New Zealand Cricket has joined forces with the country’s other major sporting codes in making a public commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, at a ceremony in downtown Auckland on Tuesday, May 31st.
Chief Operating Officer Anthony Crummy was joined by BLACKCAP Ish Sodhi and several members of the board at a public signing of a statement, designed to help develop and implement policies which will encourage greater diversity and inclusion across sport.
Cricket, rugby, rugby league, football, netball, hockey as well as the NZOC and Sport New Zealand are the founding signatories to the document.
Crummy spoke on behalf of New Zealand Cricket at the announcement and lauded the signing as an important day for sport in this country.
“We’re delighted to be part of this public commitment to Diversity and Inclusion,” Crummy said.
“As it happens, this issue is a central pillar in our new Strategic Plan, where our goal is to help make cricket a sport for all New Zealanders, irrespective of social demographic considerations; and to make everyone feel welcome.
“With that in mind, NZC agrees that barriers in the form of things such as gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation simply cannot be tolerated. Sport, as a massive enabler of physical health and mental well-being is far too important to take for granted.
“We must have the welcome mat out for all.”
Crummy believed the joint commitment was the start of something that would have a flow-on effect to healthier lives, healthier sport and healthier communities.
He thanked the New Zealand Rugby Union for initiating the project and the other founding National Sporting Organisations for embracing it.
In terms of action, the statement below commits New Zealand Cricket to establishing a framework for diversity and inclusion and establishing a programme of agreed areas of focus by 31 December 2016.
Diversity and Inclusion Commitment Statement
31 May 2016
The National Sporting Organisations and representative bodies listed below are committed to developing and implementing policies, programmes and practices that encourage greater diversity and inclusion across sport, be that in terms of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and disability and advance the eradication of discrimination from sport. This Commitment and subsequent policies and education programmes will be made available to all National Sporting Organisations in New Zealand to adopt if they choose.
The respective sporting organisations recognise that diversity and inclusion means that anyone should be encouraged and able to participate and enjoy sport without prejudice and in a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Each organisation is committed to establishing and maintaining programmes that seek to increase diversity and inclusivity across their sport and will work collaboratively to share information, experiences and understanding of related areas of focus for the wider benefit.
By working on targeted priorities and strategies within their own sporting environments and by collaborating across all sports those involved will ensure meaningful activity is undertaken to improve inclusion, promote diversity and eliminate discrimination within the sporting culture in New Zealand.
The organisations commit to establishing a framework for diversity and inclusion within our individual organisations and establishing a programme of agreed areas of focus by 31 December 2016.
The sporting organisations involved are: New Zealand Rugby, New Zealand Football, New Zealand Cricket, New Zealand Rugby League, Netball New Zealand, Hockey New Zealand.
Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand and the New Zealand Olympic Committee have committed to supporting this work through their own integrity frameworks, which advocate for an inclusive sporting environment.
In embarking on this project the organisations involved are cognisant of the important role of sport in New Zealand, and the potential for sport to promote and lead important social change across New Zealand society generally.
In outlining this commitment, we are appreciative of the support received to date from various stakeholders and organisations who have freely shared their knowledge, expertise and experience.
We also recognise the proactive collaboration that has already taken place across our various sporting codes with a clear common commitment to enabling real social change throughout New Zealand.
We are confident that the collective efforts of sporting organisations across New Zealand will deliver far reaching outcomes for generations of New Zealanders to come, ensuring sport is truly for all.
