Football leadership Diversity Code launched to drive more inclusion in the English game
We have today launched our new Football Leadership Diversity Code to drive diversity and inclusion across English football, with over 40 clubs across the Premier League, EFL, Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship committing to tackle inequality across senior leadership positions, broader team operations and coaching roles.
The Code has been developed in collaboration with club executives, players, coaches, HR directors, media and leaders across the game to ensure English football better represents our modern and diverse society.
Recognising that clubs and support structures off the pitch do not reflect the increasing gender and ethnic diversity seen on the pitch, it will increase accountability and transparency and will see the FA, key stakeholders and clubs across the men’s and women’s game commit to embedding greater diversity across senior leadership teams, team operations and coaching setups.
The Code focuses on increasing equality of opportunity with hiring targets – rather than quotas – to encourage recruitment from across society.
Hiring will be based on merit, to find the best person for the job from diverse talent pipelines and the aim is to move away from recruitment practices focused on personal networks, which is a longstanding challenge across football and has limited the diversity in leadership across the game.
It is viewed as a starting point towards greater diversity and, while focusing on gender and ethnicity now in reflection of the current player base, it will expand more broadly over time.
The Premier League and multiple clubs from across the Premier League, EFL, Barclays FA Women’s Super League and FA Women’s Championship have committed to embedding the Code within its own practices. While not mandatory, we are encouraging all clubs across the men’s and women’s games to Register to the voluntary Code, with a version following the same principles and adapted for the National League System and grassroots clubs to follow in Spring 2021.
The original article can be found here.
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