Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is an important social impact objective for events, most immediately in their planning and operation but also in terms of their ability to drive positive long-term change.
Priorities for the event itself typically include supporting the participation, attendance and inclusion in volunteer programmes of under-represented groups, as well as ensuring its physical accessibility to disabled attendees, at the venue and through the public transport networks serving it. Longer-term targets often focus on setting new EDI standards for the host nation and fostering more positive attitudes towards minority groups, both of which can be supported by visibility and promotion in media coverage of the event.
As well as being an important event impact in its own right, EDI should also be a consideration of all other impact types, particularly in terms of how they affect different population groups. For example, an economic impact assessment should address not only the overall gains for the entire host economy but also how these benefits are distributed throughout the community and what can be done to create more equitable shares.
As well as being a focus of decisions around what impacts to measure, EDI should also be top of mind when agreeing how to measure them. Impact assessment assumptions and study designs can unwittingly reflect subconscious bias that means the views and experiences of some demographics could be over- or under-represented. Involving stakeholders from all parts of the community throughout the event lifecycle, from pre-bidding to evaluation, is the best means of mitigating this risk.
What to measure
A basic ‘input’ measure of EDI impact is the existence of an equal opportunities policy:
- Equal Opportunity Policy in place (ASOIF reference SO-DI1.1)
Relevant ‘output’ indicators recommended by the OECD and ASIOF are:
- Percentage of participants/attendees/volunteers/organisers from under-represented groups (ASOIF reference SO-DI2.1/2/3)
- Pay ratio for participants/organisers from under-represented groups vs others (ASOIF reference SO-DI1.2)
- New standards for equal opportunity in place in host communities or nationally
- Percentage of event media coverage featuring people from under-represented groups (ASOIF reference IM-P2.3)
- Net change in percentage of public reporting positive attitude towards under-represented groups
- Expenditure on specific diversity and inclusion programmes/projects
- Availability of detailed access guide for the event
The OECD considers these impacts to contribute towards the UN SDGs Gender Equality (Targets 5.1 and 5.5), and Reduced Inequalities (Targets 10.2 and 10.3).
Equality, diversity and inclusion impact: How to measure it
Equal opportunity policy assessments should be led by the ASOIF Common Indicators guidance, which also includes advice on dealing with issues that break an event’s commitment to fairness set out in the document. Organisers of events in the UK should also consider the policy’s approach to the protected characteristics set out by the UK’s Equality Act 2010:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion or belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
For survey purposes, under-represented communities should be defined locally.