ABC introduces team planning workshops to help build an ‘inclusive’ culture among staff

The taxpayer-funded broadcaster is introducing inclusive team planning workshops to help build a better working environment for its staff.

The ABC is introducing “inclusive team plans” to educate staff on the use of culturally appropriate language in the workplace and to ensure they commemorate “significant cultural days”.

The changes were announced in an all-staff email sent by the ABC’s chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor last week.

“By the end of the year, every team in the content division will have an inclusive team plan,” the email, obtained by The Australian, said.

“It might be as simple as recognising significant cultural days or changing some of our language and it will be different for each team, based on the needs of the team.

“Discussions about inclusion at a team level through the Inclusive Team Planning program encourages understanding and accountability that provides an opportunity for everyone to be engaged in actively building their own inclusive culture.”

The changes will occur over the coming months and are being introduced to build an “inclusive culture” at the taxpayer-funded broadcaster.

The changes are part of the ABC’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Plan which was launched on July 1 last year and will run until June 30, 2026.

“Diversity cannot thrive without an inclusive culture,” the plan states. “The ABC is working to create a culture that values the experiences and knowledge of all employees, and a respectful environment where everyone can be their authentic self.”

Mr Oliver-Taylor told staff everyone in the content division would take part in the inclusive team planning workshops over the coming months.

“I hope this program is a positive step in creating a culture where everyone feels equally respected and welcome at work regardless of gender, diversity or disability,” he said.

Plans to introduce inclusivity measures in the workplace are becoming commonplace among corporate Australia, including media outlets.

But one ABC insider told The Australian of widespread concerns within the public broadcaster about the impacts that inclusive team planning could have on content.

“It could have serious implications for content if we now have language diktats,” the insider said. “They don’t or can’t say exactly what it will mean.”

The ABC is also undergoing a racism review which was announced in May last year amid the fallout over contentious comments made on air by former Q+A host and Indigenous presenter Stan Grant before the ABC’s live coverage of King Charles III’s coronation.

Grant, a Wiradjuri, Gurrawin and Dharawal man, subsequently left the ABC in August.

The racism review is being conducted by Indigenous lawyer Terri Janke, a Wuthathi, Yadhaighana and Meriam woman.

At Senate Estimates last month, ABC managing director David Anderson said about 100 people had participated in the review so far.

“We are on track for that report to be delivered to the ABC, according to my understanding, at the end of July,” he said.

“We will have the chance to review it. We will then certainly make it available.”

Mr Anderson said the findings and recommendations would be peer reviewed and would be made available to ABC staff before being made publicly available.

The ABC boss said he had completed an interview as part of the review.

“I have done an interview as well, as have members of my leadership team and staff throughout the organisation,” Mr Anderson said. “I have no indication as yet what the findings or recommendations will be, other than that many interviews have taken place.”

Earlier this year the ABC began hiring cultural guidance advisers to help deal with “culturally sensitive stories”, and in February it was announced that journalist Miriam Corowa, a Minyangbal and Bundjalung woman, had been appointed as the senior cultural adviser in the news division.

The ABC was contacted for comment but did not respond to questions.

Originally published as ABC introduces team planning workshops to help build an ‘inclusive’ culture among staff