[Page 6 of 6] Corp Governance Report
Corporate Social Responsibility
Over the course of 2007/08, the Group has been developing a comprehensive corporate social responsibility programme which will build on successful initiatives already in place and introduce some new ideas. Four key areas of focus have been identified: the environment, ethical sourcing, diversity and outreach.
Environment
As the UK’s third largest publisher of consumer magazines, BBC Worldwide has taken a lead in the campaign to promote credible forest certification. BBC Magazines was the first consumer magazine publisher in the world to print a magazine on paper labelled with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) mark, a gold-standard guarantee that the paper is responsibly sourced.
The company is a founder member of the WWF Forest Trade Network and Peter Phippen, Managing Director of BBC Magazines, chaired the PPA (Periodical Publishers Association) environment group from 2002 to 2008, through which targets were agreed with the government for post-consumer recycling of magazines (70% by 2013) and standards set for biodegradable polywrap to be used
for the wrapping and mailing of magazines.
In 2007/08, BBC Worldwide devised a detailed environment strategy which is now in place. Working with specialist consultants, the company’s Environment Steering Group has examined every area of operations and business and is starting to implement
major changes.
BBC Worldwide’s environmental objectives are to:
- deliver world-class environmental management;
- purchase and use materials in an environmentally sustainable manner;
- minimise waste and avoid disposal to landfill;
- reduce and neutralise carbon emissions;
- use water efficiently
The company will reduce energy consumption in its operations, seek to procure green power where possible and offset unavoidable carbon emissions. Another principal objective is to achieve ISO 14001 environmental management certification.
BBC Worldwide also champions environmental awareness in its products and services such as Gardeners’ World, Wildlife and Countryfile magazines, Earth the movie and bbcgreen.com.
Ethical Sourcing
BBC Worldwide seeks to conduct its business to the highest possible ethical standards. The business is working to ensure that its suppliers operate according to the principles enshrined in BBC Worldwide’s Ethical Sourcing Policy. The company is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (SEDEX), which works collectively with major retailers to maintain the quality of assessments of working conditions.
Over the past year particular attention has been paid to magazine covermounts and licensed toys which are predominantly sourced from China.
BBC Worldwide continues to implement a comprehensive supplier training and independent factory inspection programme, coupled with stringent buying controls and corrective-actions monitoring.
The programme aims to ensure that BBC Worldwide products are
produced in factories that meet, or exceed, internationally recognised standards relating to worker age, conditions of employment, pay and hours, and health and safety. Factories which are actively producing BBC Worldwide product are required to have been independently audited within the past 12 months. One of the Group’s principal demands is that any factory supplying product to BBC Worldwide must be honest and transparent about its working practices.
Where it is identified that improvements are required, the Group works with its business partner and factory management to make changes over an agreed timescale.
A rolling programme of additional control audits, conducted by
the BBC Worldwide ethical team in conjunction with some of the world’s leading labour-standards consultancy firms, helps to ensure that the overall programme is genuinely effective in raising standards and in bringing about lasting improvements.
Diversity
The need to ‘respect our differences’ is enshrined in BBC Worldwide’s values. The company prizes the strengths a diverse workforce brings to an organisation that accurately reflects the customers and consumers it serves.
The BBC has set targets to ensure BBC Worldwide continues to attract and retain a broad range of ethnic and minority staff. BBC Worldwide continually monitors itself against these benchmarks
but in 2007/08 was not successful in reaching its targets. An action plan is now in place to address this.
In creating and distributing content, BBC Worldwide continues to look for ways to connect with the needs of all its audiences. For example,
2 entertain includes subtitling on all its new DVD releases and also includes audio description and audio navigation where possible.
Outreach
The majority of BBC Worldwide employees are based in
London and the company recognises the need to nurture its
local connections by being a good neighbour. Working with the BBC’s Connect and Create team, BBC Worldwide staff contribute to various outreach initiatives linked to local schools.
Corporately, BBC Worldwide has partnered with UK Career Academy Foundation, which is working to raise the aspirations
of 16-19 year olds considering a career in business. Staff are also encouraged to participate in charitable giving for BBC Charities
such as Children in Need and Comic Relief, and opportunities
are available for personal donations via a payroll giving scheme.
BBC WORLDWIDE VALUES
The company’s cultural values reflect both the BBC’s values and BBC Worldwide’s commercial remit. Work is continuing to embed these across the company, both in the UK and around the world.
These are Enterprise, Creativity, Trust, Quality, Respect, Audiences and Teamwork.