The project brings together organisations from across the UK's sporting landscape behind five shared ambitions intended to drive meaningful and lasting change:
- Equal access to sport for girls in school
- Equal relevance, reach and revenue for women's sport
- An equal workforce across sport
- Governance structures redesigned for equality
- Equal access to sports facilities
Loughborough has joined major sporting organisations in supporting the initiative, including the FA, RFU, Youth Sport Trust, England Netball, UK Sport, LTA, Women’s Sport Trust, Women in Sport, Team GB and Sport England.
The project launches at a time when women's sport continues to grow rapidly, with participation, audiences and investment all increasing. However, significant inequalities remain across the sporting system, from grassroots participation through to leadership, governance and media coverage.
As part of its commitment, Loughborough has published a pledge outlining its ambition to build the world's leading university environment for the advancement of women's sport through performance, leadership, research and innovation.
Loughborough's pledge commits the University to:
- Setting the standard in performance
Building on the success of the UK's first multi-sport female professional franchise model, Loughborough Lightning, the University will further develop women's professional sport and ensure its women's performance programmes continue to raise the bar for performance, athlete development and success.
- Championing the next generation of female talent in sport
Loughborough will build and expand pathways that empower women to excel in sporting careers and leadership roles.
- Turning research into real-world impact
Through the Loughborough University Flagship Research Institute for Women in Sport, the University will continue to improve the experiences, environments and outcomes of women in sport. Working alongside women and girls, the Institute brings together research, innovation and practice to redesign sport and drive meaningful change across the sporting system.
Louise Gear, Loughborough University’s Director of Sport, said: “Loughborough has a long history of championing women's sport through elite performance, education, research and innovation, and we are proud to be part of the Equal Sport Project. This pledge is both a statement of intent and a commitment to action.
“By investing in female athletes, supporting future leaders and translating research into real-world impact, we want to help create a sporting system where every woman and girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential.”
Any organisation with an interest in the future of women's sport in the UK is invited to join the Equal Sport Project and make a measurable commitment towards at least one of the five ambitions over the next two years.
For more information about the Equal Sport Project and the pledges made by participating organisations, visit www.theequalsportproject.co.uk.