RIBA defends handling of ‘buried’ bullying report

RIBA has defended its handling of an internal report into bullying after claims from people connected to the institute that it had been “buried”.

Two sources have told Building Design that the findings of an “investigation” carried out by external HR advisor Sue Baker in June 2021 were delivered to RIBA’s board but not shared with staff, despite expectations that it would be.

The report is said to contain allegations of bullying, sexism and unconscious bias against ethnic minorities over many years which has led to staff leaving over what is claimed are “unhealthy” working conditions.

RIBA said it takes allegations of “unacceptable behaviour” and the right for all staff and volunteers to be treated with dignity and respect “extremely seriously”.

It also denied Baker’s report was the result of an investigation, saying it followed a series of workshops held with staff during Mental Health Awareness Week. 

In a statement, RIBA board chair Jack Pringle said that as part of the annual event it had “chosen to focus on fostering positive and respectful relationships between members and staff.”

He said 18 staff members took part in three workshops, during which “some concerns were raised, including instances of unacceptable behaviour and difficult interactions observed or experienced with members and other staff, some dating back quite some time”.

Pringle said Baker had shared her findings with the board on a “confidential and anonymised basis”, and the board had then agreed a set of “immediate actions” including providing targeted support for individuals and setting up an independent hotline for staff to raise concerns anonymously.

But Building Design has been told by sources told that “nothing happened” following the workshops, and a set of guidance sessions on RIBA’s HR and governance processes did not take place before April this year.

Sources said Baker was also brought in following complaints by staff members and not as part of a planned exercise in response to Mental Health Awareness Week.

In a leaked email sent to all staff on 6 May last year, RIBA chief executive Alan Vallance said a workshop would be held after colleagues had shared experiences of “inappropriate behaviour, friction and conflict”.

Vallance added that questions had also been raised about how inappropriate conduct is handled, and the institute’s formal processes for complaints and grievances.

In a follow-up email sent on 7 June, human resources director Carl Straw said the RIBA would run two workshops “in the run up to Mental Health Awareness Week”. According to RIBA, three workshops were eventually held.

The email said the sessions aimed to enable staff to share their experiences with elected members and volunteers, and “offer ideas on how to further develop positive and respectful relationships”.

One current staff member told Building Design they felt that staff were “consistently undermined” and said RIBA was “not a safe working environment”.

The staff member said they believed there was a persistent culture of bullying at the institute which had got worse in recent years, with much of it directed towards female and non-white people in what they considered to be cases of “unconcious bias”.

Another source said staff were “continuously talked down to”, and they felt the findings of Baker’s report “had not been taken seriously at all”.

They said: “The attitude from the board was ‘this isn’t a problem, people are just complaining about nothing’. But [Baker] didn’t feel like that was the case, and staff members certainly didn’t feel like that was the case.”

Pringle said in response to the allegations: “The RIBA board and executive are clear: poor behaviour will not be tolerated, and we will keep supporting our people and fostering a positive working culture.”

The comments come amid a row over how institutions respond to the allegations of bullying, racism and sexual misconduct at the Bartlett school of architecture uncovered in a report by investigator Howlett Brown last month.

RIBA president Simon Allford said in the insitute’s official response to the Bartlett report: “Every educator and education provider has a duty to support the wellbeing and safety of their students, as well as their academic development, and have effective mechanisms in place to eradicate unacceptable behaviour. 

“This report identifies extensive failings which have been acknowledged by the university who have made the commitment to taking immediate action. This, I am well aware, will be cold comfort to those who have suffered.”

Voting to elect the institute’s next president is currently underway, with results due to be announced on 2 August.