.    Dramatically increase BAME representation across our interview panels backed by performance monitoring.
    4.    All development and leadership programmes to have significant BAME representation as part of their overall cohort. Inclusive leadership should be added to part of all leadership programmes.
    5.    Accountability for Diversity and Inclusion targets and BAME career progression should be incorporated into senior leadership team objectives and progression reviews. Progress should be outlined as part of future annual reports. Build a solid and sustainable BAME mid and senior leadership pipeline. As part of this, there should be development programmes for candidates, backed by robust succession planning across the BBC. This should be in place by the end of the financial year.
    6.    The Executive Committee should undertake a review of staff rotation to broaden the experience and knowledge base and explore what else can be done to make the BBC workforce more agile.
    7.    Develop specific action plans based on further analysis of all divisions with less than 10% BAME representation or below par employee survey results including, Radio, Newsrooms, Newsgathering, English Regions and the World Service.
    8.    Cultural awareness training should be compulsory for all team managers. This should be in addition to the current mandated Unconscious Bias training programme.
    9.    The BBC should introduce a ‘Statement of Intent’ on Diversity and Inclusion. All staff would be required to abide by it. The statement should be published alongside the BBC’s Annual Report.
   
The report is one of five reports examining career progression and culture at the BBC for BAME, women, disabled staff, LGBT staff and those from different social backgrounds. The other four reports will be published by this Autumn.

Tony Hall, Director-General says: “This is an excellent report based on an unprecedented level of engagement from staff. They are a range of proposals which we believe will transform the BBC. By better reflecting the broader population we will make better programmes that reflect the lives interests and concerns of everyone.

“The proposals build on our existing initiatives, which have been making a difference, but this is now a real chance to accelerate change in an unparalleled way.

“Today’s report is a huge step forward. There no question of whether we implement it. We will. This is a great opportunity. We will grasp it.”

Staff Reporter

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