The national agency for sport, sportscotland, has achieved gender equality on its Board following the appointment of five new members.
The addition of Susie Sandilands, Hala Ousta and Katy U’ren to the board has enabled the agency to meet the Scottish Government’s 50/50 by 2020 pledge.
Christopher Grant and Duncan Skinner are the other two newcomers after a highly successful social media recruitment drive, #GetOnBoard, which resulted in 134 applications.
A total of 190 organisations from across Scotland’s public, private and third sectors signed up to the Partnership for Change 50/50 by 2020 campaign, launched by the First Minister in June 2015, and sportscotland joins Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Canals and the Scottish Ambulance Service in being among the first to fulfil the criteria.
Inundated with applications
Mel Young, who leads the Board as Chair of sportscotland, said: “I’m delighted with the calibre of our five new members, each of whom brings strengths and expertise to an experienced and hard-working board.
"It is a critical and exciting time for sport in this country and at sportscotland we are continuing to build a world class sporting system for all, in collaboration with our partners.
“Susie, Hala, Katy, Duncan, and Chris have a terrific opportunity to help shape Scottish sport and continue strengthening the connections between community, club, and performance sport.
“We were inundated with 134 applications, which demonstrates the interest there is in sport in Scotland, and it is a welcome development that our board now has an equal gender balance.”
The five newcomers join Mel Young and David Cameron, Craig Mahoney, Coral Riddell, Leigh Robinson, George Walker and Frances Wood on the sportscotland Board.
Shattering the glass ceiling
Aileen Campbell, the Minister for Sport, said: “At time when we are pushing for gender equality in sport, it’s encouraging to see our national sporting agency put that principle in place in its boardroom.
“Shattering the glass ceiling, be that in the boardroom or out on the field, is the aim and we need to show action and lead by example, which sportscotland is doing.”
Equalities Secretary Angela Constance said: “Achieving gender balance on boards is a matter of equality and fairness, but the evidence shows balanced boards perform better.
“True gender equality is something we are pushing towards and I want to see it become the norm in Scotland.
"We welcome sportscotland’s commitment to this and I hope others will see the benefits and follow suit.”
Find out more
See the full composition of the sportscotland Board and read biographies of all members here.
More information about equality in Scottish sport can be found here.
Watch the video we created to spread the word about #GetOnBoard and see the full interviews with Coral Riddell and David Cameron on Sport First.
