British racing launches new Diversity in Racing Advisory Group
- Advisory group to help inform diversity and inclusion aspects of industry people strategy
- Members will provide expert guidance and support best practice across the industry
- Group publishes inclusive employment toolkit to help widen participation in the sport
British racing has established a new Diversity in Racing Advisory Group, which will help guide and support work to enhance equality, diversity and inclusion across the industry.
Replacing the sport’s existing Diversity in Racing Steering Group, the new advisory body will report directly into the Horseracing Industry People Board, which has worked closely with the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) to develop the group’s revised role and structure.
The Diversity in Racing Advisory Group is chaired by Dr Eleanor Boden and is comprised of eight members with expert knowledge and experience in creating more inclusive environments and supporting people to fulfil their potential.
Dr Boden is the Chief Executive of the Scottish Racing Academy and has held various roles within British racing and breeding, more recently on improving awareness and understanding of equality, inclusion and safeguarding.
The advisory group will contribute to the work of the Horseracing Industry People Board and the development of a long-term people strategy for British racing, offering valuable input around areas relating to equality, diversity and inclusion.
It will also assist the BHA and other industry stakeholders with planning and delivering diversity and inclusion initiatives that seek to widen participation in the sport and attract new audiences from all different backgrounds.
As part of this work, the Diversity in Racing Advisory Group has already produced a comprehensive recruitment toolkit designed to help employers across the industry to embed inclusive practices into their hiring processes.
The toolkit can be downloaded for free from Racing2Learn and provides useful resources and guidelines for employers, offering practical insight to help organisations think about diversity and inclusion at every stage of the recruitment journey and provide equal opportunities for all.
Chair of the Diversity in Racing Advisory group, Dr Eleanor Boden, said:
“I am honoured to lead the Diversity in Racing Advisory Group and work alongside a dedicated team committed to driving positive change in our industry. The toolkit we have developed provides practical guidance for employers, encouraging them to adopt inclusive recruitment practices and contribute to a more diverse and vibrant racing community.”
Commenting on the launch of the new advisory group and inclusive recruitment toolkit, Chair of the Horseracing Industry People Board, Neil Hayward, said:
“The Horseracing Industry People Board is committed to delivering positive change to improve the lives of those working in the sport and the organisations that employ them. Key to this is attracting, retaining and developing a diverse workforce and ensuring that those involved in our industry feel safe, supported and able to fulfil their potential.
“The refreshed Diversity in Racing Advisory Group has an important role as we continue to develop British racing’s long-term people strategy, both in terms of informing and supporting decision-making and sharing specialist knowledge and insight.”
Julie Harrington, Chief Executive of the British Horseracing Authority, added:
“Racing is everyone’s sport, and it’s important that we build on progress to ensure our industry is an attractive prospect for people from all backgrounds and that everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive.
“The formation of a revised advisory group is another step on this journey, with the group incorporated into racing’s new governance structure and therefore able to play a more effective role in providing strategic direction, expert guidance and support to decision makers and organisations across British racing.”
The members of the refreshed advisory group are as follows:
- Dr Eleanor Boden (Chair)
- Carol Bramhill
- Grace Carter
- Emily Foster
- Susannah Gill
- Dr David Letts
- Christina Thakor Rankin
- Gareth Wesley
More information about the Diversity in Racing Advisory Group is available on the BHA website. To contact the group for advice or support, please email: diversity@britishhorseracing.com.
The Inclusive Recruitment Toolkit can be downloaded for free from Racing2Learn.
