[Page 5 of 6] Corp Governance Report
HOW BBC WORLDWIDE TRADES
BBC Worldwide is committed to ensuring its activities are carried out to the highest standards, consistent with its core values and purposes, across the full range of fair-trading, ethical, editorial, environmental and brand-protection best practices.
Importantly, it is not just BBC Worldwide that aims for high standards. BBC Worldwide also encourages its commercial
partners to do so through a range of clear guidelines, contractual commitments and training. BBC Worldwide monitors compliance with these
requirements where appropriate.
The BBC Brand
Protection of the BBC brand and its reputation is a fundamental part of BBC Worldwide’s role in conducting its activities around
the globe. These activities are carried out internationally through
a mix of wholly owned activities, joint ventures and other forms of partnership with commercial entities. BBC Worldwide ensures that appropriate steps are taken in each case to ensure the BBC brand is grown and developed in ways that are entirely compatible with core BBC values.
Branding Guidelines
BBC Worldwide ensures compliance with guidelines agreed with
the BBC that lay out the values and principles associated with the BBC brand and determine the behaviour of the BBC brand in a commercial environment. There are set procedures for commercial use, which reflect the editorial principles associated with the
BBC brand.
Brand Protection
BBC Worldwide’s brand protection team continues to work with local investigators and enforcement authorities to help control the market for counterfeit goods and other infringements of the Group and its partners’ intellectual property rights.
Editorial Standards
The BBC’s code of ethics is incorporated into its editorial guidelines and offers advice on standards and values including accuracy, impartiality, fairness, taste and decency and the welfare of children. These guidelines apply to all BBC Worldwide commercial activities
and are strictly adhered to across all BBC Worldwide activities.
In summer 2008 a series of Safeguarding Trust workshops will be run with all of the Group’s editorial staff. The purpose of the workshops is to emphasise the importance of applying the highest editorial standards to all of BBC Worldwide’s content output.
Magazines Editorial Boards
The system of Editorial Advisory Boards for BBC Magazines continues to be of great editorial benefit. The Boards work alongside all BBC magazines and real editorial gains have been made by the relationship which independent experts on these Boards have forged with BBC Magazines. The Boards play a key role in ensuring that the magazine portfolio reflects the BBC’s public purposes and editorial values and extends the editorial offering of BBC programmes.
The Editorial Advisory Boards are overseen by an Annual Review Panel (ARP), consisting of external experts and senior representatives from BBC Magazines,
BBC Vision and BBC Audio and Music. It is chaired by the BBC’s Chief Adviser, Editorial Policy.The ARP conducted its third review of BBC Magazines output during
2007/08 (the first was completed in May 2006) and concluded that BBC magazines are high-quality, attractive publications with strong editorial content that reflects
BBC values and achieves a high level of reader satisfaction. It also concluded that the breadth and range of the portfolio is impressive and good connectivity with BBC
television and radio programmes is evident, which has clearly contributed to the magazines’ success and distinctiveness.
Treatment of Suppliers
BBC Worldwide is committed to dealing with all suppliers on clear, pre-agreed contractual terms and to paying suppliers (whether large or small) within the agreed
payment period.
Customer Service
BBC Worldwide’s increasing success not only gives a global platform to the best of British talent but also delivers substantial financial returns to rights holders and producers.
Over half a million statements and payments relating to BBC Worldwide’s activities alone are issued annually. BBC Worldwide is committed to accounting accurately and on time to rights
holders and continues to invest time and money in improving its systems and processes, to enable it not only to meet the increase in volumes that its success has produced, but also to provide a
high level of customer service.
These are Enterprise, Creativity, Trust, Quality, Respect, Audiences and Teamwork.