7th June 2018

Uk Athletics Sign Up To Stonewall's Diversity Champions Programme

7 June 2018 

UK Athletics have signed up to Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme, a leading employer’s framework for creating and enhancing an inclusive workplace that enables lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) employees to reach their full potential.

The programme will see UK Athletics witness best practice across public and private sectors – Stonewall works with over 760 organisations – focusing on providing expertise and access to resources for guidance on inclusivity.

Key elements of the process include unlocking the potential of LGBT staff, attracting and retaining the best talent at the organisation, reviewing existing policies and joining the largest community of professionals committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

With a commitment to the creation and enhancement of an inclusive climate to captivate both existing and new audiences, UK Athletics is a proud supporter of the project, as well as Stonewall’s key objective to ‘make sport everyone’s game’

This follows support of Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign at the British Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year, which saw British Athletics staff wear rainbow laces at the event, as well as #REPRESENT branding – digitally and in stadia – inspired by the colours of the LGBT community.  This visual awareness campaign was one part of a wider commitment to working towards best practice in this area throughout all levels of the organisations.

Donna Fraser, the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead at UK Athletics, commented:

“I am absolutely delighted that UK Athletics are committed to Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme for the year ahead. We have taken many steps in the past 18 months to show our commitment to making UK Athletics an inclusive place of work and this is another significant moment in delivering our objectives as a governing body.

“Encouraging openness and supporting the well-being of employees will only continue to improve as we embark on the programme over the next 12 months and beyond.”