British Broadcasting Corporation Disability Equality Scheme
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British Broadcasting Corporation Disability Equality Scheme updated 2008 1 Foreword by the Chairman of the BBC Disability Equality Scheme Everyone in the UK, whatever their background, should get something of real value from the BBC. After all, everyone pays for it. One of the main roles of the BBC Trust is to listen hard to and understand the views of the public, in order to ensure that the BBC does as well as it can among every section of UK society. Around one in five of people living in the UK is disabled. This is not a homogenous group, but a range of people with a wide range of needs and views. The BBC Trust needs to understand these views in order to do its job. The Disability Equality Scheme is one way in which the BBC contributes to meeting the diverse needs and expectations of all audiences, and to enhancing the lives of people from a wide range of different communities and backgrounds. The BBC published its first Disability Equality Scheme in December 2006. This scheme outlines the framework for how the BBC will develop, implement, monitor and review its work towards achieving equality for disabled people (and their carers) in relation to its relevant public functions. The scheme is updated each year, and we will be carrying out a major review every three years. In the schemes, you will see our detailed progress report against actions we committed to in last year’s scheme. For example, following consultation we have modified our complaints procedures to increase their accessibility in a number of ways. In the coming year, we will work harder to encourage disabled people to join our Audience Councils. As Chairman of the BBC, I am determined to make a difference here. We will also hold the BBC Executive, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the corporation, to account to ensure that it finds the best way to provide distinctive services of the highest quality to all the people and all the communities across the UK. Sir Michael Lyons 2 Foreword by the Director-General of the BBC Disability Equality Scheme I am delighted to join Sir Michael in introducing the BBC’s Disability Equality Scheme. My Directors and I are committed to disability equality, and we look to the Disability Equality Scheme to help us achieve it across those of our public functions which are subject to the Disability Equality Duty. This year’s scheme includes a review reflecting our progress one year on – and I am happy to report that it contains details of real progress, as well as important indications of how we can continue to deliver on demanding targets. In addition, and perhaps most importantly, the BBC has exceeded its employment target on employing disabled staff, while our Mentoring and Development Programme, which aims to create a diverse pool of future leaders, has ring-fenced a proportion of places for disabled staff. Our equality schemes express a key goal for us: we want the BBC to be valued by all our audiences – so that we can continue to make amazing content which offers something of value to everyone and in which they can see themselves reflected. We have now achieved 100% subtitling of programmes on our main channels (BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Three, BBC Four, CBeebies, CBBC and BBC News). This was a BBC set target, which exceeded the targets set for public service broadcasters by Ofcom. Looking ahead, one of the BBC’s objectives for 2008/2009 is Building Digital Britain. As part of our responsibilities to lead digital switchover we are charged with delivering a help scheme for older and disabled people which ensures that digital switchover is an inclusive process that leaves no one behind. While much of our day-to-day work is outside the scope of our duty to promote disability equality, we nevertheless also wanted to take this opportunity to give some idea of the wealth of what we are doing across our programming, and with our people. I am very proud of what we have achieved by working in partnership with other broadcasters through the Broadcasting and Creative Industries Disability Network, in which we continue to take a leading role – working together to promote disability equality on screen and within the industry. Our equality schemes are living documents. My Directors and I will continue to regularly review our progress across everything we are doing on disability equality – including our legal duties – through our Diversity Board, which I chair. I hope you will find it offers tangible evidence of our deep and ongoing commitment to equality. Mark Thompson 3 Contents Summary of the Disability Equality Scheme 5 1 Introduction 10 2 The Disability Equality Duty 12 3 The BBC’s Disability Equality Scheme 13 4 Key elements of the BBC’s Disability Equality Scheme 14 4.1 Involvement 14 4.2 Action plan 19 4.3 Performance monitoring 20 4.4 Assessment 29 4.5 Review 31 5 Implementing the Disability Equality Scheme 32 6 Monitoring and evaluation 33 7 Feedback and update 45 8 The BBC’s broader approach to promoting disability equality 46 9 Action Plan 55 Annex 95 4 Summary of the Disability Equality Scheme Overview of TV Licensing “TV Licensing” (TVL) is a trading name used by companies contracted by the BBC to administer the collection of TV licence fees and enforcement of the licensing system. Outcomes from the BBC’s involvement of disabled people in the development of the Disability Equality Scheme heavily informed TVL’s commitments to promoting disability equality in its activities. As a result, a comprehensive Action Plan has been established to ensure that disabled people experience and receive appropriate and accessible TVL information, advice and targeted support services. TV Licensing objectives 1 To communicate with disabled people, wherever practicable, in a way that is accessible and appropriate to facilitate a clear understanding of television licensing obligations. 2 To ensure that all BBC TVL staff and contractors fully understand their duty to promote disability equality and are active in implementing actions identified. 3 To continually review and, wherever possible, improve or develop service supports (including technology) to provide maximum access to support and advice services for all disabled people. 4 To develop and maintain a strategic and systematic approach to integrating disability equality into all TVL activities. 5 To maximise the potential for data and information management systems to enhance and promote disability equality. 6 To develop and maintain strategic leadership and commitment to the broad implementation of the Disability Equality Scheme and the TVL Action Plan. 7 To ensure that all payment methods and processes are accessible and appropriate for a range of needs. 8 To ensure a strategic approach to integrating disability equality into all TVL procurement activities. Supporting each of these objectives is a list of specific actions. Examples of some of these are: Conducting equality impact assessments on relevant communications and policies which are being developed or reviewed. 5 Continuing to make communications representative and available in a range of styles, formats and languages. Partnership working with organisations which represent and are run by disabled people to inform TVL activities. Continuing to impose contractual obligations on contractors to comply with legal obligations including the Disability Equality Duty and this Scheme and monitoring their compliance. Overview of the BBC Trust The BBC Trust is charged with upholding the interests of all licence fee payers and placing them at the heart of its decision-making. It is committed to making sure that disabled people in all their diversity are listened to and heard. The Trust has been in operation since 1 January 2007. Preparing for the original publication of the Disability Equality Scheme involved a combination of monitoring the impact of activities carried out by its predecessors, the BBC Governors, and assessing the new public functions with respect to their relevance in promoting equality for disabled people. Following the BBC’s involvement of disabled people in developing the Disability Equality Scheme, it was possible for the Trust to identify a list of high-level objectives which set out the strategic direction of the Trust’s Action Plan. Given that this is an update of the Scheme just over a year into publication, we have been able to review the progress of the actions set for 2007 and early 2008. BBC Trust objectives 1 To ensure that the Trust actively engages with and seeks the views of disabled people and that engagement activities encourage participation and are accessible. 2 To monitor and assess the BBC’s compliance with its equality duties and on an annual basis publish its observations of such. The Trust will also monitor and assess its own compliance with the equality duties and on an annual basis publish its observations. 3 To provide disabled people with equal and fair access to the BBC’s complaints process. 4 To ensure that disabled people have equality of access to consultations and are involved in Trust decision-making regarding issues which are of a public nature. 5 To ensure that where appropriate and reasonable the Trust’s public reports and communications (including online) are accessible (in language, format and content) for disabled people. 6 To ensure that Audience Councils are fully inclusive and as far as possible reflect the diversity of society they represent. The Trust will actively encourage membership from disabled people wherever practicable and possible. The Trust will also work with Audience Councils to ensure that they engage effectively with diverse communities to enhance members’ understanding of audience concerns. 7 To ensure that diversity and equality matters are integrated into the Trust’s governance tools.