BBC White Staff Paid Less Than Ethnic Minority Colleagues in Most Pay Bands, Figures Show

The BBC pays white employees less than ethnic minority colleagues on average in most pay bands, according to figures from the corporation's pay gap report. However, white staff are still paid more overall.

The report indicates that white employees' median pay was higher by 0.6 percent in just one pay band. In other bands, their median pay was between 1.3 and 13.2 percent less than that of ethnic minority colleagues. Senior leaders from Black, Asian, or other ethnic minority backgrounds are paid an average of 5.3 percent more than their white counterparts.

The BBC notes that these figures represent median averages, which can be influenced by factors such as the number of employees at higher or lower salary points within a band. Each pay band encompasses a variety of roles requiring different levels of experience and expertise.

Overall, the BBC's report shows that ethnic minority staff are paid 0.7 percent less than their white colleagues, a decrease from the 2 percent gap recorded the previous year. This reduction is attributed to a smaller proportion of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic staff in the lowest career band, which has led to an increase in the average salary for BAME staff.

Within specific ethnic groups, Black employees are paid 8.5 percent less than white colleagues, and those from mixed backgrounds have salaries lower by 4.1 percent. Asian colleagues, conversely, are paid 2.7 percent more than white employees.

The pay gap has widened for LGBTQ+ employees, who are salaried a median 8.7 percent lower than non-LGBTQ+ workers, representing the largest pay gap reported for any group. Women are paid 7.6 percent less than men, and employees with a disability face a pay gap of 3.8 percent.

Men receive higher salaries in all but one pay band. However, in senior leadership roles, women are paid an average of 1.4 percent more than men. The overall median average pay gap between the sexes remained unchanged from the previous year.

LGBTQ+ members in senior leadership roles, comprising 241 positions, are paid 8.8 percent more than their non-LGBTQ+ colleagues. This group, however, exhibits the highest overall pay gap when all employees are considered, a situation the corporation attributes to potential fluctuations due to the smaller number of senior roles.

The BBC has implemented a Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy with targets for representation, aiming for 50 percent men and 50 percent women, 20 percent ethnic minority employees, 14 percent deaf, disabled and/or neurodivergent employees, and 25 percent working-class employees. The corporation emphasizes that these are not formal quotas and are unrelated to salary targets.

A BBC spokesperson stated, "The BBC is committed to fair and equal pay for all. We continue to monitor our pay gaps closely and do expect to see small fluctuations year-on-year."