Leeds United are pleased to announce the club has achieved the Intermediate level of the Premier League's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard, also known as PLEDIS.
The club has been focused on progressing their work in the equality and diversity field for the last few years, making marked improvements around the club, Foundation, and Academy - showing a high level of commitment to continue developing standards.
To help celebrate the recent achievement and in turn the progression the club has made in recent times, staff from the Premier League were invited as special guests to Elland Road at a recent fixture, with the chance to take part in a certificate presentation pitchside ahead of kick-off, along with key members of Leeds United staff that work towards the PLEDIS scheme.
The Premier League launched PLEDIS in 2021 to provide a framework that could help clubs progress equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) across all areas of their business, including the work of their Community Trust - the Leeds United Foundation in this case.
All clubs are able to work towards achieving Preliminary, Intermediate and Advanced levels of the Standard, and this is awarded through an independent evaluation, assessment and verification process covering a club’s culture, policies, leadership and people – showcasing the work being done to encourage people from all communities to participate in all activities.
The panel of qualified judges that took on the club's recent assessment said that the evidence submitted by Leeds United demonstrated a significant level of commitment and progress in EDI, with a clear strategic focus on the next three years and a structured plan in place to drive meaningful and measurable change.
Specifically, the panel noted pockets of excellence around polices and practices within the Academy, Supporter Liaison Officer and Disability Liaison Officer cultures and services, and the matchday work around promoting EDI and challenging and preventing discrimination was also highly commended.
Head of Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for the Premier League, Kuljit Randhawa, said: “Leeds United have achieved the Intermediate Level of the Premier League’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard, demonstrating effective leadership and commitment to priorities including mental health, gender equality and representation.
“The independent Panel of EDI experts praised the effectiveness of the ‘All Leeds Aren’t We’ campaign in communicating the club’s strategic direction. Over the past two seasons, Leeds United’s EDI action plan has helped sustain a meaningful culture where fan engagement and player and staff welfare are essential to their approach. We look forward to supporting the club as they continue this excellent progress.”
David Ruebain, Chair of PLEDIS added: “The Panel was impressed by Leeds United’s ambitious and committed approach to PLEDIS and to driving inclusion. By embedding the club’s values into their submission, Leeds United demonstrated authentic leadership engagement and a culture of continuous improvement, reflected across staff and player support, fan engagement, and the Foundation.”
