MUMBAI: UK pubcaster the BBC has published its Corporate Social Responsibility Review for 2005 and it is full of stories and insights into how the BBC is living its commitment to corporate citizenship and to delivering public value through its services to audiences.
BBC DG Mark Thompson said, "The review highlights the undiminished commitment of our staff to deliver on the BBC's aspiration to enrich the lives of communities in the UK and around the world. The review highlights what work is already being done and our challenge is to use the opportunities of new technologies and a more creative, open BBC to build on this work over the years ahead."
Among the many diverse areas and issues the BBC are addressing are Disability, Volunteering and active Citizenship. The BBC hosted its biggest-ever Disability Forum in October, aimed at opening fresh dialogue on the portrayal of disability on-screen, recruitment of disabled staff and how technology can improve access to BBC services.
It followed the launch of a new BBC diversity strategy in April. 2005 was also the year of the volunteer and the BBC helped inspire mass audiences to take action with some dramatic outcomes.
The week-long DoNation season, highlighting the critical issue of organ donation, was directly responsible for adding 100,000 extra names to the organ donor register and an on-air and online partnership between BBC Radio 2 and TimeBank prompted thousands of new volunteers to sign up to give time in their community.
The BBC's Corporate Social Responsibility Unit was established in 2003 to oversee the BBC: "Living our values with integrity and ethical consistency towards our own people, our audiences, our business suppliers and the communities in which we operate".