The BBC in the community 64 Annual Report and Accounts 2002/2003 Above left: BBC Wales ran an ambitious audience outreach project. Left: Pudsey Bear and Terry Wogan with Dolly Parton who donated a signed guitar for auction for BBC Children in Need. Right: Altogether Now at BBC Radio Leeds. Working together The BBC is part of every community in the UK. It is often the centre point of people’s search for information and aims to help them connect with their communities. It is also a significant part of the corporate community as an institution that people trust and value.A coordinated approach to its social investment, ethical practice, community support and environmental responsibility aims to enable the diverse parts of BBC corporate activity to add up to a meaningful whole and so enhance the BBC’s reputation for corporate citizenship. To this end, a dedicated Corporate Social Responsibility Centre has been created and, in 2004, the BBC will publish its first full CSR report. Enhancing BBC values Trust is the foundation of BBC corporate social responsibility. The BBC aims for the highest standards of corporate behaviour. 122 companies and organisations voluntarily submitted reports to Business in the Community’s first Corporate Responsibility Index.The media sector had the highest participation rate and the BBC’s performance topped that group. What the BBC is doing Every day staff undertake work that demonstrates the BBC’s public service commitment.The range is vast, but the examples below capture its spirit. BBC Audience Lines take around 2 million calls a year from people seeking advice on social issues highlighted in programmes. Issues covered last year included abuse, bereavement, addiction and health. BBCi Hull is part of a £25million investment which is driving the BBC’s Connecting Communities vision and providing a new digital multimedia centre, a new regional television news service, a BBC bus and a BBC Open Centre.With learning partners and teachers, the BBC is also working to unlock the potential of new technology and new programme making techniques. Altogether Now run by BBC Radio Leeds was the biggest social action project ever undertaken by a BBC Local Radio station.Two members of staff worked full time in one of the most deprived areas of Britain.They set up a radio studio in a local school and used it as a base from which to lead 25 community action projects for people of all ages, enabling Left: Open day at Television Centre. Right: Red-nosed Ruby Wax raises money for Comic Relief. BBC Children in Need has raised over £300million in 23 years and £13.5million in just one night last November. Helping others them to tell their stories and confront the common stereotyping of their area. With a workforce of nearly 12,000 in West London, the BBC has been developing strong links with the local community. Nearby residents have been consulted on the naming of new buildings; an open day at BBC Television Centre attracted over 600 people, and the BBC also helps run a variety of employee volunteering projects with local organisations. Employee volunteering is at the heart of the BBC community involvement programme and, as a member of the London Benchmarking Group, the BBC’s community contribution last year was in keeping with other comparable companies.A recent example is the BBC’s support for Kids Company – a charity which works with up to 4,000 teenagers a year and needed help with restructuring its business operations and resolving financial planning issues. BBC broadcast charitable appeals The BBC broadcasts charitable appeals to give audiences the opportunity to donate to a wide range of charities, as well as helping charities themselves to raise awareness of their work. Market research this year showed that over 90% of the public think that the BBC should carry major broadcast appeals such as BBC Children in Need and Red Nose Day, and that people trust the BBC to ensure that their money is spent well. The BBC Governors oversee the allocation of appeals for individual charities on BBC Radio 4 and BBC One through the Appeals Advisory Committee (AAC), which also advises them on policy and helps them scrutinise major broadcast appeals.This year, the AAC revised the BBC’s appeals policy, restating the purpose of broadcast appeals and explaining the BBC’s role more clearly. It also helped frame the Sport Relief appeal, considering how the money should be distributed and working to ensure its fit with other BBC appeals and fundraising projects. Last year, BBC network television and radio carried appeals for 64 individual UK charities.The weekly BBC Radio 4 Appeal raised over £900,000 for 51 charities (excluding BBC Children in Need).The monthly Lifeline appeal on BBC One raised over £210,000 for charities ranging from the Sickle Cell Society, which supports people affected by this illness in the UK, to Riders for Health, which trains and helps African people in delivering health and welfare services to rural communities. BBC Local Radio in England, BBC Wales and BBC Northern Ireland also carried regular appeals for local charities, while BBC Scotland continued to reflect the work of Scottish charities across its programmes. Last year, BBC Local Radio stations raised more than £1million in cash, including £40,000 towards a multiple sclerosis centre in Lincolnshire and more than £200,000 for a children’s hospice in Humberside. BBC Radio Cornwall staged the most successful local radio appeal ever – raising more than £600,000 to help pay for an oncology centre at Truro. July’s Sport Relief appeal raised over £10million for projects working overseas with disadvantaged communities and also in the UK where sport was an agent of social change in the lives of young people. In November 2002, Blue Peter launched its WaterWorks Appeal to help people in East Africa get access to safe clean water supplies close to their homes. Children’s bring and buy sales have raised £1.3million to date – more than double the £500,000 target. Audiences donated £13.5million on the night to BBC Children in Need and, so far, donations total £25million for disadvantaged children across the UK. Red Nose Day in March 2003 raised £55.8million, and donations continue. The money will go to help some of the poorest and most disadvantaged communities in Africa and the UK. The BBC and the environment In 2002/2003 the BBC made real progress on reducing its negative impact on the environment through implementing 65 The BBC in the community 66 Annual Report and Accounts 2002/2003 Right: Smart thinking – the BBC’s electric car experiment. Far right: New BBC buildings will conform to high environmental standards. environmental projects. Action focused on five areas (see below). Better measurement and management systems helped monitor progress. As the BBC moves into the future, its environmental management will need to adapt to changing circumstances. Rapid change in the BBC’s business and the move towards more digital, interactive and internet services are fundamentally changing how information and programme content are delivered. This will impact on environmental performance. At the same time, the BBC increasingly relies on service partnerships to help manage and deliver environmental activities. Waste The BBC has taken up the challenge of reducing its waste and increasing the level of recycling. As around 70% comprises paper waste, the focus has been on implementing paper recycling schemes. Initial pilot schemes have been expanded across BBC offices around the UK and extended to include the recycling of batteries, toners and tapes. In areas where there is high use, newspapers, cardboard, aluminium cans and glass are also collected separately and recycled. 32% of the BBC’s waste was recycled in 2002 (up from 17% in 2001) and the organisation is on track to achieve an ambitious target of 55% by 2005. To promote the reuse of office equipment, Swapshop was launched in 2002.This is an online noticeboard which allows staff to transfer unused items such as furniture, electronic equipment and props to others who can use them. On air, BBC Radio Essex, Cambridgeshire and Northampton joined up with their local communities to promote a Slim Your Bin campaign, supporting awareness and providing information on waste recycling. Energy and climate change The BBC supports efforts to reduce climate change through carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction. For each programme hour broadcast, the BBC’s stated target is to reduce the level of greenhouse gases produced by 8% from 2002 to 2010 – in line with Government guidelines. In 2002, greenhouse gas levels (measured as CO2) reduced to 0.43 tonnes per broadcast hour (down from 0.44 tonnes in 2001). The BBC reduced its CO2 emissions through the use of lowcarbon technologies such as the combined heat and power plant at Television Centre and buying green electricity. Over 2002, 7% of the BBC’s electrical energy was from renewable sources such as windmills and hydroelectric power. In total around 22% of the BBC’s total energy consumption has zero carbon emissions. Total building energy use went up to 490 GWh in 2002 from 425 GWh in 2001. An energy programme is now in place to investigate how digital broadcasting will affect energy consumption. Buildings Major developments are under way in London, Birmingham and Glasgow with smaller developments in many other cities. New office buildings at White City, London are on target to achieve an Excellent BREEAM rating.The Mailbox building in Birmingham has solar shading and uses natural lighting. A process is in place to ensure that timber procured during construction is from sustainably-managed sources. BBC buildings include a large number of specialist technical areas which are not covered by environmental rating schemes such as BREEAM. An appropriate environmental building benchmark for broadcast buildings is being developed. Transport The apparent increase in the BBC’s transport emissions to 1.48 tonnes per person from 1.23 tonnes per person in 2001 was due to better data capture. In fact, in 2002, significant improvements were made as 20% of the taxis used by the BBC moved to green fuels (LPG or hybrid fuels). A cab share scheme was also launched on the back of a computerised booking system which automatically identifies similar journeys occurring at the same time and offers cab sharing – saving on fares and fuel. Supply chain The BBC’s purchasing activities have an impact on the environment through the choice of products bought and indirectly through the activities of suppliers. Progress has been made in working with suppliers. An environmental questionnaire now forms part of all tenders. 63% of the BBC’s top 100 suppliers have an environmental policy and the BBC has ongoing dialogue with 80% of its top 20 suppliers regarding the environment. The BBC publishes a full environment report at www.bbc.co.uk/info. BBC people and talent Annual Report and Accounts 2002/2003 67 10,000 people participated in shaping the future of the BBC in the biggest staff consultation ever held. Just imagine Between May and November 2002 more than 10,000 BBC staff made their voices heard in Just Imagine workshops – the BBC’s largest ever staff consultation – as part of Making it Happen, the cultural change programme to transform the BBC into the world’s most creative organisation. Out of that process emerged, for the first time, a core set of BBC values (see inside front cover) that place creativity and audiences at the heart of the BBC’s purpose and inspire people to work collaboratively and enjoy their jobs. The key to creativity is the development of staff and recruiting and retaining new talent.The BBC spends £53.3million a year on staff training (including £8million on trainees) – a commitment that benefits the entire UK broadcasting industry. It invested over £200,000 in providing reduced-price training for freelancers and most major broadcasters rely on the BBC for their craft training.The BBC is also a major funder of Skillset (the sector skills organisation for the audio video industries) and the National Film and Television School. BBC Talent was launched three years ago in order to give people from all walks of life the chance to get their first break in broadcasting. Last year it promoted 16 schemes spanning presenting opportunities on CBBC, sports reporting on BBC Radio Five Live, weather presenting for BBC English Regions and a wide variety of production jobs. Newcomers get a chance to work on the established networks and new digital platforms. In 2002, new talent recruits worked on Tomorrow’s World, New Comedy Awards, Football Focus and Grandstand on BBC One, new sitcoms and comedy pilots for the launch of BBC Three, and two new documentary series – Making It and Serious Jungle – on CBBC. BBC Talent aims to reach the widest possible audience through major marketing and communication campaigns and by staging auditions and events in 22 towns and cities across the UK. All 39 BBC Local Radio stations in England also helped in the search for new urban musicians and vocalists who will get the chance to perform music of black origin on DJ Trevor Nelson’s programme. Two other talent schemes have helped bring fresh voices to BBC drama, entertainment and children’s production. The Writers’ Room, champion of talent and diversity, has helped over 5,000 writers, resulting in commissions across the radio and television networks. Northern Exposure, a scheme run in partnership with regional theatres to develop and produce new comedy and drama writing, worked with over 2,300 writers in two years. In 2002/2003, the BBC also launched Upfront, its residential four-day induction programme for all new staff.Wherever they have come from and whatever job they do in the BBC, Upfront gives them a chance to make a television programme, interview for a radio programme and build their own web page, as well as helping them understand the breadth and complexity of the BBC.The aim is to get new staff on Upfront in their first or second week and the target is for 75% of all new starters with a three-month contract or longer to attend Upfront within their first four weeks at the BBC. Over 2,250 staff attended Upfront during the year. Learn.Gateway, the personal learning portal for everyone in the BBC, was one of the most popular sites on Gateway, the BBC’s intranet, with over 10,000 visitors per month of whom up to 4,000 were active users of the learning modules. Over 6,000 staff have completed personal development plans on Gateway and most of them have finished three or more modules from the plan. Left: BBC Talent – a chance to break into broadcasting. Below: All staff were encouraged to contribute their views at Making it Happen sessions.