MICHAEL HASTINGS CBE
Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE
Michael Hastings is the BBC’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility. The CSR team deliver policy leadership for the BBC’s diverse community impact work bringing focus, profile, strategic direction and public recognition. Consequently Michael sits on the Boards of Comic Relief, BBC Children in Need, The BBC World Service Trust, The Fame Academy Bursary Fund, The BBC Appeals Advisory Committee, BBC Environment Steering Group and externally as a Trustee of Volunteering England as well as being a non executive Director for British Telecom on BT’s Community Support Committee.
He is also Chairman of Crime Concern and a founding Trustee since 1988 and a recent communications and strategy adviser to Lord John Stevens QPM, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner. He is a former Commissioner (1993 – 2001) with the Commission for Racial Equality and served for nine years advising on race relations in the UK. Michael was also founding Chairman of Childnet International & SpringBoard for Children as well as founding member of the Metropolitan Police Advisory Committee and served on the Government’s Social Security Advisory Committee.
Previously, Michael headed up the BBC’s Public Affairs department in Westminster, where he latterly developed the BBC’s Community Affairs function. His background is in journalism, reporting and presenting programmes for ITV and the BBC and prior to that working with the Downing Street Policy Unit on race & urban policy, starting his career in education and community initiatives.
In January 2003, Michael was awarded the honour of a CBE in recognition of his services to crime reduction, after 14 years with Crime Concern and nine as Chairman.
He has successfully completed executive business education programmes at Wharton and Columbia business schools in the USA and at Ashridge and Winsdor in the UK .
In July 2005, Michael was further awarded the honour of an independent cross bench peerage to the House of Lords. Michael assumed his seat on 6th December 2005 as Lord Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE so named after his much appreciated time at Scarisbrick Hall School in the late 1970s.
