BBC Corporate Responsibility Performance Review 2013 For more information see bbc.co.uk/outreach WELCOME We’re educating, entertaining and up the industry to all the talents inspiring millions to get involved; the UK has to offer. As a start, giving people opportunities to we’re doubling the number of pursue a new interest, follow a apprentice places we offer; passion or come together in a and doubling that number again great collaborative adventure. next September. I’ve seen the difference we can Thanks to your generous support, make to young people - from we’re able to touch the lives the ambitious piece of theatre of millions less fortunate than we staged with our partners in ourselves. This year saw record Lincolnshire, commemorating donations to our BBC Children The BBC is an the 70th anniversary of the in Need and Comic Relief extraordinary place. Dambusters raid, to the vital appeals programmes. Thank you role played by our volunteers to everyone who contributed. Over the last six months, at the Edinburgh Festival. I’ve seen for myself the Working closely with the people great work our teams I also met a talented team of we serve really matters to me. are doing up and down apprentices and ambassadors It’s what you’d expect of a world- the country. working in Salford; their class public service broadcaster – contribution to the programmes and something only the BBC can do. we’re producing there feels There are some outstanding projects necessary and exciting. And, in this report. I urge you to read it. there’s more we can do. I want Tony Hall us to lead the way in opening Director-General 2 CONTENTS Page Introduction 4 Outreach and the BBC’s Public Purposes 7 Extending the BBC’s reach to its audiences 11 Working with Charities 19 Sustainability 31 The Way We Work 36 Jimmy Savile, Newsnight and the aftermath: 49 a challenge to BBC culture and management Looking Ahead 50 3 INTroDUCTION by Diane Reid, Head of BBC Outreach This report, which is and initiatives play a key role appropriate, and for ensuring produced by the BBC in helping us to meet the six data is reported both to the Outreach department, Public Purposes set out by our BBC’s senior management and is a summary of the Royal Charter and Agreement to external bodies. – the constitutional basis for the The consultancy made BBC’s work in the BBC as presented to Parliament. area of corporate suggestions for improving the responsibility during In our review last year we collecting and reporting of asked Acona Partners LLP information and we believe we the period from April (now Carnstone Partners LLP) have made progress against 2012 to March 2013. - an independent management many of these recommendations It is produced for the consultancy specialising in during 2012/2013. We will licence fee payer as corporate responsibility and seek a further independent part of the BBC’s sustainability – to comment evaluation of our work in this accountability process. on the process by which the area in 2014. data and other information This year the BBC again It is published in addition to had been collated. the BBC Annual Report and achieved Platinum status in the Accounts and, in highlighting our Acona Partners LLP concluded Business in the Community corporate responsibility work that in general the BBC has Corporate Responsibility Index, during the period under review, a robust process for collating reflecting the commitment we we also aim to demonstrate how information, for doing so have made to run our business a wide-ranging set of projects at regular intervals where transparently and ethically. 4 INTroDUCTION The past year has been a delivered the biggest social workforce in this area is significant one for the UK and action campaign in the something that will not only for the BBC. We brought the network’s history; the BBC impact on the BBC and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and National Orchestra of Wales broadcast sector in the decade the London 2012 Olympic worked with 3000 pupils from ahead, it will affect the UK’s Games to audiences across 79 schools as part of one of ability to remain competitive the country and, in the case the biggest outreach projects and equipped with the right skills. of the Games, made them the ever staged by BBC Cymru The BBC Academy’s Women most inclusive and accessible to Wales; and Stargazing LIVE again in Engineering group, the STEM date for viewers and listeners as encouraged a broad audience Ambassador programme run well as delivering the first truly to explore and learn about the by BBC Cymru Wales, and digital Olympics. night sky across three evenings the launch of the BBC’s new The work we do face-to-face of programming, hundreds technology apprenticeship with our audiences reaches of associated events and a scheme are all designed to them in a way that broadcasting breadth of supporting materials ensure the BBC plays its part. alone does not. and resources. Further details of the BBC’s BBC News School Report We supported the development outreach work in this area involved more than 1,000 of key STEM (Science, Technology, can be found in an edition schools in news and news Engineering and Mathematics) of our CR Updates at making; Radio 1 & 1Xtra skills in young people. The bbc.co.uk/outreach/reports. current shortage of a trained 5 INTroDUCTION During the year under review, Television Centre closed its responsible way. The way in BBC Children in Need, Comic doors as part of the BBC’s which it does this is described Relief ’s Red Nose Day and overall property strategy and in the Sustainability section of the Radio 4 Christmas Appeal BBC Outreach completed its this review, and includes work all raised huge sums, with move to MediaCityUK in Salford. to enhance the environmental record breaking on-the-night And, we have made significant sustainability of the TV Appeal totals. And the BBC steps forward in outreach production process as well as Performing Arts Fund and activity with our audiences, wider business operations. BBC Media Action delivered whether that is inspiring the This report is part of the BBC’s impressive programmes of next generation of journalists, commitment to transparency work: respectively developing engineers and technicians; in the way we work. BBC and supporting new performing improving our accessibility and Outreach will continue to talent and empowering some diversity; enabling individuals produce regular updates on of the poorest people in to donate to causes they have how we run our business, the world to take part in learned about through our our support for charities and community life and hold those appeals; or encouraging staff to the work we do to engage, in power accountable. learn and share skills through inspire and support audiences Internally, this has been a year volunteering in communities. of all ages across the UK. of change and of challenges. The BBC must also operate in a Full details can be found at BBC News and BBC World sustainable and environmentally bbc.co.uk/outreach Service completed moves into New Broadcasting House; 6 OUTreach AND THE BBC’s PUBLIC PURPOSES This report is produced These are set out by the BBC’s The BBC’s Public by BBC Outreach – the Royal Charter and Agreement Purposes are: and they apply equally to the vast department responsible • Sustaining citizenship range of work we do face-to-face for work that focuses and civil society with our audiences, which we on engagement with describe as outreach and which • Promoting education audiences who have goes beyond broadcasting. and learning been traditionally more This work is extensive, constantly • Stimulating creativity difficult to reach with evolving and currently ranges and cultural excellence our broadcast content. from our Women in Engineering • Representing the UK, Everything we do at the BBC initiative to the launch of a its nations, regions and - every programme we make, new technology apprenticeship communities every website page that goes scheme, and from work with • Bringing the UK to the live and every event, activity schools on technological advances world and the world or campaign we mount - is to a scheme in BBC Cymru Wales to the UK designed to fulfil at least one of that sees our staff act as STEM the BBC’s six Public Purposes. (Science, Technology, Engineering • Delivering to the public and Mathematics) ambassadors the benefit of emerging in schools and within the communications educational community. technologies and services 7 OUTreach AND THE BBC’s PUBLIC PURPOSES BBC Outreach encourages BBC organisations, including those audiences they serve. They are staff to volunteer and runs a working with children and then able to use these insights number of activities that help teenagers, the homeless, and experiences, as well as new our workforce connect more prisoners, people with disabilities skills, to inform the work they closely with our audiences and and individuals or families who do in their roles at the BBC. communities across the UK. wish to foster or adopt a child. Much of our work is focused Employees share their skills, The activities and projects the in geographical areas where experience and enthusiasm with volunteers have helped deliver we have large numbers of staff charity and voluntary sector are diverse and include film- as part of our responsibility partners on a range of projects. making, mentoring, voluntary to be a good neighbour in Mainly delivered in work time, board membership, skills local communities. they are designed to ensure workshops, audio recordings, In Hammersmith & Fulham and that staff get to meet audiences - supporting ‘careers in media’ Westminster – the two London often those who are considered events, and environmental boroughs where we have large hard to reach - and also be regeneration challenges.