大象传媒

The 大象传媒 was the first UK broadcaster to measure and publish data on the socio-economic diversity of its staff, and is the only media organisation listed in the top 50 Social Mobility Employers Index, having been included for the second year running.

While data provided by The Bridge Group shows there is more socio-economic diversity at the 大象传媒 than in comparable professions and organisations including journalism, the creative industries and other UK broadcasters, more can be done to reflect the socio-economic diversity of the UK.

To support inclusion at entry level, the 大象传媒 has introduced a new policy to pay travel and food expenses for those on work experience. Additionally, the corporation already offers travel expenses for interviews for apprenticeships schemes and entry-level roles.

A number of strengths in the 大象传媒鈥檚 recent work to improve the socio-economic diversity of its workforce were identified by the review and include:

• An investment of over 拢7m in 2017, rising to 拢12.7m in 2018, on entry-level schemes and apprenticeships, with currently in excess of 330 apprentices and trainees employed across the organization
• Ring-fenced work experience placements for unemployed young people via Job Centre Plus
• Voluntarily collecting and publishing data on the backgrounds of those who make up the 大象传媒 workforce
• Significant outreach work with young people, including visiting over 1,000 schools with School Report to help children develop media literacy skills
• 大象传媒 Radio 1 Academy events designed to inform 16-19 year-olds about working in the creative industries and 大象传媒 career opportunities at events like the World Skills Show attended by over 80,000 socially diverse young people

Based on the review鈥檚 findings, the 大象传媒鈥檚 Executive Board has accepted a range of recommendations that are designed to further increase the socio-economic diversity of the 大象传媒 workforce, and are looking into the viability of introducing a career mobility programme throughout the 大象传媒 to promote high performing talent. Other recommendations include:

• Aiming to provide at least 70 percent of places on apprenticeships, traineeships, internships and work experience for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds
• Developing outreach and Corporate Social Responsibility activities to make them more cohesive, and contribute to reinventing the 大象传媒
• Stepping up work to make sure recruitment practices are inclusive with regard to socio-economic diversity and give this the same level of support and measurement as protected characteristics like BAME and disability
• In-depth reviews into all 大象传媒 divisions with low Socio-Economic diversity

Alan Davey, Controller, 大象传媒 Radio 3, 大象传媒 Proms, 大象传媒 Orchestras and Choirs, and Project Sponsor, says:

This report, its subject matter and the conclusions it makes, are important - not just from the point of view of fairness but also for the future of the 大象传媒 as a creative organisation. Unless we draw on talent from all backgrounds, and with a variety of different experiences in life, we will not be doing as well as we can do in delivering great things for audiences who pay the licence fee.

This review is one of a number of culture and career progression projects which have also looked at gender, ethnicity, disability and LGBT issues. Following the publication of the final report on disability recommendations from these workstreams overlap and will be brought together in one delivery plan to support the career progression of staff across the 大象传媒.

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• October 2018