Leading the Way?

Ethnic diversity and inclusion in the senior leadership workforce at 18 sports bodies.

Our research is driving change in the sports sector by addressing the important issue of ethnic diversity and inclusion in senior leadership roles.

Led by Dr Steven Bradbury and colleagues from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, this pioneering study examines the representation levels, benefits and challenges of establishing an ethnically diverse senior leadership workforce at 18 sports organisations, including nine National Governing Bodies (NGBs) based at Loughborough.

The research also identifies some existing and emerging models of good ‘race’ equity practice in the field, and offers actionable recommendations for increasing ethnic diversity and enabling inclusion in sports leadership.

Key findings

The team conducted an in-depth analysis of Board and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) positions, focusing on four key areas.

Their key findings include:

Findings indicate that the overall levels of representation of ethnically diverse groups in the senior leadership workforce (Board and SLT combined) at Loughborough based sports bodies is 13.9%. This includes significant differences in the levels of representation at Board (17.6%) and SLT (8.1%) level. Findings also indicate significant variation in representation at Board and SLT level between individual sports bodies.

Findings indicate some operational and organisational benefits of establishing an ethnically diverse senior leadership workforce at Board and SLT level. In particular: (a) the enhanced operational functioning of sports bodies engendered by the different lived experiences and cognitive and demographic diversity of ethnically diverse senior leaders, and (b) the enhanced cultural appeal and marketability of sports bodies enabled by the representation of ethnically diverse role models in senior leadership positions.

Findings indicate some organisational challenges to establishing an ethnically diverse senior leadership workforce at Board and SLT level across three key themes.

  • Firstly, organisational structures and pathways, with respect to existing processes of recruitment and retention, and preferences for leadership candidates drawn from within the sports sector.
  • Secondly, organisational cultures and uneven experiences of inclusivity, with respect to the perceptions and realities of leadership contexts as white spaces, and the impacts of cultures of whiteness on the engagement and experiences of ethnically diverse groups.
  • Thirdly, organisational focus, resource and knowledge, with respect to the lack of prior strategic emphasis, allocation of funding support, or understanding of racialised barriers to career progression experienced by ethnically diverse groups in senior leadership domains.

Findings indicate some existing and emerging good ‘race’ equity practice to establish an ethnically diverse senior leadership workforce at Board and SLT level. This includes: recent strategic revisions and the use of ‘race’ specific positive action measures; amending and establishing equitable recruitment processes and practices; supporting and enabling the vocational development of aspiring senior leaders from ethnically diverse backgrounds; and educating senior decision makers at sports bodies on EDI and ‘race’ equity related issues.

Recommendations

The research offers a range of recommendations which are intended to build on and extend existing good ‘race’ equity practice in sport leadership.

While primarily directed at CEOs and EDI leads at Loughborough-based sports bodies, they are also highly relevant to sports organisations across the sector.

The recommendations focus on creating a more ethnically diverse and inclusive senior leadership workforce, in line with the UK Sports Council’s commitment to Tackling Racism and Racial Inequalities in Sport (TRARRIS).

The recommendations focus on four key themes:

  • Establishing a holistic, multi-levelled and transformational approach to ‘race’ equity
  • Developing ‘race’ equitable processes and practices of recruitment
  • Enabling the development and career progression of ethnically diverse senior leaders
  • Educating and increasing the cultural competence of key stakeholders

Resources

The research report

Access the full report and its recommendations.

Leading the way?
Ethnic diversity and inclusion in the senior leadership workforce at 18 sports bodies

Podcast

Dr Steven Bradbury and Mr Martin Foster discuss the key findings and recommendations from the report.

Experts in Sport podcast
Leading the Way? Ethnic diversity and inclusion in the senior leadership workforce at 18 sports bodies

Further reflections

Dr Steven Bradbury offers some further thoughts about the ‘race’ equity landscape in senior leadership in sports more broadly.

Reflections on the ‘race’ equity landscape in senior leadership in sports

Supporting testimonies

UK Sport, Sport England, Sporting Equals and Loughborough University offer their support for the research.

Read their supporting testimonies.