BBC begins independent workplace culture review with consultancy firm

The BBC has appointed a change management consultancy firm to carry out an independent review of its workplace culture after several controversies involving high-profile presenters and TV shows have rocked the corporation in recent months.

The review will be led by Grahame Russell, the executive chairman and founder of Change Associates, and the report is expected to be published next spring.

It will have a particular focus on “preventing abuse of power and ensuring everyone at the BBC conducts themselves in line” with BBC values, the corporation said.

Announcing the start of the review in an email to staff, BBC chairman Samir Shah said: “I cannot emphasise enough that I am fully committed to tackling inappropriate or abusive behaviour.

“For most of us it is a joy to work for the BBC and that should be the case for everyone. Nobody working in the BBC should ever feel fear or worry while working here.

“What is clear to me is that we must ensure the BBC is a safe, secure and welcoming workplace for everyone.”

Change Associates previously led the work on the BBC’s 2013 “respect at work” review.

The latest review will assess the progress made on those recommendations and will look at work done in other reviews.

It will focus on a number of aspects including how the BBC can “ensure the consequences of inappropriate behaviour and abuse of power are understood by everyone and that significant issues are dealt with as soon as they are identified and in a consistent manner”.

If there is more the corporation could do to “ensure people feel confident to speak up and for managers and leaders to act decisively” is also among the focus points.

The final report will make recommendations on practical steps the corporation can take to “further strengthen workplace culture”, the BBC has said.

Last month, director-general Tim Davie admitted the BBC’s reputation was impacted following the Huw Edwards scandal during a speech at the Royal Television Society (RTS) London conference.

Disgraced former presenter Edwards admitted accessing indecent images of children as young as seven and was handed a suspended prison sentence last month.

The corporation has asked Edwards to return the estimated £200,000 salary he was paid between his arrest and leaving the corporation in April.

Other scandals the broadcaster has faced of recent include allegations around the treatment of contestants on the flagship programme Strictly Come Dancing and the sacking of presenter Jermaine Jenas after he admitted sending inappropriate messages to female colleagues.