Further progress on gender equality at the BBC

The updated figures have been published as the BBC sets out its commitment to leading the way on gender equality in a review looking at the culture and progression of women in the corporation.

• The median gap has fallen from 9.3% to 7.6% following concerted action to close the BBC’s gender pay gap in 2020. 7.1% of the remaining gap is driven by structural issues with too few women in senior leadership roles and more women than men in the lowest quartile of the workforce.
• The mean pay gap is also down, from 10.7% to 8.4%.

The reduction has been achieved through initiatives such as addressing specific pay issues, introducing a simpler job framework and repositioning people within their pay ranges. The remaining quarter of the reduction is due to BBC Studios and BBC Worldwide becoming a single commercial organisation.

Separate figures show that women now make up a bigger proportion of the BBC’s leadership than ever before - 43.3% are held by women, up from 42.1% last year. The BBC wants to increase this to 50% by 2020.

Our official gender pay gap report for 2017/18 shows significant progress but we remain committed to going further and faster than any other organisation in leading the way on gender pay.

The BBC is also publishing a review launched earlier this year to look at the culture and progression for women in the BBC.

The review’s aim is to provide a blueprint to help sweep away barriers to women progressing, to ensure everyone at the BBC can fulfil their ambitions.

The review, led by Donalda MacKinnon, Director of BBC Scotland, sets out a range of recommendations drawn up after extensive consultation with staff. Over 5,000 comments and ideas were put forward. As a result, the review has identified three priority areas:

• Doing all we can to agree to flexible working requests to support women and men in balancing work and home. We’ll help those returning from maternity or extended leave with coaching and ensure managers are fully equipped at every stage of the process. We will also launch a pan-BBC mentoring scheme for all staff to support women and men through their careers.
• Address our recruitment processes to create more opportunities for development, allowing those with potential to gain more experience in short term attachments, and continuing to look for mixed gender panels and shortlists where possible to build confidence the process is free of bias. We will develop high potential programmes for women looking to progress to leadership roles.
• Increase training and support for managers, ensuring senior leaders act as role models to set the culture of the BBC.

Tony Hall, BBC Director-General, says: “The BBC must do everything it can to ensure that everyone working for it can fulfil their potential. Today’s report will help us to achieve that. 

“Closing the gender pay gap is a priority for the BBC. We must lead the way. Today’s figures show we are making good progress, but we are not there yet and that is why we will keep pressing to deliver change.”

Donalda MacKinnon, Director of BBC Scotland, says: “It’s clear that we have an opportunity like no other to achieve the workplace culture we all desire. This report sets out a true reflection of everything we’ve heard from those who’ve contributed to the work, and we commit to taking forward the recommendations that will bring a step-change in gender equality at the BBC.”

BBC Press Office

Notes to Editors

1. The BBC’s gender pay gap report for 2017/18 can be found here.
2. A copy of the review of culture and progression for women can be found here.
3. This is the second review to be published looking at career progression with the BBC, following the recent publication of the recommendations made to boost progression within our BAME staff. The first report is available here.
4. Further reviews have been commissioned to look at disabled staff, LGBTQ+ and those from different social backgrounds and will be published by this autumn.
5. The BBC has set ambitious targets to achieve diversity across its workforce both on and off air by 2020. These include:

• 50% women across all staff by 2020;
• 50% women on screen, on-air and in lead roles across all genres from Drama to News;
• 15% black, Asian and ethnic minorities across all staff, on screen, on-air and in lead roles across all genres;
• 8% disabled people off-air, on screen and on-air including some lead roles; and,
• 8% LGBT off-air, on screen portrayal including some lead roles.

Related BBC Links

• Statutory Gender Pay Gap Report 2018