28 April 2025 – London: The BBC has today published the findings of Change Associates’ independent review into the workplace culture at the BBC. The review, commissioned by the BBC Board following a competitive tender process in October 2024, sets out six core recommendations to enable cultural improvement across the organisation.

Over six months, Change Associates engaged with approximately 2,500 individuals across the BBC, including employees and freelancers, based in the UK and internationally, with representation from 19 countries.

Participants contributed through one-to-one conversations, facilitated group discussions, a freelancer survey, and confidential written submissions. The result is a detailed picture of the organisation’s culture, drawing on first-hand experiences from across the business.

“The levels of engagement and the breadth and depth of the contributions we received have been immense,” said Grahame Russell, Executive Chairman at Change Associates. “We are grateful to everyone who shared their insights. People told us they are proud to work at the BBC, and many described how the culture has improved since the previous review in 2013. At the same time, we heard concerns about behaviours that go unchallenged and the impact this has. Our recommendations are designed to address these issues in a practical and lasting way.”

Key findings

  • There is widespread pride in working for the BBC. Many people describe loving their work.
  • The BBC does not have a toxic culture, and many people who have worked for the organisation for a while feel the culture has improved.
  • However, a small number of individuals are said to behave unacceptably, and their behaviour has not always been addressed. Though limited in number, these individuals can disproportionately affect the BBC’s culture, morale and reputation.
  • There is a shared desire across the BBC for this review to lead to clear, practical action and greater accountability regarding culture and conduct.

Our recommendations

Change Associates has proposed six interdependent actions designed to prevent issues from arising and respond consistently and transparently when they do.

These actions are based on good practice from comparable organisations and reflect what people across the BBC told us they want to see.

  1. Reset behavioural expectations: Establish a clear and shared understanding of what is expected from everyone working with or for the BBC.
  2. Promote a ‘Call It Out’ culture: Encourage open feedback, celebrate positive behaviour, and deal promptly with concerns.
  3. Provide real-time culture data: Develop a dashboard to monitor culture indicators and support transparency.
  4. Invest in leadership and HR capability: Define the leadership skills the BBC values most and invest in embedding them at all levels.
  5. Enhance succession planning: Create more transparent and inclusive processes for identifying and preparing all talent, particularly in on-air roles.
  6. Establish a Respond Team: Create an independent, dedicated team to rebuild trust and confidence in how issues are raised, addressed and anonymously reported.

“We welcome the BBC Executive’s decision to adopt these recommendations in full,” added Russell. “This is a clear signal that the organisation is serious about culture change, and we are encouraged by the speed of response. This can be a moment for positive change across the BBC. Implemented with consistency and urgency, these recommendations will not only benefit the BBC’s employees and freelancers but also potentially set the standard for workplace culture in the industry.”

Notes for editors

Trevor Lambert
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