UK Athletics has today published its Diversity Action Plan which sets out the organisation’s approach and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. The plan, which will undertake progress reviews quarterly, is a crucial tool by which the UKA will hold itself to account against this delivery.

The Diversity Action Plan 2021-2024 sets out a wide range of individual issues, behind which is a commitment to use data and insight to deliver, and to welcome challenge wherever there is any question of not meeting the standards that have been set.

The Athletics Unified (2020-2032) Strategy for the sport launched in 2020, and through collaboration between the five governing bodies of athletics and running in the UK, set a clear objective of being a sport for everyone. Such a target can only be fully met if equality, diversity and inclusion are central to the delivery.

Chair of UK Athletics Nic Coward said:

“The board of UK Athletics is fully focused on delivering against our Diversity Action Plan. We are committed to driving positive change within our sport, with a demand that all involved are open and collaborative, and have a mindset of equality, diversity, and inclusion.

“We have a number of commitments we have set ourselves through being a Disability Confident Leader, signatories of the Time to Change Employer Pledge which focuses on supporting our workforce with mental health, and the Race at Work Charter which addresses race inequality in the workplace. Our ‘Let’s Talk About Race’ programme created impactful conversation across the sport and has led to commitments we have made in this Diversity Action Plan.

“The Athletics Pride Network has developed since its launch in April 2020, sharing experiences, and creating a route for issues to be raised, and has already been honoured by recognition in the annual Global Diversity List published in November in the LGBT+ employee network.

“I’m pleased that we can share this with the sport and look forward to being part of the delivery of such an essential plan.”