BBC apologises in equal pay row with Carrie Gracie as former BBC China editor donates full back payment to charity
The BBC said today it had reached an agreement with former China editor Carrie Gracie over an equal pay row and apologised for underpaying the journalist.
A row developed after the corporation published its highest-earning presenters, revealing an imbalance between the numbers of men and women featuring high on the list. Chris Evans topped the list, and the top seven were all men.
In January, Gracie – who was BBC’s China editor at the time – resigned from her post, citing pay inequality with male colleagues. She said she was “dismayed” to discover the BBC’s two male international editors earned “at least 50 per cent more” than their two female counterparts.
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The BBC said there was no systemic discrimination against women, but the scrutiny grew with Gracie giving evidence to the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee over the matter in late January.
The BBC and Gracie said today they had resolved the matter, with a joint statement saying:
The BBC acknowledges that Carrie was told she would be paid in line with the North America editor when she took the role of China editor, and she accepted the role on that understanding.
The BBC is committed to the principle of equal pay and acting in accordance with our values.
The BBC acknowledges the specific circumstances relating to Carrie’s appointment, apologises for underpaying Carrie, and has now put this right.
Carrie is donating the full amount received to a charity of her choice.
Joint statement from the BBC and Carrie Gracie: https://t.co/A0NTRc2rYH pic.twitter.com/VwHy4DURba— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) June 29, 2018
Gracie will take up to six months of unpaid leave – at her request – to write and speak on both China and gender equality.
She said she was glad to have been able to resolve the matter with the director-general, and “relieved that this difficult period is over”.
“For me, this was always about the principle, rather than the money. I’m delighted to donate all the backdated pay from the BBC to help women striving for quality at work.”
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on this long hard road. I’m home. https://t.co/iY2AIaGPqP— Carrie Gracie (@BBCCarrie) June 29, 2018
BBC director general Tony Hall said: “I am pleased that we’ve been able to move past our differences and work through things together; we can now look to the future. I’m also glad that Carrie will be contributing to Donalda MacKinnon’s great project to make the BBC a great place for women to work. That really matters to me, and I want us to lead the way.”
Fellow BBC broadcaster Clare Balding said she admired Gracie for her principled stand and applauded “the dignity with which she handled this situation”.
“To donate all of the agreed backpay confirms what we already knew – she is not fighting the fight for herself but for ALL,” she tweeted.
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