Can the BBC beat its competitors on workplace diversity by the end of 2020?

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By Megan O’Neill

In 2016, the BBC published a report of strategies and targets for achieving a more diverse workplace over the next four years. The BBC stated, “we pledge that by 2020 the BBC will have a workforce at least as diverse, if not more so, than any other in the industry”. With less than half a year to go before the end of 2020, we take a look at their progress so far.

Now more than ever it is clear that diversity in the UK and the workplace needs to be addressed. Indeed, Glassdoor’s Diversity and Inclusion Study 2019 states that 31% of people have witnessed or experienced racism at work.

The BBC said they believe that a more diverse workforce creates better on-screen content as all aspects of British communities are represented and reflected. “It should be natural. Second nature. If we do it right, then it shouldn’t be noticeable at all. It should just feel right” the BBC says. “We recognise that the BBC belongs to everyone and should include everyone”. Let’s not forget that the very definition of ‘public service broadcasting’ is a place where all citizens are equal and have equal access to entertainment and news. This space of inclusivity should not only be on screen, but also behind the scenes in all areas of the production and workforce too. Ultimately, this equality is what the BBC, and other public service broadcasters such as Channel 4, are striving to achieve. 

Report summary

Before looking at the BBC’s progress over the past four years it is important to understand their aims and strategies. First and foremost, they pledge to be “at least as diverse, if not more so, than any other in the industry”. Their aim is to reach a 15% ethnic minority workforce and leadership by the end of 2020 which is a 2% increase from 2016. 

10 targets and strategies were outlined to give a rough guide as to what they plan to do by the end of 2020. “We are introducing anonymised application recruitment for our core roles. We will provide pre-application training for under-represented groups who want to apply to the BBC to remove barriers to entry” the report states. The report highlights several investment and training plans that will provide managers and interviewers with inclusion and unconscious bias training to ensure that diversity is reflected throughout the company. 

The BBC aim to have at least two black and minority ethnic members in every Executive Committee and Divisional Senior Leadership teams by the end of 2020. All job types will also have at least one BAME member. Not only did the report outline the strategies for a more racially diverse workforce but also gender, age, disability, and LGBTQ equality in the workforce too. Each one just as important and in need of attention as the other. 

Progress so far: Below average

Source: Minority ethnic groups in the workplace, statistics published by Ofcom 2016-2019

Ofcom statistics compared the top five UK media companies: BBC, Sky, Channel 4, ITV, and Viacom. The table above clearly shows that the BBC is not yet achieving their goal of being “at least as diverse, if not more so, than others in the industry” by the fact that Sky, Channel 4 and Viacom are currently scoring a higher percentage of BAME members in the workforce. Viacom is the highest with a 20% ethnic minority workforce in 2018/19, 7% higher than the BBC. 

The Ofcom reports show that the BBC have maintained a 13% ethnic minority workforce from 2016 to 2018/19 which is below average and also makes them the only media broadcaster in the UK top five that has not shown any increasing progress. 

The Guardian was quick to criticise the BBC’s strategies, openly stating “the new BBC strategy will not provide the necessary acceleration”. The Guardian highlights the lack of planning that has been shown in the BBC report compared to that of Channel 4, who are currently second best for workplace diversity after Viacom. They note that the key reason for the BBC’s failure is that the diversity team is not based in London where the major network commissioners are found; there’s nothing to drive BAME employment, no funds, or specified hours for programmes. Clearly, this goes against the BBC’s statement as a public service broadcaster  that they represent all areas of diversity in the UK. 

The Guardian article points out a number of discrepancies that comes with the BBC’s data; “Broadcast found that 12.2% of the BBC’s 19,644 staff in the public service broadcasting arm were from BAME backgrounds last year. That is still 0.2% below the target of 12.5% which the BBC set for 2007, eight years ago”. Evidently, these statistics do not match up to the strategies that the BBC set out in 2016 so we are left unsure of the correct figures. They describe the BBC’s change on diversity as “glacial” which is proven in their slow progress over the past decade, with no increase since 2016. 

In the current age of diversity and change it is essential that the diversity in the UK is reflected and respected in the workplace and on-screen too. Before we can complete progress check on the BBC’s targets and compare to industry competitors, we must wait for the 2019/20 statistics to be released in July; however with less than half a year to go, the BBC have a long way to go to beat, or even catch up to Viacom and Channel 4. Time will tell if the Guardian is correct about the BBC’s flawed diversity strategies.