IWD: We can all commit to inspiring inclusion

With #InspireInclusion, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day campaign, at the forefront of my mind, I am thrown into contemplation of what this means for me and the world in which I am living right now. 

This year, I’ve dedicated time to reflect on the individuals who have inspired me throughout my life, and the real answer is everyone.

In the simplest terms, I am inspired daily by the stories that are shared with me by friends, family and colleagues, the posts I read on LinkedIn or the podcasts I listen to. Whether I’m listening to how someone’s weekend has gone, or how they have got to where they are today, hearing others’ successes and challenges has been hugely beneficial to me in my role at LiveScore Group.

Through a recent personal development journey, I have embraced the term ‘unconditional positive regard’ (UPR), coined by humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers in 1951. This philosophy is centred on accepting and valuing someone completely, regardless of their actions, feelings or choices.

This, along with my values of compassion, respect and responsibility, has allowed me to build trust and rapport with those I interact with daily. I am a listener and empathic by nature, and I love the feeling of creating an environment where people feel heard and treated with dignity, consideration and safety. 

These are the skills I believe are at the heart of #InspireInclusion. The idea to me is not just finding ways that inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion and removing barriers, but for us to get to a point where, in turn, women feel inspired themselves. For women and others to be supported while they forge their path in their careers and lives without barriers, we must remember that their stories matter and allowing others to feel heard is hugely important in allowing us all to feel included.

Driving change

LiveScore Group’s mission – to be a place where you can “live your truth” each and every day – is exemplified through tangible actions across the business. Employee relation groups such as LiveScore United (race equality), Iridian (LGBTQIA+), Women in Sport & Gaming and LiveScore Families, which boast over 80 members collectively, have spearheaded initiatives to drive awareness and implement change. These efforts have led to the introduction of progressive programmes like our fertility and period policies as well as significant enhancements to our family leave policies, all within the past year alone.

Our people team has been instrumental in increasing education to all our managers and driving change by removing barriers in LiveScore Group practices, allowing women and others more access to an industry which has historically been dominated by men. I am pleased to say that these efforts have resulted in an increase in women working for the business from 20% to 22% in the UK and from 23% to 28% globally, with early indications showing that our gender pay gap policy has also had a positive impact change in the UK.

I am also delighted to note that the effort and the commitment to inclusion across our business is reflected in our partnerships with sporting events too. The recent “Women’s Day” Virgin Bet Raceday on Saturday 9 March, at Ayr Racecourse, has proven that our work in this area extends not only to how we interact with each other but with our customers and the wider industry too. 

In the words of socio-political activist Gloria Steinem: “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation, but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.” At LiveScore Group, I’m heartened by the collective commitment to not just saying it but putting it into action.

Sue Dawson is people growth manager at LiveScore Group, an L&D professional, currently responsible for enhancing LiveScore employees’ strengths and resilience by improving their skills, quality, performance and value. Her mission is to create environments that can meet the needs of an individual and help remove barriers through raising awareness and empowering others.