Sporting Equals works to make sports boardrooms more diverse

November 23, 2024

Currently only 26 out of 601 board positions (4 per cent) have members from Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups (BAME) and out of 68 sports organisations, only one has a BAME CEO. This week, Sporting Equals held it’s third LeaderBoard Conference at EY’s headquarters in London to discuss this issue.

High profile speakers included Christine Ohuruogu, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Dr Rosena Allin-Khan – MP, Shadow Sports Minister.

Phil Smith, Director of Sport at Sport England explained the recently announced Governance Code for Sport which works proactively to create more opportunities for BAME candidates to fill roles.

“We were really proud to launch the Governance Code for Sport after a lot of hard work to deliver against a pretty challenging brief. But clearly, the job doesn’t stop there.

“Whilst the code is one of the most advanced in the world, what it shows is that so much more needs to be done to help sports organisations to be truly reflective of the customers and communities they serve.

Recent audits conducted on the profile of national governing body boards and senior teams show that there is a significant lack of BAME diversity. Sporting Equals latest 2016 figures suggest that only 26 out of 601 board positions (4 per cent) have BAME members and out of 68 sports organisations only one has a BAME CEO.

The Sporting Equals LeaderBoard and Academy will provide national governing bodies with a thorough and transparent process to encourage greater diversity in board and leadership roles at a national and, where relevant, regional and county level.

The impact of this initiative is already being felt. Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive, Alison Oliver, announced at the event that the organisation will work with Sporting Equals on a Future Sport Leaders programme. The programme aims to increase the number of young people from BAME backgrounds becoming decision makers within their local schools and communities and give young people aged 15-18, the chance to positively shape the sport and physical activity offer for their peers.

Christine Ohuruogu, a Sporting Equals Ambassador, said:

“I’m delighted to be supporting the Sporting Equals Leaderboard programme. The continued work of Sporting Equals will I am sure go a long way to helping create a long term solution for BAME professionals and former athletes as they look to secure board level positions in sport.”

Sporting Equals works to make sports boardrooms more diverse

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Sporting Equals works to make sports boardrooms more diverse

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