West Ham United Football Club is proud to announce that it has become the first Premier League football club to become a White Ribbon accredited employer, as it marks this year’s White Ribbon Day (25 November). The announcement underpins West Ham United’s influence and responsibility as an equity leader, prioritising inclusion and diversity in the Club and wider community.
White Ribbon Accreditation is a formal recognition that the Club is actively taking steps to ending men’s violence against women. It involves meeting key standards, from leadership commitment and staff training to community engagement and awareness campaigns. The accreditation builds on ongoing work across safeguarding, equality, inclusion and community engagement, which includes signing the Women’s Night Safety Charter and delivering awareness and empathy training to Men’s first team, Academy players and staff, this reflects the Club’s commitment to creating environments where women and girls feel safe, valued and respected.
Vice-Chair of West Ham United, Baroness Karren Brady CBE proudly shares her support:
“I am immensely proud that West Ham United are taking a vital step in becoming the first ever Premier League Club to become a White Ribbon accredited employer. As a Club we take seriously our position as equity leaders, making positive change to ensure equality, fairness, safety and respect is at the forefront at West Ham United, our local community and wider society.
“White Ribbon UK deliver valuable work in their mission to prevent violence against women and girls, as a Club we’re honoured to work alongside them on our shared goals for societal changes and take a more positive approach to gender equality.
“As a football club we are committed to creating a culture where harmful behaviour is called out, the impact of men’s allyship and upstanding behaviour is recognised and encouraged and where anyone experiencing violence or abuse feels able to come forward.”
White Ribbon UK CEO, Lynne Elliot said:
“It’s brilliant to see a Premier League club achieve White Ribbon Accreditation. By taking this step, West Ham United are demonstrating a clear commitment to preventing violence against women and girls by engaging men and boys, while also raising awareness of the important work we do.”
White Ribbon is the UK’s leading charity engaging with men and boys to prevent violence against women and girls. Their mission is to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing the root causes. They do this by raising awareness of what constitutes as violence, and the link between harmful masculine norms, gender inequality and violence against women. ‘We Speak Up’ is this year’s White Ribbon Day campaign theme highlighting that letting sexism slide puts women and girls at risk. Sexist jokes, catcalling, staring, and comments might seem harmless, but they are serious because they can lead to violence and abuse.
