Club achieves 'Preliminary level of Equality Standard for Professional Football Clubs'
ALBION have been awarded the Preliminary level of The Equality Standard for Professional Football Clubs in recognition of their efforts to combat discrimination.
The Equality Standard is a framework which encourages and supports the development of equality practices and policies at professional clubs in England and Wales, highlighting six key areas of diversity: race, religion, age, gender, disability and sexual orientation.
Albion have been working alongside Kick It Out to deliver evidence against a series of objectives that ensure action in all areas of the club’s operation – from the complaints reporting policy and provision of a disability access audit to the training of staff and employee personal development.
The ‘standard’ looks at how the club recruits employees and young players, as well as the delivery of activities and projects to under-represented groups in the community, for which The Albion Foundation has been pivotal.
Roisin Wood, Director of Kick It Out, said: “It is a great achievement for the club and illustrates that West Bromwich Albion are so important in campaigning to tackle discrimination within its workforce and local community.
“Kick It Out will continue to work with the club on equality developments to ensure that equality of opportunity, inclusion and fair treatment are at the heart of what they do.”
Rob Lake, Director of The Albion Foundation, who lead the club’s effort to achieve the ‘standard’, said: “West Bromwich Albion Football Club takes a zero tolerance approach towards any form of discrimination and fully endorses Kick It Out's message to make football available to all.
“These key messages are at the very core of the sporting and educational work The Albion Foundation conducts in Sandwell, Dudley and surrounding areas week in, week out.”