NHL Reports on Progress towards diversity
The NHL has released their first-ever report on diversity and inclusion
Via NHL.com
Since January 2020, the league office and NHL clubs have put a stronger emphasis on seeking greater diversity within the hockey experience as a whole. This includes implementing strategies and initiatives that will diversify players in the league, team fanbases, and NHL employees.
What do these initiatives look like? The information from the “Accelerating Diversity & Inclusion: NHL Report on Strategies, Initiatives, and Progress” details the different programs and opportunities offered to players and employees, as well as a framework of the league’s continuous approach towards diversity. Some of these programs and opportunities include Diversity and Inclusion Educational Experience, Respect Group training, a partnership with JopWell to diversify the recruiting pool, and mentorship programs for women and BIPOC candidates.
The league’s framework for change includes seven dimensions: leadership, education, employment, marketing, partnerships, participation, and community engagement.
A few ways in which the NHL has begun addressing these dimensions includes hiring D&I professionals, implementing educational training, and hiring a Vice President of Multicultural Engagement and Integration to increase culturally-relevant marketing efforts.
Senior Executive VP of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs, Kim Davis, remarks that the NHL will begin placing a greater emphasis on the partnerships dimension by partnering with BIPOC, women, and LGBTQ+ owned companies and businesses.
It is also important to note that although they are working independently from the NHL, the Hockey Diversity Alliance (HDA) has a mission to eradicate racism in hockey. They have begun working towards their mission through grassroots projects, like their Ball Hockey Skills Program, which brings the sport of hockey to underserved youth and their TapeOutHate campaign with Budweiser Canada.
Photo by Budweiser Canada
While the NHL certainly has a long way to go, their efforts toward inclusivity coupled with the work of the HDA signal positive changes coming to the world of hockey.
Sources:
“Accelerating Diversity and Inclusion.” NHL.com, NHL, https://www.nhl.com/community/diversity-and-inclusion.
“Hockey Diversity Alliance: Changing the Face of Hockey.” Hockey Diversity Alliance | Changing the Face of Hockey, https://hockeydiversityalliance.org/.
Kennedy, Ryan. “NHL Releases First-Ever Diversity and Inclusion Report.” The Hockey News, The Hockey News, 18 Oct. 2022, https://thehockeynews.com/news/nhl-releases-first-ever-diversity-and-inclusion-report.
