Cambridge United Football Club promotes the principle of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and will strive to ensure that everyone who wishes to be involved in the Club whether as players, supporters (home and away), staff, Board members, participants in outreach programmes and other people engaged with the Club’s activities (for example, suppliers, corporate partners):

• Has a genuine and equal opportunity to participate to the full extent of their own ambitions and abilities, without regard to their age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation; and
• Can be assured of an environment in which their rights, dignity and individual worth are respected, and in particular that they are able to enjoy their engagement at the Club without the threat of intimidation, victimisation, harassment, bullying or abuse.

The Club is committed to avoiding, actively challenging, and eliminating discrimination of any kind and will under no circumstances condone unlawful discriminatory practices. The organisation takes a zero-tolerance approach to intimidation, harassment, victimisation, bullying or abuse.

As well as complying with legislation, the Club promotes EDI by taking positive steps to counteract the effects of physical or cultural barriers – whether real or perceived – that restrict the opportunity for all sections of the community to participate equally and fully.

The Club will therefore seek to institute, support or contribute to appropriate measures or initiatives that enable access, as well as requiring participation in associated activities by people from any group that is under-represented in the Club or has difficulty accessing it.

The following steps will be taken to publicise this policy and promote EDI in the Club:

• A copy of this document will be published on the Club website
• The Board will take overall accountability for ensuring that the policy is observed
• The Board will take full account of the policy in arriving at all decisions in relation to the activities of the Club
• The Club will implement regular audits, surveys or other initiatives designed to assess the level of participation from diverse groups of people in the Club, including employed roles, and will take account of the findings in developing measures to promote and enhance EDI
• The Club will provide access to a rolling programme of training (for example, online, face-to-face, briefings) for all its players, supporters (home and away), staff, Board members and other people engaged with the Club’s activities, to raise awareness of both collective and individual responsibilities

The Board will be accountable for ensuring the implementation of the Club’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion commitment. The HR and Head’s of Departments will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of EDI in the Club.

The Executive Committee will review all Club activities and initiatives against the aims of the policy and should report formally on this issue to the Board annually.

The Executive Committee will review any measures or initiatives that the Club may institute or take part in to promote and enhance EDI in the Club and will report their findings annually to the Board.

The Board itself will review the policy every year (or when necessary due to changes in legislation), in line with the policy review process.

The Club takes a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and instances of hate, and considers all forms of discriminatory behaviour, including (but not limited to) behaviour described in the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy, as unacceptable. The Club commits to ensuring individuals feel able to raise any grievance or complaint relating to such behaviour without fear of being penalised for doing so.

Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any player, supporter (home and away), staff, Board member, participant in outreach programmes and other people engaged with the Club’s activities who violate the Club’s EDI Policy.

Board Champion – Alex Tunbridge – CEO

Club Lead – Janet Mills – Head of HR and People – janetm@cambridgeunited.com

Academy Lead – Callum Langley – Player Care Manager – calluml@cambridgeunited.com

Trust Lead – Vicky Neal – Head of Foundation – vickyn@cambridgeunited.com

The Equality Act 2010 brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. The Act provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all. It provides Britain with a discrimination law which protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

Discrimination refers to unfavourable treatment on the basis of particular characteristics, which are known as the ‘protected characteristics’. Under the Equality Act 2010, the protected characteristics are defined as age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex (gender) and sexual orientation.

Under the Equality Act 2010, individuals are protected from discrimination ‘on grounds of’ a ‘protected characteristic’1. This means that individuals will be protected if they have a characteristic, are assumed to have it, associate with someone who has it or with someone who is assumed to have it.