Diversity and inclusion: how we’re doing

Reporting against our inclusion targets using self-identified diversity data from our employees and those receiving National Lottery funding from the BFI.

We’re committed to being inclusive. In the projects we fund, the work we promote, the people we employ. We monitor and evaluate progress against our inclusion targets to check where we could be doing better and, where necessary, take positive action to achieve better results.

Our figures are derived from the most up-to-date data available. This is self-identified data taken from monitoring forms which are voluntarily completed, so we can’t always guarantee a 100% return rate.

BFI Inclusion Targets, which are based on proportionality of the UK’s working age population, are revised regularly. 

We will report against our targets for Black and Global Majority funding recipients who are inside and outside of London, and for working class recipients for financial year April 2024-March 2025.

We do not have targets for those with caring responsibilities or who are returning to work but do collect that data so it is included where available.

From 2024/25, we’ll have geographical data to report on both ‘London’ and ‘Outside London’ for Black and Global Majority targets. The current statistics are UK-wide.

People we employ

As of March 2023, the BFI employs 722 people. This number includes people on permanent and fixed term contracts.

For the people we employ, this is how we are doing against our inclusion targets:

Year
Those identifying as2022 to 20232021 to 20222020
to 2021
2019 to 20202018 to 20192022/23
target
Black and Global Majority
18.7%
16.7%
16.2%
15.5%
40% London
30% outside London
Disabled
10.3%
9.8%
8.6%
9.0%
8.6%
18%
Female (gender binary)
55.3%
52.6%
55.0%
53.0%
53.0%
50%
LGB+ (sexual identity)
16.3%
19.2%
13.0%
13.6%
11.7%
10%

 


People funded by the BFI National Lottery Filmmaking Fund

Previously known as the BFI Film Fund, this data shows how we’re doing against our inclusion targets:

People awarded production funding for features or immersive projects

Year
Those identifying as2023 to 20242022 to 20232021 to 20222020 
to 2021
2019 to 20202018 to 20192023/24
target
Black and Global Majority
28%
21%
26%
21%
28%
16%
40% London
30% outside London
Disabled
14%
7%
6%
5%
0%
2%
18%
Female (gender binary)
52%
64%
58%
35%
56%
51%
50%
LGB+ (sexual identity)
28%
32%
18%
7%
22%
28%
10%
Working class background
28%
-
-
-
-
-
39%
Caring responsibility
55%
36%
46%
21%
22%
-
 
Returning to work
0%
0%
2%
2%
3%
-
 

Percentages of the self-identified data provided by the writer, producer and director of each funded feature.


People awarded feature development funding

Year
Those identifying as2023 to 20242022 to 20232021 to 20222020
to 2021
2019 to 20202018 to 20192023/24
target
Black and Global Majority
38%
30%
39%
36%
20%
19%
40% London
30% outside London
Disabled
16%
19%
10%
7%
1%
3%
18%
Female (gender binary)
59%
70%
66%
59%
56%
49%
50%
LGB+ (sexual identity)
25%
12%
21%
24%
14%
21%
10%
Working class background
13%
-
-
-
-
-
39%
Caring responsibility
36%
30%
45%
33%
30%
-
-
Returning to work
2%
0%
0%
2%
4%
-
-

Percentages taken from the diversity and inclusion data provided by the writer, producer and director of each funded feature.


Overview of those awarded BFI NETWORK funding in England

Including production funding for shorts, early development feature funding and More Films for Freedom (all supported by BFI National Lottery funding).

Year
Those identifying as2023 to 20242022 to 20232021 to 20222020 
to 2021
2019 to 20202023
target
Black and Global Majority
35%
33%
25%
28%
26%
40% London
30% outside London
Disabled
29%
16%
16%
14%
9%
18%
Female (gender binary)
55%
49%
56%
53%
56%
50%
LGB+ (sexual identity)
33%
28%
26%
20%
18%
10%
Working class background
14%
-
-
-
-
39%
Caring responsibility
23%
23%
22%
32%
25%
-
Returning to work
0%
4%
4%
4%
2%
-

Percentages taken from the diversity and inclusion data provided by the writer, producer and director of each funded short film and early feature development project. Data may additionally include writers, producers and directors provided with financial support for broader professional development activity.

You can find more information about the projects funded by our BFI NETWORK partners on their websites: Northern Ireland Screen, Screen Scotland and Ffilm Cymru Wales.  

For more detailed data see details of who we awarded NETWORK funding to.