Policy and influence
BCS policy seeks to uphold the highest ethical standards and practices in a rapidly changing digital landscape. We are an influential voice in the tech sector, listened to by government, industry, and the wider society.
Our priorities
We are constantly working to address the digital challenges facing our society to ensure technology’s impact is positive for everyone.
As BCS emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic we have identified four key themes that we as the professional body for IT need to focus on to ensure we are making IT good for society.
The BCS President is working with the BCS policy team to streamline activity under four themes and campaign goals agreed and signed off by the BCS Trustee Board and Council which are:
- Our digital lives should be in the hands of competent, ethical, and accountable professionals.
- Greater diversity and inclusion in the IT profession benefit society.
- The digital divide is a modern measure of inequality; it can be closed by access to skills as well as technology.
- The world will achieve net zero more rapidly with support of digital and data technologies.
Artificial intelligence (AI)
BCS wants to see the creation of a diverse ethical AI workforce, as we believe this is central to reducing machine learning bias. The government listened when BCS advised there needed to be an increase in MSc computer science courses, with ethics built-in to the curriculum. We also examine key issues around the use, and misuse, of AI.
Cyber security
As the professional body for information technology we are committed to making the digital world secure for everyone. As a member of the UK Cyber Security Council, BCS works alongside government and other professional bodies to increase public trust and shape standards in this critical field.
Digital divide
The digital divide is a complex issue of access to technology, the internet, and skills, limiting the life chances of people across our communities. We believe that along with partners like the Digital Poverty Alliance to support governments, industry and civil society, the UK can eliminate the digital divide by 2030.
Diversity and inclusion
Diversity and inclusion as standard; that’s the common goal for our industry. Yet women account for only 20% of IT specialists; and BAME IT professionals are less likely to be in senior roles, despite being better qualified. Like many industries, there are complex and wide-ranging challenges we have to face. At BCS, we’re facing them together as a priority.
Education
We support the teaching of rigorous and relevant computer science across the academic spectrum, from primary schools to universities. We are also the end-point assessor for the thriving digital apprenticeship sector.
Green IT and net zero
As the professional body for the IT industry, BCS is committed to playing its part in tackling the climate emergency. We have formally adopted the drive for net zero and the promotion of green IT as one of our four organisational policy and campaign priorities.
Health and care
Digital health is undergoing rapid change and BCS, as the professional body for IT, is committed to supporting the establishment of regulated professional standards in this sector.
Tech and society
From cyber security, through to online safety, technology affects us all. BCS policy looks at the wider uses of technology. As a charity, as well as the professional body for IT, our aim is to make IT good for society.
Supporting Ukraine
BCS is about making IT good for society. That means offering practical help by opening our networks, expertise, and facilities to all technologists from Ukraine at this time.
We also want to go further. Membership of our community and the support that comes with it (at no cost) is now open to any IT professional displaced or affected by international conflict.
Discover BCS membership
You’ll be joining a thriving community of IT professionals and benefits include access to regular events, conferences, meetings, as well the chance to join our members groups.
Partner with us
We regular partner with other organisations, seeking their views and expertise. Email the policy team directly: policyhub@bcs.uk or contact us.
Key policy stakeholders we work with:
As the professional body for information technology, we have partnerships and associations with other organisations and bodies across the sector.
BCS is an active member of:
- The National Engineering Policy Centre, hosted by the Royal Academy of Engineering
- The UK Cyber Security Council, which is the self-regulatory body for the UK's cyber security profession
- The Alliance for Data Science Professionals, which is an alliance of the Royal Statistical Society, BCS, the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications, the Operational Research Society, the National Physical Laboratory, and the Alan Turing Institute, which is supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society
- The Data Skills Taskforce, hosted by the Alan Turing Institute, which is a forum for many organisations working to support DCMS to address the UK’s data skills challenge
- The Federation for Informatics Professions (FEDIP), is the only public register for all informatics professionals in the UK dedicated to delivering better health and care through the advanced use of technology.
- Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS) Diverse IT Charter - BCS is one of the founding members of the DiversIT charter, a CEPIS flagship initiative, aimed at reducing gender disparity in IT roles
- Tech Talent Charter (TTC) - BCS is one of the 650 companies who is a signatory of the TTC which brings industries and organisations together to drive greater diversity and inclusion in technology roles
