The Voice of Women Working in Sport
SPORTS INDUSTRY URGED TO WAKE UP ON GENDER INEQUALITY
A new report has been branded a ‘wake-up call’ for employers after it identified that less than 1% of women working in sport believe there is gender equality in the industry, and more than half believe they are paid less than men for the same work.
The warning comes from the inaugural Voice of Women Working in Sport research which examined the experiences women had when entering the industry, along with their current perspective on gender equality in the sector and their experiences of progressing their careers in sport.
The opportunity to work in sport is seen as a source of pride, privilege and empowerment for many women, offering opportunities to fulfil passions and make a difference. However, too often those feelings are undermined by “inequalities in terms of job opportunities, development and pay.”
Almost a third of those questioned felt male gatekeepers or intimidating men working in sport were a barrier to their entering the sector and had also restricted their career progression. But women recognise that men working across all levels can provide invaluable support to improve gender equality, with 44% calling for male allies in the sector to be more visible.
The report, produced by Sporting Insights in partnership with the Women’s Sport Collective, was based on an online survey of more than 850 women working at all levels across the sports industry.
Sporting Insights’ Hannah Sprake led the research and commented: “We would like to thank all the women who shared their experiences of working in sport as part of our research. We hope that the report provides reassurance that they are not facing their challenges alone and encourages the industry to take more notice and action to improve gender equality in sport.”
Commenting on the report, Sue Anstiss, CEO of the Women’s Sport Collective, said: “We’ll be repeating this research annually in order to track changes for women working in sport. There’s a clear ambition for a gender equal sports industry, and all the benefits that will bring, yet right now, women rate the sector as 4.63 out of 10 in terms of gender equality. We must do better.”
The importance of building networks was also recognised by women working in sport, with 75% believing men are better connected in the sports industry and therefore progress further and quicker in their careers. 82% agreed that being part of a large network of women would assist in their career progression.
The report closes by highlighting the actions women feel employers can take to improve the situation. They include:
Increasing the visibility of women working across all levels in sport
Being more open minded and transparent in recruitment
Reviewing pay and working conditions for gender bias
Encouraging and promoting mentoring opportunities
Increasing the number and visibility of male allies
The full report is available free of charge from the Sporting Insights website. Download here.
An online webinar exploring the research and its implications takes place on Thursday March 30, 2023 at 9- 10am. It’s open to the sports industry and free to attend. Register here.
For more information, imagery or to arrange an interview or workshop about the research please contact:
Hannah Sprake – Sporting Insights Hannah.sprake@sportinginsights.com / +44 1932 345 539
Sue Anstiss – Women’s Sport Collective sue.anstiss@fearlesswomen.co.uk / 07973 236393
