BBC Trust

The Trust has published its conclusions following an evaluation by the BBC of the processes for handling conflicts of interest for senior managers. 

Trustees requested this from BBC management in December 2015, having concluded that they would not proceed with investigating a complaint in relation to Alan Yentob and his role as Chairman of Kids Company.  Trustees concluded that it was, however, right to consider if there were lessons to be learnt, and asked the BBC to report to the Trust on whether any changes should be made to the processes for managing conflicts affecting senior managers.  

The BBC has now proposed a set of changes to the current processes, including a new Code of Conduct for Executive Board members, which have been welcomed by the Trust. 

In his introduction in today’s publication, BBC Trustee and Chair of the Trust’s Editorial Standards Committee Richard Ayre says:

"The more senior the individual and the more prominent the outside body, the greater the need for robust systems for managing conflicts of interest, especially if those bodies become the subject of public controversy and a focus of interest for BBC programmes.

"I welcome the steps the BBC has now set out to tighten up the process.  What we can and must do is make sure that the responsibilities of senior executives are clear, that they’re explained to licence fee payers, and that robust rules are strictly followed. The public expects nothing less and the Trust will now look to the BBC to implement these changes."

The Trust’s conclusions and the changes that will now be introduced, can be found here.

The Trust’s request for this evaluation of current processes, was announced in December 2015.