The BBC has published its second progress report on meeting its Diversity Commissioning Code of Practice.
The report highlights the investments and support that the BBC has implemented over the last year to help continue to build an increasingly diverse and inclusive organisation and output.
It also reveals the progress the BBC has made when it comes to representing and authentically portraying the diverse communities of the whole of the UK.
The Code of Practice was published in 2018 and puts diversity at the heart of the BBC’s commissioning processes and reporting framework across TV, radio, online and digital content.
It standardises the approach across all output by continuing to ingrain diversity into everyday discussions around all of its commissions at the beginning of the creative process; agrees the detail of what each production will do to increase diversity, on-air and off-air, before the commission gets the go ahead; ensures there is an ongoing dialogue and support for producers to achieve agreed diversity commitments; and it’s used to assess productions on delivery to check whether diversity agreements were met.
June Sarpong, BBC’s Director of Creative Diversity, says: “We know what we want to achieve; creativity that thrives because of diversity of thought, delivers innovation, enhances performance and content that reaches the widest audience possible. The BBC’s Diversity Commissioning Code of Practice is a cornerstone of that process of progress and change.”
The creation of content involves collaboration with partners across the industry and the Code also sets out what the BBC expects from the production companies, talent, writers, directors and other suppliers it works with to deliver effective representation and portrayal.
Miranda Wayland, BBC’s Head of Creative Diversity, says: “We are incredibly proud of this year’s report which will further underpin both our £100 million investment and the 20% off-screen diversity target for all new commissions coming into effect on 1 April 2021. We look forward to evidencing the Code’s impact on greater representation both on and off screen in next year’s report.”