London, Jan 31 (IANS): An independent report commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation and published on Tuesday found there was no gender bias when it came to the salaries of the organisation's employees, the BBC said.

BBC Director General Tony Hall announced the conclusion of the investigation, which was carried out by audit firm PricewaterhouseCoopers amid a controversy surrounding the corporation after the China editor Carrie Gracie resigned from her post in protest over unequal pay between men and women at the BBC.

Hall said the organisation believed in equality and the report "did not find evidence of gender bias in decision-making, but it shows we have real and important issues to tackle".

He said they were "addressing unfairness in individuals? pay and want to close the gender gap and have women in half of our on-air roles by 2020".

Meanwhile, a group of 170 women who work for the BBC demanded an apology, as well as back pay and pension adjustments in compensation.