BBC code of conduct

It’s up to everyone at the BBC to protect our reputation for fairness, truth and integrity.

The 'Working at the BBC: Our code of conduct and how we work together' document is our guide to policies, standards and expectations of behaviour from those who we work with, or for the BBC.

For further help and support, check out the latest advice and information in the HR section of Gateway.

Doing the Right Thing

You’re part of a unique organisation that reaches millions of people across the world every day. To be the very best for our audiences we need to be the very best for each other.

This is why we have Our Code. It sets out the mandatory standards that every single one of us must work to across the whole of the BBC.

When an organisation is as built-in to daily life as ours, we all have a responsibility to do the right thing. Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations is an essential and non-negotiable part of that, along with creating the fairest working environment where we welcome, respect and hear every voice.

Being a trusted organisation is mission critical, it underpins our relationship with audiences. That is why you need to take personal responsibility for ensuring you and your team understand the Code of Conduct and follow these standards consistently, without fail.

We want the standards here in Our Code to give you the confidence to ask any questions if you’re not sure about something, and to speak up if you see something that doesn’t meet these standards. When you do, we’ll listen; we’ll talk openly, and we’ll act.

Thank you.

- BBC Executive Committee

Our Values

Our six Values shape our culture and define how we work. Importantly, they remind us of the commitments we make to our audiences, and to each other, about what everyone expects from the BBC.

• AUDIENCES are at the heart of everything we do
• We are ONE BBC, we collaborate, learn, and grow together
• CREATIVITY is the lifeblood of our organisation
• TRUST is the foundation of the BBC - we’re independent, impartial, and truthful
• We are ACCOUNTABLE and deliver work of the highest quality
• We RESPECT each other - we’re kind and we champion inclusivity

When we look at the standards we expect of Our Code, our values of Trust, Accountable and Respect are closely related to the mandatory standards that everyone must adhere to. It’s why we’ve built this guide around these three values in particular.

Discover more about all our values on BBC Gateway.

Trust

Our Editorial Values

Trust is the foundation of the BBC. We’re independent, impartial, and truthful. Our audiences expect us to follow the highest standards, as set out in our Editorial Guidelines. They apply to all our content, wherever in the world it is made or received and on whatever platform it is published.

As we operate in the public’s interest, it’s essential that we’re transparent and open about the editorial standards we all work to. This includes our legal responsibilities as a public service broadcaster, as well as the principles we set across all our output.

Personal Use of Social Media

More and more of our audiences get their news and entertainment from social media. We must make sure that our digital presence lives up to our editorial values.

We have one set of Guidance that applies to every BBC colleague, regardless of department. In all circumstances, anything you post on social media from a personal account must adhere to our Personal Use of Social Media Guidance.

Protecting Our Information, And Personal Data

It takes a lot of information, personal data and equipment to do what we do, so we must protect it. This applies to all our systems and the data we hold, and taking care of the equipment we use to do our jobs.

To prevent attempts to hack our systems our Information Security and Data Protection teams are always on call whenever we need help. But it’s our responsibility to keep information safe; from protecting our passwords, to being mindful of where we open or access confidential work, particularly when working remotely.

Find out more: Everyone should use the Data Protection Handbook and follow our Data Protection guidance and Cyber Security Guidelines to protect our data. If you’re using digital devices then you should follow the Acceptable use policy.

Think you’ve been compromised? Report it to the Data Protection Officer.

Bribery and Corruption

We don’t tolerate bribery or corruption in any form. This applies to all of us, including who we work with, and manage, our relationships with partners and suppliers.

We take pride in being trusted and honest in all our work and we can’t allow anything we do, or those we work with, to encourage, participate in, or condone a bribe or any other unlawful payment or benefit. We must speak up if we see something wrong.

It’s important that you understand and follow the Anti-Bribery Policy and the Expenses Policy when working at the BBC.

Call our confidential whistleblowing hotline on 0800 890 011.

Serving the Public Interest

We’re here to serve the public, not ourselves. That means while we’re at work we can’t do anything that benefits us personally, like promoting a business we’re connected to, or pushing our own political beliefs. We help all our colleagues understand what a conflict of interest involves in order to protect our standards of independence and impartiality. Everyone is expected to remain in compliance with all obligations related to their employment or engagement with the BBC including, but not limited to, adherence to BBC policies, Declaration of Personal

Interest (DOPI), the standards expected for and reporting of external paid work and any mandatory training requirements.

Accountable

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the action we all must take to protect people from harm. Everyone at the BBC has a responsibility to promote the safeguarding of children (under 18s) and vulnerable adults. By working for the BBC, you are in a unique position of power and trust.

Without exception, everyone is expected to follow and understand the following policies to protect yourself and the children and vulnerable adults you are working with - visit Gateway to read the Safeguarding Policy and Safeguarding Escalation Framework. 

If you have any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult, or feel someone is behaving inappropriately around a child or vulnerable adult, you have a duty to report your concerns.

For further advice or support, you can contact the Safeguarding Team or your divisional Working with Children Advisor (WWCA).

Keeping Everyone Safe

It’s everybody’s responsibility to keep our people, systems, data and buildings safe and we always wear our ID to help our security teams do their job.

In our Health & Safety Standards and guidance on the BBC Safety website you can find out how to conduct a risk assessment, understand the safety and emergency procedures wherever you’re working and find out how to get additional support from our High Risk Team if you need it.

Our guidance on security procedures is kept up to date regularly for all our buildings.

Find Out More: To understand the safety risks to your work, please speak to your line manager who will be able to share the relevant risk assessment via Safety Hub. You can learn more about safety and security at the BBC on the Safety & Risk Gateway page.

Buying and Selling Ethically

The way we buy and sell needs to fit with our values. That’s why we observe the highest ethical standards with our suppliers and other partners, and require that they agree to our Sustainable Supply Chain Code of Conduct.

We will only contract with parties who reach our standards and pass checks in regards to anti-bribery, tax evasion, labour and working conditions, health and safety, cyber security, and environmental management.

If you’re involved in buying or selling on behalf of the BBC, you’ll need to abide by the procurement and ethical trading policy.

You can also raise concerns anonymously, via Navex Global.

Respect

Respect at Work and Speaking Up

We want the BBC to be a place where everyone feels safe, valued and heard. We respect people and their rights – the people around us, those we work with, and those we represent, wherever they are in the world.

This culture of respect makes the BBC a place where everyone can speak freely and have equal opportunities to grow and develop.

There is no place for bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of power, or any form of discrimination at the BBC. We each have a responsibility to call out behaviour that falls below our expected standards. 

We will always be kind and respectful.

Everyone at the BBC should abide by the Anti-Bullying & Harassment policy.

It is your duty to speak up if you see something that’s wrong. You can raise any issues via Gateway.

Treating Everyone Equally

As an organisation with a duty to reflect the whole of society, we treat everyone fairly, equally, and with respect. We listen to and welcome new and different perspectives into our work and conversations.

We value cultural differences and work to create and maintain a respectful workplace where everyone acts professionally and feels a sense of belonging. Hiring and promotion decisions are always made in line with our fair and transparent recruitment principles, reflecting our commitment to equality and diversity.

Everyone deserves respect – and receives it.

To better understand the ways in which we strive to represent our audiences internally, you can review our D&I Policy.

If you’re hiring or interested in understanding the BBC’s recruitment policy then that is available on BBC Gateway.

Presenter Conduct

We recognise that our on-air presenters have a unique role in acting as visible ambassadors for the BBC. Their work helps educate, inform and entertain audiences, and they have the power to inspire the next generation of talent to join the creative industries.

In recognition of the influence they hold, we believe our on-air presenters bear a significant responsibility to live our values in their daily actions, as we would expect of anyone we work with. No one is irreplaceable or beyond accountability.

We will act when we see behaviour that falls short of our Code of Conduct – and we will recognise and celebrate exemplary conduct when we see it.

Respecting Our Planet

We want to be the most sustainable broadcaster in the world, with a net positive impact: giving back to the planet more than we take. Minimising our impact on the planet whilst maximising our impact with our audiences on the topics of both climate and nature. To do this we’ll cut our carbon emissions dramatically and work with our suppliers to do the same.

Our strategy is comprised of three pillars: Net Zero, Nature Positive and People Positive. Please see the link below to our Transition Plan released in January 2025.

We make sure everything we spend our licence payers’ money on fits with our values and delivers the very best for them in return.

We manage all our finances with care and attention, following strict financial controls and approvals. We expect our people, suppliers and partners to share our high standards around managing money.

To find out how we expect you to contribute to ‘spending wisely’ please visit:

While we receive public money in the form of the Licence Fee, we also have a commercial side, competing with private companies across the globe. We must make sure we never use our position as a public broadcaster to gain an unfair advantage in the market. We have regulatory guidance in place to support teams across the public and commercial side of the BBC to make sure we are following the Fair Trading rules.

Need Some Help?

If you have any questions about Our Code, please talk to your team leader or booker. If for any reason that doesn’t feel like the right approach, contact your local HRBP for guidance.

If you’re able to access the BBC Network, there are lots of useful links that provide more information on specific topics if you need it:

• Our UK BBC policy documents are on BBC Gateway
• If you work for BBC Studios, you’ll find those policy documents on the BBC Studios website
• Information about raising concerns at the BBC is on Gateway
• Find out more about the BBC Safeguarding Team on Gateway
• Information on the BBC values is available on Gateway
• Our editorial guidelines
• Visit the BBC Academy for more information on training.

Updated on 28/04/2025