Arsenal Chairman Peter Hill Wood accepts the Race Equality Standard from KIO Chair Lord Ouseley.
The Standard is a framework document setting out a series of measures that supports the development of racial equality practices and policies within a club environment.
Professional clubs are asked to work to a series of objectives that ensure equality in all areas of their operation - from stewarding, to the recruitment of administration staff and the development of young players.
The document has been developed by Kick It Out, with the support of the FA Premier League, and from source materials including Sporting Equal's Achieving Racial Equality: A Standard for Sport.
How do clubs achieve it?
The Standard has three levels of achievement - Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced. Each club will begin by working towards the Preliminary Level followed by Intermediate and Advanced.
There are three areas of activity that cover all areas of a clubs activity - Stadium and Outreach, Policy and Planning, and Administration and Management. Within each area a number of objectives need to be met.
What is the process?
To achieve each level of the Standard, our Development Officer will work with clubs to support them in gathering evidence that address each objective at that level. This is a facilitative process that ensures that every club is supported at every step. Once the evidence is compiled, the file is submitted for consideration by an independent Accreditation Panel.
The Accreditation Panel includes specialists in race and equality, organisational development and sports administration.
Chaired by Lord Herman Ouseley, the other members are: Mike Lee, CEO of Vero communications and former Communications Director for London 2012; Jonathan Long, Director of the Centre for Leisure and Sports Research at Leeds Metropolitan University; and Sheila Rogers, independent consultant and former CEO at the Commission for Racial Equality.
What will be the impact?
The Racial Equality Standard is a tool that can support clubs in their journey towards racial equality and help build long-term foundations for sustainable club and community development. Football has the power to engage all communities and this document will encourage clubs to expand and extend existing partnerships.As a framework it will ensure processes are in place to address the under-representation of ethnic minority groups within all levels of the club environment and bring with it a business advantage. There are a number of long term benefits that can be drawn from working on the Racial Equality Standard, including:
- Improvements in local perceptions
- Better consultation and more participation from the local community in club activities
- Increase in numbers of ethnic minority supporters and representation at all levels of the club
In terms of policy and organisational developments, it will bring advantages to employment functions including:
- Better targeting of policy and marketing strategies
- Attract able staff who will in time reflect the local community
- Identify and develop good practice
- Avoid claims of unlawful discrimination
Racial equality practices will convey a diversity of ideas and experiences that we hope will ensure success both on and off the field.
To download the Racial Equality Standard for Professional Clubs please click here.
