BBC bosses forego bonuses over failed diversi

BBC bosses have announced that they will not be receiving £350,000 worth of bonuses because the corporation has failed to meet key diversity targets.

The BBC has set targets to boost the percentage of black minority and ethnic staff in the organisation's overall workforce to 12.5 per cent and seven per cent at senior management level by the end of 2007. A target of four per cent of disabled people in the workforce has also been set for December this year.

Diversity and employment experts have welcomed the move by BBC senior management to forgo contractual bonuses because specific diversity targets will not be met.

BBC director-general, Mark Thompson, said: "I have told my fellow directors that I would expect them to resume their participation in the BBC executive bonus plan, as long as performance objectives are met, in the usual way in future years."

Waiving the 2006-07 bonuses, BBC executives stated that they had "collectively decided" not to receive the cash because, although progress had been made on diversity, "some specific commitments" would not be reached.

The BBC's diversity leadership council was established in 2005 by director-general Mark Thompson and the corporation will unveil new plans for further action on diversity in autumn this year.

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Date:04/07/2007 11:23:21