This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Use of FOI derogation'.

 
British Broadcasting Corporation Room BC2 B6 Broadcast Centre White City Wood Lane London W12 7TP  

Telephone 020 8008 2882 Email xxx@xxx.xx.xx 
 
 
  
 
Information Policy & Compliance 
bbc.co.uk/foi 
bbc.co.uk/privacy 
 
 
 
03 April 2013 
 
Freedom of Information Request - RFI20130337 
 
Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (the Act) received on 28th 
February, seeking the following information: 
 
I would like to know the total number of staff employed on continuing or fixed term contract at 31st 
December 2012,  whose ethnic origin was known to the Corporation i.e. staff whose ethnic origin had 
been declared as belonging to one of the groups below, data which is collected under the Charter 
Requirement. 
 
1. Ethnic Majority staff (which includes White British/English/ Scottish/Welsh) 
2. Black and Minority Ethnic staff (Black, Mixed, Asian, Chinese, Middle/Near Eastern) 
3. Other White Backgrounds (which includes Irish, Central & Eastern European, Gypsy/Traveller & white 
     staff from other backgrounds). 
 
I would also like the figure for the total number of staff employed on continuing or fixed term contract at  
31st December 2011 and 31st December 2010 whose ethnic origin was known to the Corporation. 
 

As you know from previous requests, the BBC has been collecting data relating to the ethnicity of its 
staff as an annual reporting requirement under the BBC Charter and Agreement for a number of 
years. In 2010 we updated our ethnicity classifications informed by guidance from the Equality and 
Human Rights Commission and in line with the UK census. Since that time we have been using more 
detailed classifications under three broad headings: 
 
1.    Ethnic Majority staff (which includes White British/English/ Scottish/Welsh)  
2.    Black and Minority Ethnic staff (Black, Mixed, Asian, Chinese, Middle/Near Eastern)  
3.    Other White Backgrounds (which includes Irish, Central & Eastern European, Gypsy/Traveller & 
white staff from other backgrounds). 
  
You can read more about the BBC’s duty to promote equality in employment on the BBC Trust’s 
website: 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctrust/governance/tools_we_use/diversity_equality/equality_employment.html
  
 

 
It is not mandatory for staff to inform the BBC of their diversity information.  Therefore the figures in 
the responses below only relate to records where the information is known. 
 
The table below shows the ethnic origin of BBC staff (where known) in each of the last 3 years on 
31st December. 
 
  
31/12/2012 
31/12/2011 
31/12/2010 
Ethnicity Majority 
15156 
15510 
17349 
Black & Minority Ethnic 
2214 
2253 
2437 
Other White Background 
1006 
982 
134 
Total 
18376 
18745 
19920 
 
 
As our subsidiaries (BBC Studios & Post Production Ltd, UKTV, BBC World News Ltd, BBC 
Worldwide Ltd, World Service Trust and BBC Children in Need) are not subject to the Act – under 
section 6(1) (b)(ii) – the information for their personnel is not included in the figures quoted above. 
 
I hope this response satisfies your request. 
   
Appeal Rights 
 
If you are not satisfied that we have complied with the Act in responding to your request, you have 
the right to an internal review by a BBC senior manager or legal adviser. Please contact us at the 
address above, explaining what you would like us to review and including your reference number. If 
you are not satisfied with the internal review, you can appeal to the Information Commissioner. The 
contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, 
Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see http://www.ico.gov.uk/  
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
 
Karen Wood 
BBC People